Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1876-12-07
THIS
ST MAKY'S BEACON
LEoxARprowx, I'd.
THURSDAY MORNING. December in, 1879.

doings or misdoings OF the Returning
Boards Of the ''three doubtful States,
20 called, have ere this passed into his
tory. the requirements OF the law COM
polling them 10 conclude their Presiden-
tial work on the 9Th instant. What the
final audit has been, we have no present
r means Of knowing, but whether il be
Hayes or Tilden, the Boards themselves
are now defunct agencies-defunct and
infamous-the potential factor in .the
imperial theme" now swelling being the
Congress which met in Washington on
Monday last. II Is now and henceforta
to Congress and not to the plant and
putrid instruments Of Chamberlain and
Kellogg that interest attaches and
hence 1t is to Washington tina, we now
transfer attention.
Both Houses Of Congress met on
Monday last. The short but pregnan.
address Of Mr.. Speaker Randall-wor-
thy to confront Cesar and give direc-
tion--is accepted as striking the true
keynote Of the situation. tits to the
following effect:
We stand in the presence of events
which strain and test in the last degree
our forms OF government. Our liber-
ties, consecrated by so many sacrifices
is the past, and preserved amid the
rejoicing Of an exultant people to our
centennial anniversary as one among
the nations of the earth, must be main
tanned at every hazard. (Applause.)
The people look confidently TO ycur
moderation, to your patient, calm, firm
Judgment, and to your wisdom in this
ulne iraught with so many perils. Let
usn"., lbeseet h of you. disappoint their
just expectation and their keen sense of
right, hat by unceasing vigilance pre-
vent even the slightest departure from
the constitution and the law, forgetting
IN the moment Of difficulty that we are
adhsrents OF party, aud only remember
ing that We are American citizens with
country to save, which will be lost
Unauthorized and unconstitutional acts
on the part of executive officers be not
frowned down at once with relentless
and unsparing condemnation. THE
closing words were delivered with great
force and emphasis, and were loudly
applauded on the floor and galleries.
The Presidents Message was not sent
to Congress at the usual hour on Mon
day, but was doubtless made public on
Tuesday. The country will be agrcea-
bly, disappointed # il Is not bitterly par
tisan in tone and expression, but W beth
or this or otherwise, it will disclose the
aims and purposes of the Opposition.
In the meanwhile, the proceedings Of
Congress arc already significant. Res
olutions have been introduced IN both
Houses providing for Committees of in
restigation at the South. I'm the Sem
ate Mr.. Edmunds offered a resolution
calling for an inquiry on the part of the
committee on privileges and elections
as TO whether in the States of South
Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama,
Louisiana and Mississippi the right of
any male citizen to vote al Federal or
State elections has been denied or
greatly abridged; also whether any per.
sons ineligible under the Constitution
of the United States have been made
presidential electors, and whether 9TH
crs have been appointed electors by
fraud or force. The resolution lies
over.
In the House Mr.. Hewitt, Of New
York, offered resolution, which was
carried under suspension OF the rules,
appointing committees to proceed at
once 10 Louisiana, South Carolina and
Florida to investigate the action Of the
returning boards as to the recent cleo
tons in those States, TO report all the
facts essential to an honest return of the
votes for President and Vice President.
and whether the electoral votes ofthose
States should be counted" The vote
on Mr.. Hewitt's resolution was a strict
party o c, with the exception that three
independent republicans, Me<srs. Bag
Icy, of New York, and Seelye and
Pierce, of Massachusetts,, voted with
the democrats for the resolution.
Another resolution was offered in the
Senate by Mr.. Ingalls,, OF Kansas. which
provides for the call of national con-
vention, 10 assemble at Columbus, Ohio,
.on The second Monday in May, 1877,
for the purpose of revising the constitu-
iion OF the United States and reporting
such amendments to il rs would. when
ratified by two-thirds Of the States.
adap: ii TO the exigencies Of the gov
eminent and make it adequate 10 the
preservation and support OF the Union.
The Colorado question also came up
IN both houses. In the Senate the two
Senators elect from that State were
promptly admitted and sworn m. but
m the House objection was made 10
swearing in Mr.. Bedford, the member
elect, and resolution adopted referring
his credentials to the judiciary COM