Page:Speeches, correspondence and political papers of Carl Schurz, Volume 4.djvu/181

Rh life would stand between the country and the confusion likely to arise for want of a locum tenens of the Presidency. And the New York Sun regrets the “accident” of the Senate's failing to elect a President pro tem. before adjourning in May last.

In the light of history this is rather too cheeky; for the Senate did not “omit,” but Mr. Arthur did designedly prevent, an election and in the face of frequent intimations did decline to vacate the chair in order to allow a President pro tem. to be chosen. When the subject was broached to him, he asked “who” would probably be chosen (the Democrats by the retirement of Conkling and Platt having a majority), and was told Mr. Bayard would certainly be. Mr. Conkling took occasion to put the same question and received the same reply.

Mr. Gorham, in their Washington organ, the Republic suggested that if Mr. Harris, of Tennessee, would be chosen, the opportunity for that would be allowed, but the Democratic majority did not propose to have their action dictated by the anti-Administration cabal. Mr. Harris of Tennessee had placated offended deity by pairing against Judge Robertson's nomination and was in sympathetic relations with Robertson's opponents.

The facts, of the notification to Arthur that the Democrats were ready to go into an election of President pro tem. and his reply, were conveyed to me by sundry Senators who informed me also that I would be chosen if Mr. Arthur would allow an election, but this opportunity he deliberately refused to allow. And it won't do now for him and his “Boss” to equivocate in the face of an indignant public in relation to their own unworthy dealings with an important public fact.

May Heaven avert the contingency of Arthur's promotion. 



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I was greatly rejoiced on my return from a sea-trip to find that the Ponca war was at last ended, that Bright Eyes had