The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-12-27
PRICE TWO CENTS.
HOW TO COUNT THE VOTES.
THE POWERs or THE yTCE-PR EsI-
DENT DULr DEFINED


siitution and the Purpose Of Its Framers-
senator shcrmnn's Change Of Front.
WAsInNGTON, Dec. 2G.-A special com.
mittee from the joint committee OF both
branches Of Congress on the counting OF tho
electoral votes for President and vice-President
"a engaged In compiling the proceedings and
debates OF Congress relating to that subject.
critical examination OF the proceedings OF tho
Convention which framed the Federal Consti-
tuition, and the subsequent proceedings OF Con-
gress, leaves no doubt as to tho meaning
OF the Constitution and the purpose Of Its
framers relative to counting the electoral
votes. II seems that the trainers OF the
Constitution did not regard the p esidcnt Of tho
Senate IA a person Of so great importance and
OF such unlimited mower a. he seems 70 he
earded by radio Republicans Of the present
day Indeed, In the original draft OF the Con-
stitution, there was no Nice-President provided
FOR and by ono article the Senate was to choose
its own President aud other officers. part OF
one Of the articles reported by the committee
Of eleven. to whom the various PROPOSITIONS
were referred. was tho following:
The President OF the .ha 10 that House open
he counted.
Pending the con- liberation Of this article the
foLOwin entry was made upon the jnu nj:
the pres nee Of thc Senate aud House ot Hcpresena
alirniatve-ycas g. n.ysi.
Tie Journal OF the Convention does not show
that auN motion was made to sttike out the
words "iu tnat House" which occur ~ tho
original draft. nor does It show why the words
" Ia the uiesence OF the senate AMI House OF
nrurcscntutiVcs " were Inserted 10 the place of
the words "in that House" instead uf after the
word "cOunted," hs WIS voted bv the COnven-
ton; but il Is evident that the question was fully
considered hy the committee OF revision. In tho
resolution providing for the first npDOlntmon mt Of
electors and the election Of Senators aud Repro
sent atives the following clause occurs:
Thit The senator and Rcpresentauycs should
vcnea he iue aud pine assigncdi that thg senators
should appoint Prrsur of the Senate, TOR solo
purpose oi receiving. opening, aud cduatin. the votes
Tor Prtsidcut.
The same method OF opening and counting
the vote uniformly carried ont at every
succeeding Presidential election. the proceed
tngs aud debate, Of Congress furnishing over
whelming evidence that the Vice President W 70
VIII lly without Judicial power Whenever any
question arose requiring judicial action IT was
always anticipated 10y a joint rule which gave
tins power into the hands Of the two Houses.
In reference to the Twenty second joint rule.
which radical RepublCaus declare Is not now In
force, passage Is iOuud IN tue congressional
tOral votes, which appcfr To be very good evil
dcuce th the kepublicln meml er Of the SON
ate who offered the rcallut 20 did au' consider
IL IN the power Of one branch Of CONGRESS TO
abolish "A JOINT rule WtthOut the cuucurreut no
| Il n ut tie other, however ain'itutll he may
have acted on tn subject recently. The foi-
| loving entry 10 made:
Mr.. sherman submitted the following concar cni
| rcsoui IL. wmch ,as referred 10 the Committee 90
E,.ir,i The House u Repre- cn'a,iyr- carcrrrng.
| that he gnty sec nd lJnt rue be ru-clndci
OF course, II one branch can resciud jint
rule without the cuucurl ut action the other.
| WHY dii not Mr.. sherman simply Offer rcsOlu-
| NOu Tor tue action Ol the senate Onll