The New York herald., 1876-12-04


counted by the presiding officer. The
twenty-second joint rule. which RENTED
this question distinctly to the two houses OF
Congress. thereby expressed their opinion
that the President of the Senate had simply
one duty to perform-to open the certif-
Gates"
The next question arose on the vote OF
Texas, and on the fact that the certificate OF
the electors was not signed by the Governor,
but by the Secretary of State. Senator
Trumbull moved "that the vote of said State
cannot be counted" His motion was lost
but among those who voted to exclude were
Senators Clayton, of Arkansas; Edmunds,
Hamlin, Morton. Schurz and West.
Arkansas came next. Senator Rice, Of that
State. objected to the vote being counted
first, because the "official returns of electors,
made according to the law of said State. show
that the persons certified by the Secretary
Of State as elected were not elected as cleo
tors for President and Vice President
second, because the returns read by the
tellers are not certified according to law /"
On this Senator Edmunds moved ''that the
electoral vote of Arkansas should not be
counted" and Senator'S Edmunds, Ferry, of
Michigan (acting Vice President now); Ham
lin, Morrill,, Of Maine; Schurz, Trumbull
and others voted yea-for the exclusion.
The case of Louisiana followed. Senator
be not counted. Senator Frelinghuysen
amended this SO as to make it read ''that
all the objections presented having been
considered, no electoral vote purport-
ing to be that of the State of Loui-
siana be counted" Two sets of elec-
tors had sent in their returns. Senator
Trumbull offered long preamble, reciting
certain facts concerning those double re-
turns. Senator West, of Louisiana, OBJ
jected to the reading, and Mr.. Conkling
supported Mr.. West, both objecting on the
ground that the twenty second joint rule
forbade debate and that Mr.. Trumbull's pre-
amble was of the nature of discussion. Mr..
Trumbull thereupon offered a resolution
that the votes of the electors, whom he be-
lieved to be entitled, ''be counted" Against
this and for exclusion voted Senators
Anthony, Carpenter, Chandler, Clayton,
Edmunds, Ferry, of Michigan Frelinghuy-
sen, Hamlin, Howe, Logan, Morrill,, OF Yer
mont; Morrill,, of Maine Morton, Sherman,
West and others to the number of thirty
five. Thereupon Mr.. Frelinghuysens mo-
ton for the total exclusion Of Louisiana was
adopted, the same Senators just named all
voting for the exclusion.
Now it seems to us that the Senators above
named, who include the flower of the repub-
lican side in the present Senate, are by
their own acts and votes in the Senate and by
their countenance of the action of the House
for exclusion, concluded from claiming that
this action is unconstitutional.
The Democratic Party I'm This Crisis.
The moderation of the responsible demo-
cratic leaders during these weeks of excite
ment and provocation deserves public rec
ognition. The rash utterances of few ir-
responsible journalists and subalterns have
met with no countenance from the CONTROL
down and suppressed before they attracted
general attention. Mr.. Tilden himself has
been commercially cautious and reticent.
The democrats who are supposed to
enjoy most Of his confidence have been
careful neither to make themselves nor to en-
courage in others any threats of forcible re-
sistance if they should be swindled out of the
election by fraudulent count. This pru-
dence has been more conspicuous in Wade
Hampton than in any democratic leader,
because he has been placed in n more trying
situation. All law-abiding citizens must re-
spect his judicious conduct and award him
high praise. 1t is fortunate for the
peace of the country that his cool and
clear head directed the democratic party in
South Carolina during the past week. 1t is
fortunate that a man of his self-poise sound
judgment and strength of character has SO
complete an ascendancy over his ardent and
infammable supporters, who might be more
easily stirred up to mutiny and violence
than kept within the limits of peaceful
resistance. We are encouraged by the bear
ing of the democratic leaders, and especially
of General Hampton, who has been most
severely tried, to believe that, let this
Presidential election 90 as it may, there will
be no revolutionary resistance. The demo-
cratic party will present noble spectacle Of
patriotism and fortitude, it. smarting under
deep sense Of wrong, it reposes in the
justice of the people as sure source of re-
dress in future elections
This confidence in revising public opin-
ion will not be disappointed if the demo-
Gratis shall be really cheated out of the elec-
ton. If the republican party should
triumph by fraud it will thenceforth
stand on the declivity toward swift
ruin. The next elections will take
from the republicans nearly all the
States which they have lately carried. The
democrats, who have carried sonly four
Northern States this year, would be success