The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-12-30

counting the vose.

Counting the Vote.
Briefly stated, Hayes has 1856 electoral votes |
while Tilden has 1884, This makes Hayes the next |
president OF the United States The president OF
the senate Will count these votes and so declare,
and Gen. Grant will see that he Is inaugurated.
Rock Island linton, Dec. 2.
The rantingB OF the Democrats of the hou Sc |
should be treated with contempt by the senate. |
The president Of the senate is charged with the |
duty Of receiving and opening the returns and de- |
claring the result. He may be safely trusted to do
this duty.-Roek Lstand Union, Dec. 10.
It is plain that II vicepresldent Ferry Is not in
terferred with in counting the vote he win declare
Hayes to be elected The duty of the senate and
the Republican members Of the house is plainly at
this juncturet to sustain the vice-presdent -Rock
leland Union, Dec. q.
Gen. Grant, at midnight, on the Sd of
March, will be private citizen, with no
more power or authority than any other
private citizen,-and he has moth
ing whatever to do with seeing"
anybody 'inaugurated, or with
recognizing" anybody as his successor
All he has to do is to pick up his duds and
leave the White House-''glt out" His
legal power to give any official order to
anybody ends at midnight on the Sd of
March.
As to the power of the president of the
senate, so pompously set forth by the re-
turning board organ, we will let Repub-
lican answer that as follows:
From Harpsr's Weekly (Rep) Dec, 80.
The President Of the Senate.
The duties of the president of the senate
in the ceremony of counting the electoral
votes are very clearly defined in the ICON
stitution, and they cannot be enlarged be-
yond the constitutional grant, 1t has been
said that he may decide what certificates
to open and what to reject. By what
authority would he undertake to decide?
Certainly by none granted by the constitu-
ton. 1t is said that tthe senate might
previously instruct him how to decide
By what authority? The only constitu-
tional duty of the senate is to be present
with the house, that the certificates may
be opened before them. Then If question
between two certificates arises, the two
houses, as we have said elsewhere,
must of necessity decide which is
the one duly authorized by
the state. The house may agree in what
manner they will consider the question.
Butt the president of the senate,.as such,
has no more constitutional authority to
decide it than the speaker of the house.
At the counting of the votes, the senate
has no constitutional power which the
house does not share. 1t is nowhere i'm
piled in the constitution that either house
has power to do anything but witness the
opening and counting, and of necessity, as
doTA IN inn 80, /
principles, which of two certificates be re-
ceived as valid.
1t is not even provided that the presi-
dent of the senate shall announce the re-
suit. But that is mere form which
affects nothing, The person who shall
have received the greatest number of
votes, if such number be majority of the
whole number OF electors appointed, shall
be president, whether any announcement
to that effect be made or not made.
One of the drollest stories OF the Washing
ton mill is that Senator Sherman is to
have himself elected president of the
senate so that If no regular declaration
of president is made" he will lie acting
president. He will take pains to prevent
any official declaration either of Hayes OF
Tilden. The president of the senate has
nothing to do with it, If the votes are
counted so many for Hayes, SO many fol
Tilden, anybody who is capable of doing a
SUN in simple addition will know who il
the president, whether the president Of
the senate speaks or holds bis peace. A:
a matter of courtesy. he has generally
boen the presiding officer upon such occa,
sions and announced the vote. But thai
is a purely ceremonial position. He i,
officially president of the senate, directed
by the constitution 10 open the certificates
There is, however, no reason for depart
ing from the usual courtesy, except it b.
supposed that he proposes to assume
powers not conferred by the constitution
The place for opening the certificates
and counting the votes is not designated il
the constitution, The house Of represen
tatives, which is the larger and more con
venient hall for the purpose, has beer
generally, but not always, selected TIL,
proper place. however. is the senate
chamber; for it is the president of tn,
senate whom the constitution appoints t,
receive and open the certificates, and th,
chamber of the body of which lie is tn,
official head is obviously the place il
which he should perform the duty. More
over, as no place is prescribed, and tn
duty is enjOined upon the president of tn,
senate, he may PROFESSIONALLY appoin
the place and invite the attendance o
both houses. These are details which
have been settled without difficult,
hitherto, and which should raise no question
now. Indeed, nothing but a custom
which is not uniform can be urged in favo
of the hall Of the house of representatives
The prcpriety of the case clearly designate
the senate chamber as the place for count
ing the vote.
The action of both houses will be narrow
ly watched every moment until the fna
proceedings, and whatever looks like
straining of power or tbe exercise of ques
tionable authority will be injurious to tn
side that attempts it, Sensible people
and they are really the majority this time
wish to see no departure from tn,
acknowledged forms Of law. The ques
ton is not one of party, bur of institutions
The paramount duty of the two houses i
to agree in advance upon some rule l.
govern their action when the votes ar
counted.