Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-12-20
Our Washington letter.

WAsHINGroN, D. c., December rs, 1876
Mcss,S Editors Legitimate legislative bust
ness has been severely let alone, thus far by the
forty-fourth Congress during its second session.
Matters Of more Importance, to Congressman in-
diyidualy, II not to the country at large have en-
gagged its attention, and are likely to until the
eyentful fourth OF March arrives Congressman
Of both political parties are straining every nerve
to secure the Inauguration of their candidate as
President. And all the debates Of the week, now
ending, have been concerned in some way with
this all-important subject. ON Monday the SEN
ate led of with debate upon
TINE EDMuNps RESOLUTION
in relation to the counting Of the electoral vote
Mr.. Edmunds made a lengthy argument in sup
port of his measure, which was Characteristic of
that able statesman. The National Republican OF
the next morning, in referring to it, said: "The
speech of Senator Edmunds yesterday from which
we present copious extracts this morning was one
Of the mos. powerful and incsive as well as able
constitutional arguments ever delivered in the
Senate" As was generally expected, however,
the resolution was not adopted
The Oregon electoral middle and the reception
OF the report OF the democratic committee who
NtlA 70 i+bhlHlillft W II HIS Ethtn
up the remainder of the week in the Senate.
The House has contemplated numerous ques-
tions OF semi-politcal character all of which have
had a bearing upon the Presidential question. It
is now evident that the democratic majority will
maintain, in spite Of the record that
THE TwESrY-sEcoND JOINT RULE
is still in force which gives them the power to
throw out the electoral vote OF any state, and take
the election OF a President into their own hands.
1t is well known that the late Speaker Kerr held
the opinion that all the joint rules became noper
alive at the close Of the Fortythird Congress and
must remain so until re-enacted by both the Sen
ate and the House. That Mr. Kerr's views were
regarded as correct is shown by the fact that the
new journal clerk who succeeded the veteran Bar.
clay last session, has omitted all the joint rules
from the appendix Of the journal of the last SEES
sion The reason for the omission is explained
by the journal clerk by reference to the resolu.
tion of the Senate, declaring the joint rules not
in force. The question of emitting these rules
from the journal was brought to the attention Of
Speaker Kerr while he was in the chair, before
the end OF last session, and he approved doing so
ON the ground that the rules were not in force
The democrats Of the House, in holding to thi,
last hope Of electing Tiden, did not only 20 back
upon the record of last session, but upon theil
own individual record upon the subject This is
however, nothing new to some OF these gentlemen
Speaker Randall fatty asserts that there are joint
rules when the accepted parliamentary authority
says there are not, and when he himself stated
there were not, last session,
On this idea the democrats keep alive theil
hopes Of success until
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