New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-03-31

governments, which are indispensable
not alone to the continued ascendency Of
the Republican party, but to the duration
of the Republic itself.
COUNTING THE ELECTORAL VOTE,
Louisiana may claim the merit-like the
party who went around with q temper
ance orator as shocking example of
having awakened Congress to the danger
Of leaving the constitutional provision for
co uniting the electoral returns of the
presidential election without other inter-
probation than q rule Of parliament. A
protracted debate has been held in the
Senate upon bill which practically pro-
vides that if the two Houses shall dis
agree as to the legality of any electoral
returns, the returns shall not be counted.
In the primeval simplicity Of 1889 the
sole provision upon the subject is that
the President Of the Senate shall open the
certificates in the presence of both
houses, and that the votes shall then be
counted. This meagre system leaves
open the question whether, in the event
two sets of certificates shall be presented,
the President Of the Senate shall judi
cially determine which shall be counted,
as also by whom and in what manner the
vote shall be counted. During the de-
bate. extending through some weeks,
various proposals were offered with a
view to q solution of this difficulty. It
was thought that the two houses
sho uld meet in joint session. and
decide riru uoce, voting as States;
that the Chief and Associate Justices of
the Supreme Court should be designated
as arbiters in disputed cases, and that the
whole court should assemble for the same
purpose. The objections to each of these
plans we're patent and powerful Itwould
be intermixing powers which the constitu-
ton has said are distinct. 1t would give
the House of Representatives, by simply
refusing to agree to the validity of GER
tificate, the right to 60 into convention
in which it could control the Senate. It
would, according to Mr.. Morton, decide
an election made by the people upon the
individuality of the States, doctrine
which that Senator thought should never
be recognized.
1t is only after reading the mental en-
barassment Of such men as Thurman,
j Johnston, Howe, Morton, Conkling and
others that We can appreciate the ditf-
Guilty Of providing an umpire where the
constitution has failed to foresee the i'm.
portance Of a decision. It is only when
We lear Senators say that the failure to
some ultimate tribunal to whose
decision entire confidence is accorded,
may endanger the duration of the repub-
lie, that We can appreciate the possible
exigency. Suppose there should be two
sets of certificates, Of opposite politics.
from New York. The President OF the |
Senate might naturally decide il
favor Of that set which agreed |
With himself in opinions. II the
same question should be submitted to
the two houses in joint session. the party
IN numerical preponderance would. upon
} similar principle, give party decision.
Under the Senate bill contested State
would not be decided At all. but the vote
f the disputed State would be lost. This
S better than q heated contest, whose
decision will leave the defeated party in a
'tate Of excitement bordering on civil
var. There is, however, the danger
hat politicians. knowing by the middle
# November what the electoral vote
# each State may Be, may get up
contest to exclude the vote of
doubtful States, and so. by deductine
rom the poll of the one or the other can
iidates, establish a balance contrary to
he wishes Of the people. Such a device
nay be resorted to in the interval between
he election in November and the cleo
oral count in March.
Turn the possibilities as We may. and
Ee meet great difficulties Of guarding ef-.
&C tually against he ambition and inter
ST which seek to secure Office a. the ex-
,ense of tie constitution and character
# the republic.
We are at least giad tia, the statesmen
# this republic have had the sagscity and
or esight to consider possible danger in
uhcient time to guard. as far as human
Eisdom unsy, against tendency to evil.
7hich all without regard to party, mus,
K anxiouS 70 avert.
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