The New York herald., 1876-12-15
Constitutional Methods Likely to Prevail
Without Regard to Results.
PARTISAN ACTION OF PROMINENT SENATORS.
A Republican on the Authority Of Con-
gress to Examine the Vote.
THE MlyIFESTORS OF HEWITT AND CHANDLER.
FROM. OUR SPECIAL coRREsPoNoENr.

FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.
WASHINGTON, Dec. IA, 1870
VIEWS or PROMINENT REPUBLICAN ON THE
PRESIDENTIAL MuDDLE-THE PowER OF
CONGRESS TO EXAMINE THE ELECTORAL VOTE
NEVER BEFORE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES MEN
OF BOTH PARTIES HARxoNIzING-DIsMAY OF
THE EXTREMISTS.
prominent republican said, to-day. in conversa-
ton
''The real question Is whether there 10 honesty
enough In both parties In Congress to enable men to
agree upon manner in which to count the electoral
vote. For my part havo doubt thcro Is. There
good many bitter and reckless partisans on botn
sides, on the republican well the democratic
side; but there also good many honest and iath
ul men on both sides who though silent and waiting
now, will be heard from and felt when the time II
Is shameful that men should be ruled on this question
OF counting the vote by consideration OF results and
leanings toward favorite candidate. There is
stitutional way, and who TO know what
that is needs TO 60 unnformcd. He needs
only to look into the proceedings and
he will lnd that Congress has q single in
stance, omitted to assert its power examine the
electoral votc that this constitutional power OF the
two houses has ncvcr been doubted BY any whose
recent instance In the long debate last winter in
the Senate on Senator Morton's bil now
revived BY Senator Edmunds, every rcpub.
can and every democrat with but one or
TWO exceptions admitted this power, ana one
asserted SO broadly and strongly as Senator Morton
Therefore, whatever men may now rashly say pre-
tend will doubt that the houses will como 10
an agreement this quo stion, and that enough
will be found ON both sides TO agree upon measure
whether joint rule or BILL which shall be clearly
stutonal and which will be adopted regardless OF the
merely party consequences"
There Is reason to believe that the gentleman who
rad this will prove TO be right The question who
shall count the electoral voto be SO impor
tant that tho extreme republicans made haste to u.s.
that the Vice President and no alone would az
. matter OF course, count u. But within few days
. good many persons have been led 10 look into the
question: and the more they look the more
clearly they all see that 1t Is power
conferred on the two houses and power which they
have Away asserted Tho matter clear that Il il
impossible 10 doubt that 1t will be decided properly
It Is understood that while the House will appoint
committee TO confer with tho Senate COMMITTEES on
the subject Senator Mortons bill will probably be
ferred to such joint committee for consideration
Thus. there is now fair promise that the
ono question ON which It was feared
be harmoniously settled before the day the count
Meantime It is certain that the moderate and honest
OF both parties constantly coming into closer
relations, and, whiIe party lines hero by the
extremists with rigor hardly k1own before, this In
itself begins to create rcvulsion OF disgust
among honorable who are mado to
feel the sting OF this tyranny and resent
IT, Among the nero partisans tho cry is only
''Stck! sticki'' But they really alarmed, be-
they that thcro is large number OF nnuen-
tial men both sides who to 'siick" to their
country and to justice rather than to party and who
will follow constitutional course, matter whether
this results In n party defeat or victory.
The partisanship OF some conspicuous scna.
tors leads them TO lengths which shock the fa,rer
minds on the republican sde 1t is matter of gen.
erai remark and open criticism, Tor instance, that
Senator Morton. having been appointed a commit
tee 10 investigate all cases in which Ineligible
electors arc iouni, including, conspicuously, the
Oregon case, should have Immediately, In his place
the Senate denounced Governor Grover and his ac-
tons and caborately argued them wrong. People say
that IL is indecent for n member OF a committee an.
pointed to investigate a certain case should thus
openly show that hc had prcjudgcd the very mattcr
conadcd to his inquiry. Again, Senator sherman's
speech to-day is similarly criticised and by republican
members As Senator no will havo TO Judge OF tho
Louisiana election, but he has evidently united him.
self to sit in tho Of sober judgment II was
marked also that Dir. Sherman to-day, proved rather
too much in regard to Louisiana To judge by his
count would proper assumption that no real or
valid election had been held there.
THE LOUISIANA RETURNING BOARD SAID TO
DE ACTING UNDER ADVICE OF sEcRz-
TARY cHANDLER-coMMENTs OF RHpuBLI-
CANS THEREON.
The report hero this evening that the Louisiana Re-
turning Board in refusing TO reveal ITS In secret
session. lis acting under Instructions from Secretary
Chandler also cxcitcs comment II is said by some
republicans that II The Board has wrong II can
have poshing to conceal but that II has done wrong
the republican authorities here cannot deccntly sup
port il in conccament such matters begin bc DIS
casscd here