The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-01-22
CONGRESS.
SENATE,
WASHINGTON, January 81,


The Vice President laid before The
Senate message from the President In
regard to strengthening the coast de-
ienses similar 10 that read in the HouSe
Of Representatives yesterday, Referred
Mr.. Wright, from the Committee on
Civil Service and Retrcnchpent, reported
adversely on the bill to abolish the sys'
TEN Of mileage, and il was indefinitely
postponed. # HIB
Mr.. Cragin reported back the petition
Of the widow Of the late William 3, Cush'
ing for u pension, with Recommendation
that il be referred to the Committee on
Pensions. SOOrderel.
Mr.. Morrill, introduced u bill iOr the
relief OF certain creditors Of the District
Of Columbia. Referred.
Mr.. Dennis Introduced q bill To hcOrpo-
rate the Washington City and st. Louis
Railroad Company. Deferred,
The Chair called the Committee for
business on the calendar, lL
Mr.. llamlin, from the Committee Oh
Civil Service and Relrcnchment, report
cd adversely on the bill 10 reduce the
salary Of the President OF the United
States, with request that It be placed on
the calendar with the adverse report.
SO ordered,
The unfinished business being the res
Olution from the Committee on Privileges
and Elections, proposing M amendment
To the Constitution in regard to the cleo
tiOn Of President aud Viye President, was
called up,
Mr.. Morton saiL that this was n sub
jeCt entirely above party considerations.
Men Of all parties could address them
selves to II independently Of tho excite
ment which now pGryaIlcs the country,
The proposition was 10 amend the Con-
stituliOn 30 as 10 bring thc election home
to the people us near rs possible and ut
the same time avoid the dangers which
are threatened by the present mode,
When he locke back over the history Of
the country, il was matter OF surprise
to him that there had not been trouble
resulting from the imwrtecIion Of our
system, There was no power now in
Congress, or IN the States, to settle the
contested election cases OF electors, The
election Of electors might be attended
with fraud, violence aud tumult, and
there waS no power to correct the evil.
lie pointed ont 0t some length tho imper-
ieCtiOnS Of the present system, and said
that under II too much was vested IN the
hands Of the Vice President, or l'residCn:
Of the Senate, to whom the votes must be
sent under the sGal,six times. II had hap
pened that the Vice President hal count
ell the votes where he himself was II can
dilute. John Adams counted the vote
and declared himself elected in 1907, JET
lertun counted the vote in 1901 when
there was Il tie. Suppose there had been
two sets Of electors there from any one
State, one set making II tie vote and tlIe
other elCcting Jefferson, there was no
power 10 prevent him from counting the
vote which would have elected him.
Again, in 1921 TompkinS, who was can
ditlate, cou1ted the vote, in 1920 Van
Buren, did the same thing and declared
himself elected, IN 1871 Johnson counted
the vote aud In 1861 Breckenridge did 10.
Although the count had been honest in all
these CusOs an instance might arise when
dishonesty on the part Of the Vice
President would elect. 1t did not
seen To have occurred to the
trainers Of the Constitution that
there might be two sets Of delegates or
fraud in the election. lie next referred
10 tho counting Of the vote In the pres
ence Of The two houses Of Congress, and
said that the two houses Of Congress were
as witnesses, only they could not uCt ~ II
Joint convention. As to the dangers and
difficulties which attended the present
system, they were many. In case Of death
or non. attendance Of the electors from any
State, other electors from that State
might ill the vacancies. Suppose the
electors from any State were evenly di-
yided, and II one died or failed to attend
the other side could select one aud thus
have a majority on their side. A major
ity OF one could cast the entire vote Of
the State Of New York, and two and II
half million people might Ike utterly
silent in their vote for President. Under
the present System ten Suites could elect
a President Of the United States. II was
now an election by States, not national.
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