, 1876-02-26
THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
The Iwen'y-secOnd JOint Rule Of the Two
HOusfS.

| many admirers. Mr.. Blaine in the House
and Mr. Morton in the Senate, although
they have shown themselves willing and
eager to rekindle the elements of civil war to
further their personal Interests, may. perhaps,
| have good reasons 10 entertain the brightest
hopes from the unpatriotic course they are
| pursuing. To the friends OF those two anna
! bic gentlemen and 10 those who give their
! unqualified assent to the general course of the
republican party We recommend a considera-
tion of the rule under which the electoral
votes in the last three Presidential elections
were counted, To have escaped great dan
ger is often to remain without true sense
OF its reality or an appreciation of Its extent.
There are many people who even now know
nothing whatever Of the joint rule of 1868,
| and some who are aware Of its provisions
would have US believe that Il political party
which has dared to place within Its grasp a
! dangerous weapon would not have yielded to
the temptation of usin; It.
The rule was adopted by Congress in
both branches wholly under the control Of
| the republican leaders, February 6, 1865
that Il to say, III order TO count the votes of
monotonous Presidential election, which had
taken place in November 1864 The objec-
tionable features Is as follows:
IupOn reading any such certificate by the tellers,
any question shall a-lSe regard 70 counting the
votes therein certified, the same being stated by
the presiding officer, the Senate shall th-reupOn
WITHDRAW, AMI said question shall I've submitted 10
that body Tor lts decision and rhe Speaker Of the
House Of Representatives shall IL Ike manner sub
mat sad question 70 the House OF Representatives
| for It's decision and question shall BE- decided
atirmatIVey and vote objected to shall be count
ed except by the concurrent OF the two Houses
which being ohtIIUed the two Houses shall mmed.-
ately retssemble and the preSlng officer shall then
announce the decision Of the question: and upon any
such question there shall be no debate N either
| House.
\ single objection to the counting Of the
vote of State obliges the Senate to with
| draw, and each House must then consider
the objection without debate, and unless both
Houses concur in counting such a vote it
will be rejected. 1t becomes very clear, then,
that, without a word of debate, mere ma
jori'y in either House was empowered to OBJ
| iect TO and to throw out sufficient votes 10
prevent any candidate from receiving a ma
iority of electoral votes, and it would then i'm
Inediately devolve Oh the House Of Represen-
tatives 10 elect the President of the United
States according 10 the twelfth amendment
Of the cons, ,itutiou.
Speeches and protests have been made
against the rule ON the democratic side in
both House; but the fac; that in the last
Presidential elections overwhelming Tepubli-
cen mnjori,ies were returned and its full
powers were returned and its full powers
not therefore, called into requisition, accounts
for its dangers having remained uI,appreoi-
ated by the people. 1t : very strange, how
ever, that It is only now, when It's powers
might be turned against themselves, that the
republican leaders should admit and disclose
the true nature Of this dangerous instrument
of their own creation. \ republican Senator,
Mr.. Sherm N, of Ohio, now says that civil
war Is contained in it. The correctness Of
this opinion which Mr.. Sherman e1presse.
to-day is fully demonstrated by the record,
Of the proceedings of both Houses in Febru,
airy. 1873.
This conclusive evidence of the practical
working Of the rule is sufficient TO indicat,
the immense dangers Instead of seventy
four out of the total number of electora
votes, which Is three hundred and sixty-six
strong democratic candidate might hav
obtained small majority. The passions o
a closely contested Presidential campaign d.
not stop at the threshold of the halls of Con
gress, and it is idle TO suppose that member
of the majority would not have found pre-
texts 10 rise in their seats and demand AM
obtain the rejection of sufficient votes to des
troy such a majority. What would, then
have been the action of people and party
thus disregarded? Had the democrats no
obtained control of the present House of ReT
resentatives the rule would have been re
t ,ained to-day, and the approaching election
: with al the passions and sectional jealousie
i which are already gathering, might hav
a made the hundred and first year of our exist
e ence as nation the year Of great calamity
d What, then, is now the action Of the reput
: can leaders? The Senate, the branch whic
b has remained republican, hss adopted Ii
9 policy of simply Withdrawing from the joir
4 rule. For the first time in our history on
Y House has, withou. consulting the other, II
I tired from an agreement 10 which bot
: Houses were parties. Republican and dem'
n cratic Senators unite in cundeuning the IL
famous character OF the rule Bat why 4
> the former raise objections to It's being COZ
I .iiersd by the democratic House? Can the
i nreterend 10 fear that it would demand n
Tstention Of the rule ? The expressions Of Il
democratic leaders do not admit Of such
: ,r,o-itjon. Is II not rather 70 avoid III
IS c,ssjou which may bring The matter befol
V the people, who would resent this insult
II thair Independence Of will, should they con
: 70 understand Its full intentions2 Il Is q
: old tool of no further Use and TO be throw
p aside: but it Is to be buried IN the most
g cent. effective and expeditions manner. B'
whatever may BE- the intentions Of these gel
tIemen they will not succeed IN Grading the
lie r..ponsibiliry. The nation will direct Its a
ia ,antlon 10 lheir action in the past, and WI
d ok;set 10 their present course, which leav
a. M without a rule by which to count q
.e xotes in The coming election and which &
al bars the possibility Of both Houses sgreein
1t mon some satisfactory method Of proceeds II
to - This matter.-N. = HTalf
Of ~
oe Nv. HrNEs, settler who lived On the Touch:
a - -1ns OF Having an unsettled newspaper acc0l1
- W r4 ipelinei 70 the opinion that this nan Hin
y - SsI;b.rsta fraud ard shall only change oUr =