The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-01-18
How they feel in Ottawa
about the State Fair.
Other Items, Etc.

WASHINGTON, Jan, l7.-Mr. Carpenter
withdrew his amendment approprlating
100000 to complete the Washington |
monument, as it was doubtful whether /
the monument could ever be completed |
owing to the softness of the foundation /
ground.
Mr. Morton called up his resolution in
structing the Committee on Elections TO /
inquire into the defects Of the present |
electoral system and the best means for |
remedying it. He then spoke at length
upon it. He viewed the constitutional po
sition Of the States in the matter OF
choosing electors for President and Vice
Presidentas now entirely beyond the juris-
diction of the national government, and en-
tirely without remedy nrredress on its part
for whatever disorder, irregularities or
evil features may occur in the appoint
ment Of electors in any State. No pro
vision is anywhere made for contesting the
election of electors. and whatever returns
shall be made up although produced in
whole or in part by fraud or violence, must
stand and the vote be counted upon them
if returned in time.
There are said to be two sets Of electoral
votes at this time in the hands Of the Vice
! President from the State Of Arkansas and
1 two from the State Of Louisiana and
which ever of these sets he decides is the
/ proper electoral vote and brings forward,
opens and causes to be counted, must be so
received, and from his action there is no ap-
peal That the candidatefor electors should
/ be pledged in advance to vote for particular
/ persons was not only not contemplated by
the trainers of the Constitution, but was
expressly excluded by their theory. They
were not to be influenced by previous com
initials or engagements, so that when they
come together they could deliberate with
perfect freedom for the best interest of the
republic How completely this theory has
been overturned in practice for more than
seventy years it Is unnecessary to relate.
The Electoral Colleges have turned out to
be wholly useless He would prefer that
the President should be elected by the
people as one community. giving the elec-
ton to the man who received the highest
number of votes, without regard to State
lines or municipal divisions. Under the
new system which he proposed the people
of the several States will vote directly for
President, each State to have as many
districts and as many votes as it has Sena-
tors and Representatives in Congress. He
therefore proposed that q committee shall
take the whole subject into consideration.
with leave to sit during vacation and re
port to the next session Of Congress the
result of their deliberations and to bring
forward such measures as may be deemed
necessary whether in form of statutes or
amendments to the Constitution of the
United States
At the conclusion of Mr.. Norton S re-
marks Mr. Trumbull spoke briefly agree
ing with Mr.. Morton as to some of the de
tects and dangers OF the existing electoral
system, but dissenting from some of his
views as to the proper remedy.
The House Postoffice Committee to-day
unanimously authorized Gen. Farnsworth,
Chairman, to prepare bill to reduce let
ter postage to two cents, and require pre-
payment on all printed matter except on
weekly papers circulating in counties where
T they are printed these to be unaffected
by the proposed bill The estimate for the
P0st0fice Department shows that 81 800,
900 are annually lost on account of postage
on printed matter being nguncollected or con
fiscated by postmasters,
The Wilson Credit MobiHer investiga-
ton committee resumed its sittings al
! noon. Hon. Mr.. Perry, of Cincinnati, the
counsel employed by the government, was
| welcomed and took his seat with the com
mittee.
The Chairman asked Mr.. Durant
Nv as it not fact that the difference be.
tween the cost Of the two hundred and
twenty eight miles of road and the amount
? for which it was let under Cakes Ames
contract constituted dividend that was
declared to stockholders of the Credit Mo
] biier2'
Answer 1t was
During the examination, witness said
0 concerning Oakes Ames' accounts, that he
). (witness) had said to Ames: What dt
q you want with the accounts? They have
e been examined by board previously ap
pointed and passed upon officially ant
: paid .Ames replied / want to sex
e whether any money has been paid to mem
IS oers OF Congress, Witness asked
, "hy GO you want to know whether any
money ~ mas q been paid to members of Con
& gress 10 which Ames replied"
n want them !, 70 pay 1t back if they do no
go straight. ~ -'
, Mr., Swami What did he mean b,
> going straight
E Answer suppose the remark O
" Ames was jocularly made, y
= New York, Jan, 17.-Rev. .Josbn
:. Leavitt, D. D., associate editor of the In
/ dependent, died last evening Of appo
u plexy while at the residence of his son
t, Rev. J. d. Leavitt
d. The report of the finding of bottle {
strychnine in the cell lately vacated b
O. Stokes is erroneous The drug was nM
q" vomlca, and had been incidentally prepal