The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-12-24
COTNTING TILE TOTES.
The Powers and Function. Of the House and
the senate.

The POWERS ana FUNCTIONS Oi tuo htuuHS ~"
the senate.
To THE ED1ToR or THE SrN--Sir: The
men who propose to defraud the Pre- 'dent- elect
Of his great once, aud install MIR. ii ayes, Gan.
Grant or somebody else In his place, take refuge
behind the following propositions, which. N ac-
cepted, would pl zee the 0ual counting Of the
electoral votes in tho hands OF their accom-
pces, just as the counting OF the popular vote
in the disputed states IL now They Insist
That the Senate shall have exclusive control
over tho votes for both President AMI Nic'-
President, through its presiding officer, who
shall open, count, aud declare the result; aud
That TIL csrtiacIe OF the Governor Of a state
Il conclusive evidence that the persons whose
election ia Ger flied by hiiu are entitled to cast
the votes Of that state.
This latter proposition, in practical effect,
swallows up the other. since whether the Senate
counts or the House, or both 1t enables single
rogue like Chamberlain, stearns. or kelloE<
to decide the pending election, bY the simple
device OF certifying and sealing lie which can
never after be questioned.
Such are the advanced grounds taken by the
small knot OF cpnspirators in the Ainlnistrl.
ton. ana in the Senatorial Ring BIT over
against them Is the great body Of honest people
Of both = rites, who maiutiin that both lI1usos
count, that either may strike on votes In its own
good pleasure, aud that no result can be reached
unil they cOucur-A doctrine which Is fully as
unreasonable aul IA dangerous as the other.
Tho Constitution says:
The electors shall meet their respective states. aud
thcy sni name ia me hii5i me per ON v,ed Tor a.
Presid"nt. anl N distinct blols tie person voted tor
al pcr.6ns vocG OR a, frrtd n Aud OF ali persons
! iorelch which n-ls tir, sn,l. "en d cor nv, aud
Mhted stacs, directed 10 he Presidcnt OF me sea to-
n" sep,t ana II ,,. ~ R.prs.eatstte. pc M ,,a
IN iayi9v ipe " ,t.i nntipero ~ W.. ~. TOR FIR
deat shalt 10. Inc Pc 'd mt -ucu number - mlJ riy
OF tAe whole nano ~ ace. ,r, app',ntel ana u 40
| Ing u, hien, numn r., not rx,cedi g ntec % the
.enf.tvcs shan choose immediate s.. by nd5l the
! President
II will be observed that The Cpns'itu'ion doss
not create separate boiv, FOR the pIrposs OF
| this counting, composed OF the members of the
senate aud House ~ Representa- ives. nor u
there any union Of the two Houses. They are
present. e,ch in it, separate and org inilsd ca
pacitv. to ascertain for Itself by Itself counting
| the votes, the existence or nOu-existence Of a
| fact. upon which each may be required to act
| "immediatel," II will he noted, also, that ne
the two Houses are kept studtously apart In
the discharge Of their several funcu ,ns. 40 like
wise are the ballots for President and Vice
President requlied at every stage to ne "di--
tinct." They must be "distinct biilOts" for the
one and for the otner. ana they must be record
ed. in "di-tnct lists" separately signed and
separately certified by the else prs rney are. it
Is true, enclosed In the same packet aud adj
dressed TO the same ohirial at the seat Of Cow
ernment, but the re lson for this Is very obvious
The senate never dies, while the House does,
and In order that the votes may be, from the
time Of casting. IN the kaeping u the national
Legislature. they are both connied TO the Presi-
dent " the Senate until House shAl appear