Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-01-21
FORTY-THIRD CONGRESS,

III.
Manufacturing and Commercial company
Referred 10 Committee on District OF Column
hia.
Mr.. Wright. from Committee on Civil Ser
vice and Retrenchment. reported adversely
on House bill 10 abolish the system of mile
age, and il was indefinitely postponed
Mr.. Scott. from the Committee on Claims
reported. with amendments, the House hin
in reference Ia the Southern Claims Commits
sion. He desired 10 state that he reported
tAe OH by instruction of the majority of the
committee. but diSSented from The prov iSion
extending the time in which claims may be
filed.
MIR. Wright. as another member of the
committee. stated that ne also diSsenfCd.
Mr.. tragin. from the COMMITTEES "a Naval
Affairs, reported adversely on the aill Ia reg
uiate promotions IN Tue stan oi the marine
corps: and 10 was Indefinitely postponed.
Mr.. Ferry Mich introduced a bill for the
relief of &. 4. Barker and W. W. Williams
Referred 10 the Committee ON Commerce.
Mr.. Robertson introduced a bill 10 permit
Lieut.. Commander Pearson. L. :. v. 10 ac-
Gtpt decoration from the Queen of Great
Britain.
Mr.. Dennis introduced a bill to incorporate
the Washington City and Suitland railnoad
Referred To the Committee on the District OF
Columbia.
Mr.. Morrill, tSfe) intrniucei a bin for the
relief of certain creditors OF the District OF
olumbla Referred To the Committee on the
District Of Columbia.
Mr.. Cragin reported from the Committee
ON Naval Affairs the petition OF the widow
of Commander W. b. Gushing for pension
and recommended that il bc referred TO the
| Committee on Pensions.
The calendar OF general order was then pro-
cetded with.
! The Committees on Agriculture and Man
| u1acturcs were called, but had no business To
| present.
| The Committee on Military Affairs being
next on the list
Mr. Logan called up the House bin for the
rcliefOf General Samuel W. Crawford L. =.
\. He explained that there mad been nuner-
Gus cases where officers had been retired on
rank much higher than thar which they
| actually held. He proposed an amendment
To This bill 10 correct this, but excepting from
! IFS operation those who had lost an arm. OF
J leg, or both eyes. or served y years m the
| army. He did not wish 10 mention names.
hut there was a gentleman now IN the civil
service in Europe who held really low
rank. hut was retired on a very high rank
| and there Were others now in railroad en-.
! ploy. &c. and who We're also retired on Il
much higher rank than they actually held.
The amendments were then agreed 10, and
| the hill passed.
Mr.. Hamiin from Committee on Civil Ser
vice and Retrenchment. reported adversely
on bill To reduce the salary of the President,
and requested that the bill Toe placed on the
calendar. So ordered.
! The unfinished business being the Joint res
! olution proposing constitutional amend
! ment 10 change the present method of
| ELECIING TIE PRESIDENT AND VICE PRES
| IDENT.
! Mr Morton said this was a question which
! could be considered by men of an parties, as
| IL was a matter entirely dive>ted OF partilan
! considerations. He said that experience had
! demonstrated that the present electoral syS-
tenn was fraught with dangers. and il mad
! been nothing more than happy acci-
! dent that il had not in the past been the
/ cause of collision. We have no Sc
/ that we shall have immunity in the future
from dangers and collision. lie then pointed
! out that il would now he in the power Of a1H
! Legislature before the next election 10 with
draw from the people the choice OF electors.
! and provide ANY other method which would
| he agreeable 10 the legislature. Congress
has no power whatever over Il; neither ha>
J Congress the power 10 settle contested eases
! Of elections. The trainers of the constitution
| left the whole machinery of the electoral sX~-
TEN in the hands Of the states. Up To lS2i
| eight states chose their electors by the le@i--
! latUre, and South Carolina, up 10 the time oi
| the war. elected them by the legislature. H.
/ wished also TO call attention 10 the fact ina
! no state had made any provision for deciding
| contested elections. Any body Of electors
! receiving the certificate OF the state author
! tiles il empowered To east the vot" of the
I state, and nOthin" can prevent lheiu from
! doing il. although their election may have
/ been accomplished by fraud and corruption.
/ II seems never TO have occurred to The irlmer~
/ of The constitution that there might be two
/ sets OF electors, or that there mi ght be Iaud.
| He then commented on the method ol casting
! their votes by the electors. and the counting
of the vote IN the presence OF the Two House.
The absolute power a. 10 Nlc counting OF lh'
I electoral vote was placed in tbc hands OF lhc
) President of the Senate, commonly called
the Vice President, and the two Houses h9d
I times happened that the Vice President hdd
I counted the votes whea he Wa~ himself can
didate In l117 john Adams counted the
1 votes and declared himself elected Prc>idelt-
( In ISul Thomas Jefferson. who was a candl-
date, counted the votes. aud declared there
was a tie. suppose there had becA Two ; rs
: OF electoral votes from one Of the states. on-
1 making it a tie. and the other eicctius 1etlcr-
SON? There was no power which could have
prevented him from counting THE Notes which
( would haNc made him PrcSii-nt.
Epv
, finCk tOhioI presented resolutions ol tho
Legislature of Ohio i'm relation 10 the expul-
sion OF member OF the Louisiana legisla-
! ture. and asked that they be printed
Mr.. Sypher La objected, because the aI
legations i'm the resolutions were not rlr,a
Mr. CoX.-On behalf Of my Old state say
4 they are true.
Mr.. Pelham lAla'.-And 1 say they are
( false.
Mr.. Money La presented petition OF fifi,--
, two members OF the Louisiana legisla ture in
I relation TO the organization OF tlat body
/ Referred to Judiciary Committee.
J Mr.. canning Ohio asked leave TO present
The resolutions adopted by certain citizens at
0hlo in relation 10 military interference in
! Louisiana.
Mr.. Guncllel tOhio) objected
On motion of Mr.. sawyer WIS. the Com
+ mittee on Commerce was discharged from
4 further consideration of the resolution here
. lolore offered by Mr.. Swami i'm relation to
, the construction of ship canal over the
I narrow peninsula separating the CheSapea lIe
rom tne delaware BAY ana the same was
. referred TO the Committee on Railways and
I Canals.
I Mr.. Swami (NTdl offered a resolution.
/ which was adopted, directing the Committee
/ on Appropria tions To report what facilities
I are necessary in the way of public buildings
| 10 accommodate the growing trade OF Balti-
! more.
| The House then resumed consideration of
| THE INDIAN APPROPRIATIONS BILL.
| the pending question being upon Mr.. Hol-
mans motion 10 lay on the table Mr. Lough-
| ridges motion to reconsider the vote whereby
the House refused 10 order the bill TO be en-
crossed.
Mr. Holman's motion was rejected-yeas,
81; nays, l66.
The motion TO reconsider was then argued,
| and the question recurred, will the House or
| der the bill to be engrossed.
Mr.. Hale (Me.) said the only way to defeat
| the Choctaw claim was to defeat the Indian
! bill.
The bill was then ordered to he engrossed.
! but the House refused the previous question
| ON the passage of the bill.
Mr.. Hale (Me) then moved that the bill be
recommitted 10 the Committee Oh Appro-
priations, with instructions TO report the
same back without the Choctaw amendment.
The motion was rejected-yeas 12o, nays
l30
Mr.. Holman then moved TO lay the bill on