The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-12-19
Forty Fourth Congressional SessiC
SENATE.

OENAIEs
WASHINGTON Dec. 49,
By vote of % to 10, the Senate refused to
pass over the Presidents veto to bill reduc-
ing the Presidents salary to $4,000. Not two
thirds voted in the affirmation.
Yeas-Messrs. Alcorn, Bogy, Clayton, Cookrell,
Conkling, Cragm, Davis, Dawes Eaton, Ferry Gold
creery. MaKey. MOrr Morton, Price, i Sherman.
Thurman, Whyte ana Wright-25.
NayS-Anthony, Barnum Bayard, Blaine, Booth,
Boutwell, Burnside, Cameron of Pa. Chaffee, Dor
sey, Edmunds, Hamlin, ingalls,, Jones OF Fla. Mitch.
eli, Norwood, Paddock, Window, Withers-19.
The Senate then took up end discussed the
resolution authorizing investigation in regard
to the appointments OF an elector 10 Oregon
During the morning hour Mr. Edwards call
ed up the resolution submitted by him Friday,
referring to the message of the House In re-
gard to devising means to count the electoral
votes to select committee of seven Senators to
act with the committee appointed by the House
and it was agreed to BY unanimous vote,
without discussion.
The Chair was authorized to Apo Mt special
committee.
Mr.. Wright of Iowa. introduced a bill to
establish court for trial of contested electors
in the offices of President and Vice President
of the United States, and at his request it was
ordered printed and to lie upon the table. In
introducing the bill he said he had prepared it
without consultation with any one, but was
not committed to its terms and would be glad
Senators. He believed a law could be passed
to settle all our present difficulties. He relied
upon the common sense of the people of this
country, and believed patriotic love of legal
methods would prevail.
Mr.. Wright's bill provides that after the
count of the electoral vote by Congress, in
joint convention, an appeal may be made by
either candidate to tribunal consisting of the
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and six
other members chosen by him from District
and Circuit Judges, Jud ges of the United
States, and three from each political party.
Mr.. Cameron submitted a joint resolution
providing that when the two Houses of Con-
gress adjourned Friday the 22d inst, it be to
meet Wednesday, January Sd, 1877.
Mr.. Key read lengthy argument, in which
which he reviewed the Oregon case and said he
did not question the motives of the Governor Of
Oregon. Had he Key been in his place he
| would have held that that there was vacancy
on account of the ineligibility of Watts and
would thea have filled that vacancy so as to
carry ont the wishes of majority Of the peo-
| ple He then referred to the condition of af-
| fairs of South Carolina. Florida and Louisiana
and argued that the will of the majority of
| the returning boards. He referred to the ar
| gument of the Senatator from Ohio (Sherman)
| to the effect that the decision of the Louisiana
returning board was supreme and must be re-
| spected by the Senate the same as a decision
of the Supreme Court of the United States, and
| said if the decision of that board was supreme
| in Louisiana the decision of Governor Grover
must be supreme sin Oregon. He (Key) did
| not admit that these decisions were final, and
he argued that Congress had right to 60 be-
| hind them.
Nc. Mitchell announced that Mr.. Logan de-
| sired to submit some remarks upon this resolu-
| ton but was absent today on account of severe
| indsposition.
The resolution was then informally laid
aside.
On motion of Mr.. Ferry the Senate took up
| the report of the Committee on Rules.
| In answer to the question of Mr.. Conkling
| Mr.. Ferry said that the committee was unani-
nous in submitting the report
After some debate the report was recommit-
! ted to the committee with instructions to have
it printed and insert the changes proposed gin
| italics.
A message was received from the House an
nouncing proceedings ia respect to the memory
of the late Speaker Kerr,
Mr.. Morton said his colleague (McDonald) a
warm personal friend of Mr.. Kerr, was absent
| from the city. 1t would be agreeable to him
and other friends of the deceased if the me s.
sage from the House be lad on table till the re-
| turn of Mcdonald. 1t was 80 ordered.
Several bills of private character were pass
ed.
A count developed the fact that no~quorum
was present and the Senate at $50 adjourned
HOUSE.
Amo ng the bills introduced and referred un-
ucT Iu6 Gall OF SGaLeS were the following.
| To promote the education of the blind; to
| facilitate the negotiation of bills Of lading,
ETC.; concerning expatriaton and change
of allegiance; to establish the franking privi-
| ilege; to reduce and reorganize the navy; to
provide efficiency of the marine hospital SER
vice; for commission on the locust plague.
Mr.. Knott introduced a bill to regulate the
proceedings in the electoral count for President
and Vice President.
The bill provides for converting the Senate
and House on the I'd Wednesday in February,
1877, and at the same time every fourth year
thereafter, at the hall of the House; the Pres
| ident of the Senate and Speaker of the House
| to preside conformity, and other officers con-
jointly to exercise their respective functions.
The President of the Senate and Speaker of
the House each to appoint teller; the Presi-
dent of the Senate to open the certificates of
election in the order in which the original
states ratified the Constitution and in which
the other states were admitted to the Union.
They are then to be passed to the Speaker of
the House and President of the Senate, who
shall thereupon demand whether there are any
objections to the counting of the vote anthem
ticated by the certificates. No objection being
made the tellers shall count the vote and the
! clerks record the same. If either the Senate
or House shall by resolution before the date
named declare the official certificate of any
state falsely or fraudulently given or that it is
invalid in consequence OF false, corrupt or
fraudulent finding of decision of the canvass
lug VI I6buruS vi duy OIuC6TS OF LQ6 CaQVaSSlng
or returning boards, and that other persons
were lawfully elected, the question whether
such votes shall be counted or state lose the
electoral vote shall be considered in tho Joint
assembly.
An objection on any ground by the Senate
or House to vote any other eector or electors,
shall also he considered by the joint assembly.
Ii two or more certified lists are received, all
shall be read and the question considered in the
joint assembly. In event that either house re.
CoIrr thnt& h. &c os4E.
poll or before the canvassing or returning Off
GERS, was in any degree owing to armed or 9TH
or Intervention, or intermeddling of authorities
civil or military, of the United States the decis-
ION which electors votes shall be count
ed, or whether the State shall lose the vote,
shall be considered by the joint assembly.
Any member Of either house may object to the
vote OF an ineligible or disqualified eIector and
the objection be decided upon in joint assem-
bly,
All questions considered by joint assembly
shall be decided by viva voce vote of each
member present the majority to rule. If there
shall be any difference of opinion and ruling
between the President of the Senate and
Speaker of the House all questions shall,
with the assent of the Speaker of the House, be
put to the Joint assembly by the President of
the Senate, and the result declared by him.
Joint assembly may, if necessary, adjourn
from day to day till the count is completed
and there shall be no question of difference
uCtWCCu euo plooiuiuS OuCtTS UNLESS IL involves
the question of counting or rejecting of vote
or votes, and no question shall de debated long
er than six hours, nor by more than two mem
bers speaking alternately on each side The
Senate and House may concurrently adopt
rules for the government of the joint assem-
bly, and alter, amend or abrogate the same
The rules of the Senate not inconsistent there
with shall be deemed adopted and the powers
of each House to repress disorder for contempt
shall be exercised by the joint assembly. The
vote by the yeas and nays not to be taken ex-
cept upon questions material as to the counting
or the rejection of votes, and then only on the
demand of five Senators and twenty Represen-
tatives. The secretary of each house shall read
his own record of votes, which if found correct
shall be given in the aggregate to the President
of the Senate and Speaker of the House, and
the former shall announce the result and de.
clare elected the persons having a majority and
if there is no election he shall SO declare and
thereupon the joint assembly shall be dissolved,
Tie proceedings are to be entered in full Oh
the records of both houses.
Mr.. Frye of Maine offered resolution for