The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-12-20
The Outlook ne Washington,
m ,vraa, sso,,ntci, 70 tho phiiadoinhia Times.

ISKGTlAl 0abp6tEl5 "
WASHINGTON, December 17.--Tbe Demo
cratic leaders have been actively canyassing
the situation for the past forty-eighs hours,
Win she result That tIeir line Of policy Is
assuming definite shape, their courage -
growing. and the outlook is Frightening.
Mr.. Hewitt Is authority for the statement
that II the Senate should arrogate for its
presiding officer. the power to pass 1ual.
cially on the electoral count, the House WIN
resist, and will never yield. Nearly all the
Democratic members have been seen aboi-
yidua,ly, and all that have been seen are
fully agreed upon this point. MT. HeWIu
further thinks that q large number OF ING
House Republicans would not support sucn
an ASSUMPTION on the part OF the senate
He does not think himself that the Senate,
will assume this much, and says to-nlgat
that II the right men are put upon the 1oiat
committee az fourteen, which che Two
hoeses. have authorized 10 try and aefise
some plan acceptable to both, for counting
the vote, they ought to be able to agree
upon some scheme. He says the House Is
ready to agree upon any plan which Is 1an
and constitutional.
REPUBLICANS SEEKING A COMPROMISE Il
Several ofsthe Republican senator's are
known TO be anxious for compromise:
Morton has determined to push his bill ana
Hewitt says that he personally would vote
for it IL he could get no better. Even
under that bill the Democrats feel that they
have an advantage in which it provides that
the consent of both Houses shall be re-
ou;site to cast aside the vote OF any State;
also it's provision that where two sets OF
returns shall come up from any state that
one only shall be counted, which both
houses shall agree is the legal vote OF the
State. Double returns are certain to come
mn from Louisiana, Florida, and South
Carolina, and under Morton's bill the House
would have the right to refuse to agree that
any return from those States was legal
which should be proven to be illegal by the.
testimony taken by its southern committees,
and such returns could not then be counted.
This bill, however. is not acceptable TO all
the House Democrats, and will not be the
first compromise offered by them.
THE DEMOCRATIC PLAN.
They have the best OF the SITUATION ana
know it. Their plan. as explained by Mr..
Hewitt tonight, will be to first profier to the
Republicans their own medicine, the OLD
twcnty-sccond Joint rule. II the Republic
cans refuse it, they will stand before the
country in the 'unenviahle position OF hold
ing that what is sauce for the goose is not
sauce for the gander. Under the twenty
second joint rule Mr.. Hewitt thinks peace
able solution Of the difficulty would be had. ,
1t would act in two ways. 1t might first
throw the election into the House, through
the throwing out by that body OF the votes
OF Louisiana, Florida, and South Carolina.
III the two houses should get to playing the
game OF object and counter-object, it might
result in the throwing out OF all the electo-
ral>votes. In that. event the legal result
would be that no electors have been ap-
pointed, consequently no election has been
held, and under the Constitution new
election would have to be ordered. -.