Republican senators concerned with the plight of Southern blacks pleaded with the stubborn, entrenched Morton to vacate his position for another GOP member to preside over the Senate in hopes of passing the Lodge Bill.<ref name=ussenatebio/> Morton stubbornly refused to even temporarily vacate and insisted that his role was to maintain a neutral stance when presiding. Sen. [[George F. Hoar]] retorted that the vice president:<ref name=ussenatebio/> | Republican senators concerned with the plight of Southern blacks pleaded with the stubborn, entrenched Morton to vacate his position for another GOP member to preside over the Senate in hopes of passing the Lodge Bill.<ref name=ussenatebio/> Morton stubbornly refused to even temporarily vacate and insisted that his role was to maintain a neutral stance when presiding. Sen. [[George F. Hoar]] retorted that the vice president:<ref name=ussenatebio/> |