The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-25
The Congressional Elections.

From the World.
The great Importance of the ensuing Con-
gressiona elections does not depend on their
relation to the early admission of the Southern
Senators and Representatives, but on their rela-
ton to the next Presidential election. The ten
excluded States make a difference of seventy
votes in the electoral colleges-ffty for their
Representatives and twenty for their Senators.
The radicals are maneuvring to exclude these
seventy electoral votes. To foil their intention
is the most solid advantage that we can gain in
the approaching elections.
Happily, we do not need, for this purpose, to
elect majority, but only one-third of the mem
bers of the House. As the aws now stand, those
States are entitled to their due number OF elec-
to1al votes, and the President OF the Senate
would be compelled to receive and count them.
To have the southern electoral votes counted,
IL is not necessary to repeal law but only to pre-
vent the passage OF a new one-a state of facts
which makes great difference in the Congress
sional strength needed by the Unionsts. To
repeal an existing law requires a majority OF
both Houses; but to defeat a new law which the
President disapproves requires only onc-third
of the members of one House, and one vote ad
d1tIonal. IL we can elect one-third of the House
OF Representatives, we shall etfectually coun-
tervail the chief object of the radicals in their
policy of exclusion. gain OF twenty odd
congressman will give us seventy electoral votes
which we should otherwise lose.
THIS point is of such vital consequence that
we desire to make 1t entirely clear To this end
we ask perusal OF the JOINT resolution passed
previous to counting the electoral votes in 1865.
The following is an exact COPY
JOINT RESOLUTION DECLARING CERTAIN STATES
NOT ENTITLED TO REPRESENTATION IN THE ELEc-
ToRAL COLLEGE,
VkeyeaS, The inhabitants and local authorities of
the States OF Virginia North Carolina, south Caro-
lima, Georgia, Florida Alabama, MissIsslppi Loui-
slana, lexas, Arkansas, and Tennessee rebeed
against the Government of the United States and
were IN such condition on the 9Th day OF Novem-
ber 1864, that valid election Tor electors OF Presl
cording to the Constitution and avs thereof,
held therein on saiu day; therefore
se9tdtiUes OF the United States of Anericd in Com
greSs assembled, That the States mentioned in the
representation in the Electoral College for the choice
of President and Vice-PIesIdent OF the United
4th day OF March, 1855; and no electoral votes
shall be received or counted from said States
coming the choice OF President and VIcePresIdent
tor said term of office.
Approved February 8, 1860
The Republicans cannot object to the prece
dent set by this joint resolution, for it is prcce
dent OF their own making. 1t establishes the
principle that whenever the President of the
Senate is not specially instructed by Congress to
| the contrary, he must count the electoral votes
| OF all the States, and declare the result as all
| the votes make it. The Joint resolution passed
| in 1861 applied only to the electoral votes of
! that one election. Unless the President of the
| Senate shall be again similarly instructed by q
| new Joint resolution, in 1862 all the Southern
! votes VIII have to be counted. 1t is important
| to observe that the foregoing Joint resolution
was not passed until after the Presidential cleo
ton of 1864, and that the recital in its preamble
on which the resolution is founded, is the recital
| of past historical fact respecting the condition
| of certain States on the eighth of the preceding
| November. 1t hence follows that the present
| Congress cannot paGs such resolution relating
| to the next Presidential election. If the South
| ern votes ale excluded it must be done by the
| Congress now about to be elected, The country
| is quite safe on that point if che UniOnists can
elect one-third OF the new House OF Representa-
| tiyes.
The election of a majority of the House,
though on many accounts desirable would pro.
duce no immediate advantage above what would
equally follow from the election OF Union mem.
bers enough to support the Veto 1t needs a
majority OF both Houses to pass a law, and as
the republicans would still control the Senate,
i is only negative results that can be expected
from the next Congress-. To block bad legislI-
tlon The veto and one-thmd of one House are
all that is necessary. The key OF the political
position is the next Presidential election. The
seventy Southern votes will probably determine
IT, Those seventy votes will be counted II we
can prevent the passage of a joint re solution
like the above by the next Congress, which can
be easily aud triqmphantly done by good man.
| agement and little extra eXertion in about
| twenty districts where the Republicans had
trliilng MAORI ties in 1864.