Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-10-20
Beading Matter on Every Page
How the Electoral Vote VIII be
Counted.

Now tn at the election Of President and
Vice President draws on space the subject
OF the method OF counting, the vote becomes
one OF great importance Much has been
written about the Joint Rules governing the
House and Senate, but from the proceedings
At The last session Of Congress, rs stated In
yesterdays STAR, IL would appear that no
ioirt ~ les sre in existence. The record
shows that when the House met last winter,
on motion OF Mr.. Randall, IL adopted the
Joint rules In Barclays digest. The concur
rent resolution was certified to by the
Speaker and Clerk and sent to the Senate
When IL was announced Senator Edmunds
rose In bis place, and stated that there was
no ptcessity for immediate action, as he
Was convinced that the rules ought to be
amenced, and for this reason he entered q
motion, which prevailed. which referred tbs
Horte resolution on the subject to the Com
mitiee on Rules. After some delay the
Committee on Rules of the Senate brought
IN substitute for the House reso
luton, the most important amendment
beiug urged by Senator Morton with refer
eDce TO the % Joint rule, which prescribes
the manner for counting the electoral vote.
In substance the Morton amendment AFRO
gated The right OF either House To OBJ set To
the cOuutiDg of the vote of any state, as was
provided for by the rules of Barclays digest
After good deal OF discussion in the Sen
ate, In which the Importance OF amending
The rule was urged By Senator Morton, SEN
ator Thurman moved an amendment. II
being only technical and having no effect to
impair what Mr.. Morton sought to accom-
plish, the latter accepted the Thurman
amendment, and as thus amended the con-
current resolution of the House adopting the
rules set forth In Barclays di gest was passed
1t wss returned TO the House for Its concur
rent action. The Committee on Rules OF
that body, OF which ex Speaker Kerr was
Chairman, proceeded to consider the Senate
amendments, and had agreed to re
Port The Senate substitute to the
the House for Its action, when some of the
democrats In the Senate. fearing that they
had made . mistake, entered q motion TO
reconsider the previous action of the Senate
on the subject, and the motion was carried
The effect OF this was to recall the resolution
from the House. IL was recalled, aud up to
the end or the session was not again acted
upon. About ten days before Congress I'D
Journed the House passed q resolution re-
scinding for the rest Of the session the Joint
Rules OF the two Houses. When 1t reached
The Senate, Senator Edmunds said the prop
ositioz was absurd, inssmuch as there were
no joint rules TO suspend, and the resolution
was laid on the table.
Now, In point OF fact, there being no joint
rules, the Constitution will alone prescribe
the manner OF counting the vote L. pro-
vides that on the second Tuesday In Feb
rusry, In the presence of both houses OF Con
gress, the Vice President presiding, SHALL
count the votes of the several states, and the
persons having the highest number OF votes
sbsll be declared elected res pectiveIy Presi
dent ard Vice President. This being the
only rule which can govern the count,
neither House Of Congress can object TO the
reception of the vote of any state.