The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-03-12

From the Chicago Inter-Oeean.
New ORLEANS, March !, 1S75.-There
is quicker heat in the Southern than in
the Northern Democrat, and more can
dor.
A whisper of a desperate purpose Is at
times audible of late among the rebel
leaders here, and imports frightful peril
to the Republic. When first it arrested
my ear ascribed it to temper prone
to relieve itself in vapid menace, and
dismissed it with a smile. But am
now persuaded that it warrants less ridi
cule than alarm. The Northern Demo
cratic leader pinches his lip, but the egg
is in his brain. What is the project, of
which even the rank and file of the
Democracy are as yet permitted TO know
nothing, and the sly mutter of which l
have unexpectedly caught? To COM
pass Democratic control of the National
Government in March, 1877, under all cir
cumstances, through the concerted action
of the Southern and Northern wings of
the Opposition!
The Twelfth Amendment, in modifca-
ton of section of Article of the Con-
stitution, prescrIbes how the electoral
vote for President and Vice President
are to be counted. The President of the
Senate shall. in the joint presence of the
two houses, open the certificates. and the
votes shall then be counted. But, by
custom, not by legal prescript, an ohjec
ton by majority of either house to the
counting of the electoral vote of any
State ia fatal-the vote is lost.
Senator Morton, in obvious forecast of
this danger. has sought to rescue such a
vote through new rule requiring the
objection to be maintained by majori-
ty of both houses, but many of his col
leagues, apparently more solicitous for
the post-offices than for the stability of
the government, have failed to reinforce
him.
The House of Represe tatives that
convenes next December is the House
that in Februrry, 1877, must, in joint
session with the Senate, canvass the cleo
toral votes of the States. It's Democratic
majority is we'll known, and that mis-
chievous objections will be preferred and
persisted in, to the end of thwarting the
public will, is certain. Ofthat majority
there are 112 ex-Confederate Generals
and other officers, who without swords,
but with political spy-glasses, will next
December bivouac in the capital of the
country which they sought to ruin be-
cause they could not rule, and having
failed to ruin have resolved anew to rule.
The measure of perverse temper with
which at such hands an objection to an
electoral vote will be charged, can be
foreseen. Manhattan Club, New York,
the especial sanctuary and oracle OF
Southern leaders, has already determined
with them to suffer a Republican elec-
toral vote from no Southern State to be
counted, and to exclude such a number
of other States from the count as may be
requisite to assure determination in be-
half of a Democratic President.
Such a violent revolutionary attempt
| to authenticate an unchosen Executive
would, if permitted, be fruitful of hazard
to every National interest alike in the
principles sacrificed and in the malevo
lent element reintroduced to the contro
of.public affairs. The conspirators, while
complying with form.
| WOULD coNsUMMATE a DAMNABL1
TREASON.
The question would simply be wheth
er a rule hitherto acquiesced in b.
the two houses as to the competency
of majority of one of then
: State should stife or forstall the arbitra
ry constraint of the Constitution, express
ed in Article u: "The President of tn
Senate shall open all tn
certificates, and the votes shall then b
counted; the person having the creates
, number of votes for President shall
President, if such number be majorit
, of the whole number of electors appcin
, ted"
f Were the Senate of the Forty -fourtl
Congress to avail itself by its Republican
majority of the same rule and retaliat
by excepting to the count of Democrat
, electoral votes, could it thereby rescu
the National Administration from til
grasp of the Opposition?
A TERRIBLE DILEMMA SUGGESTED.
With one branch (meaning always
majority of it, to pronounce for the Re
publican candidate and the other for tn
: Democratic, what would ensue on tn
4th day of March, 1877? The Presiden
of the Forty-fouth Senate will have con
cluded his term, and so can not succee
to the executive trust in the event of a
interregnum. So, too, the Speaker @
the Forty-fourth House of Representa-
tives.. As the disagreement concerning
the President-elect would doubtless ex
tend to the Vice President-elect, woul'
| lll6 Sp6dheE Vi tIlS -HIlA A4ouSC u
competent as an acting President
Should that House be Democratic to tn
extent of the Forty fourth, and the Op
position is sanguine it will be, its Speak
er would be Democrat; hence his par
ty would have two strings to its bow
To exclude electoral votes enough t
count out the Republican candidate, ant
though the Senate Republican opposi
tion shall be an even match, to utiliz
that opposition SO far as to make tn
suspense permanent and the Demoerati
Speaker an acting executive indefinitely
stubborn bull Of dilemma with tw,
formidable horns, either one of whicl
will gore the Republican party if it vii
not content itself as an impotent remon
strant simply to pull at the tail OF tn
animal.
The lower house would, of course
wish its bills presentad under Section
Article /, to the President, but the Sen
ate might not and should not recogniz
his official legitimacy nor concur in sucl