Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1876-12-01
From our regular correspondent,


Looming up Once More, &c, &c.
From our regular correspondent.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov. %, 1876,
In days like these, when the gloom of
doubt and uncertainty hangs over the
land, and when the popular pulse beats
in feverish anticipation of what a near
future may bring forth, it is we'll to re-
view and consider any contingencies that
may arise, that we may be prepared to
meet and submit to them. Your cor
respondent, for one, is not among those
who anticipate any serious trouble, no
matter what may be the final result of
the counting of the electoral vote in the
disputed states, and while it may be well
enough to have troops in Washington
on the principle that can ounce Of pre-
vention is better than a pound of cure"
/ venture, as an old resident of this city
and familiar with the condition of az
fairs that prevails here, to predict that
no emergency will call for their employ
ment. 1t is true that the unusual con-
centration of armed forces "a circum-
stance that has not occurred since the
close of the having been heralded
by telegraph all over the country, has
had the effect of turning all eyes toward
the nations capital, with vague fear
that something was going to happen;
that some plot was brewing to prevent
the Inauguration Of Mr.. Hayes, if elect
ected, or, prior to that time, to take pos
session of Washington by sudden coup
d etqt but all these fears are as unfound-
ed as they are unjust to either political
party. Come what may, it is altogether
improbable, even from this point of view,
which is in the very heart of the seeth-
ing and bubbling political cauIdron,
that there will be any breach of the pub
lie peace, but that the constitutional
questions to be defined, and conundrums
to be solved, will be settled peaceably,
if not exactly amicably, by Congress, at
the expenditure of great deal of time
and talking, no doubt, but no blood
As is we'll known, the two Houses of
Congress meet to count the electoral
votes on the second Wednesday in Feb
auary the 14th. Heretofore, the vote
has been counted in few hours but on
this occasion it is among the possibili-
ties, unless some definite system is adopt.
/ ed in advance, that the counting may
absorb days and even weeks. Premis,
: ing that long and excited discussion
will occur in joint session, it must end
= within the sixteen secular days that in.
; tervene before March 4th, or it will no
: longer be in the power of either house Of
Congress to decide who is president, and
the presiding officer of the Senate will
: according to the Constitution, act as
President of the United States until q
new President is elected. The act Of
9 1892 on the subject provides, that When
Q the Offices of President and Vice-Presi
: dent shall both become vacant, the Sec
rotary of State shall notify the execu
tive Of every state, specifying that cleo
g tors for the office of President Of tn,
: United States shall be appointed or cho
sen in the several states within thirty
four days preceding the first Wednesday
I in December the next ensuing. In view
: Of the probability. now amounting t.
o certainty. almost, that the electora
votes as officially returned from tn,
: southern states now in dispute, as vel
4 asthosefrom Mississippi. will be "throwr
] out in counting. the first By The Dem
q ocratic House ard the last by the Re
) publican Senate, contingency such a.
: that provided for in the act above re
t ferred to seems altogether likely to oc
eur. This, at least, is the prognostica