Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-11-22
Our Washington Letter.

wAsmNGroN, D. C., November 18th
Nosos Editors We are waiting Tor the YER
diet Of the returning board in louisiana. South
Carolina has spoken and the telegraph brings us
this afternoon the announcement that the official
count in that state gives Hayes six hundred ma
jority. so one Of those three doubtful states Is
satisfactorily disposed o.! aud it is quite probable
that the remaining two will give their verdict
upon the same side ere another week is over
The talk about
THE RErunNING BOARDS
Of these doubtful Southern states recalls the fact
that their legality orconstitutonality was brought
into question in the Forty-Second Congress, in
the contested election case Of Giddings against
Clarke Texas at that time was provided with
the luxury Of returning board, which had
thrown out several counties and declared Clarke
Republican, elected The democrat, Giddings
contested the seat and took the position before
the committee, that said board was uncunsttu-
tional so far ~ it, action on throwing out votes
cast for members Of Congress was concerned,
because under the Constitution each House is the
judge Of Che qualifications, election, ETC. Of its
own members and has right 10 60 back Of q re-
turning board and ascertain for itself how many
votes were actually cast The House, which was
largely Republican seemed to concur in this view,
and, unseating Clarke, Republican, seated Gid
dings democrat. II is asserted ON the best of
authority that while this argument might hold
good In the cases of members OF Congress, II would
not be applicable in the of Presidential Flee
tors, since the power OF electing them is vested
wholly in the states themselves, and the Consti-
tuition gives Congress no revising power. This
very fact does away with the question often
raised just now as 10 the power of Congress in
the premises.
Another fallaclous idea which is talked Of by
the democratic papers, for the purpose Of giving
hope to the doubtful is the possibility Of the
ELECTION OF PRESIDENT by THE HOUSE,
which could only be brought about in case Of
tie vote in the Electoral College, or when IN ease
Of three or more candidates, no one has ma
jority Of all the votes cast The absurd system
which, it would almost seem, was invented for
the express purpose of defeating the will Of the
people, is not very likely 10 be brought into use
in this election. much as the democrats would
like u have it, Such contingency has however
arisen at two different elections Of President and
in such the constitution provides that every
state has but one vote, which is cast by the party
having the majority Of the state delegation It
is among the possibilities, in the event OF such an
election by the House, that an actual minority
would control it, which will be seen further on.
As at present constituted the House would in
any event elect Governor Iilden If the election
should be thrown into that body, for there are
twenty-three states the majority OF whose delega-
ton is democratic, while but fourteen states have
Republican delegations But out OF those TWEEN
ty-three states there are seven, viz California,
Illinois, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsyl-
wanna and probably Louisiana, which gave a ma
Jorty for Hayes and yet the vote OF their deesa-
ton would be east Tor Iilden. In the Republican
list we iihd New York, which gave Iilden a large
majority and yet her vote would be cast Tor
Hayes because her delegation stands Republicans
seventeen, and democrats sixteen. 1t can be
readily seen therefore that, while it would not be
so in the case OF Hayes and rilden it yet among
the possibilities for the minority in the House to
defeat the candidate OF the majority.
Following two precedents the President elect
will take the oath and enter upon his duties at
noon on Monday, the 9Th of March next. This
matter of
SVhAIioN DAY
mas oeeh peioro .oucheu upon III our coriesl'onu
ehce' ana the position lhen taken mas been denied
oy o'neis' Az 'urther PROOF 'nat we were righ'
III Tue statement maze tat there Is an actual IN
tefreshu'h OF t"eh'!-iour h"urS IRON sunday
Mareh 4th, AZ noon, until MONDAY noon, Marci
ON "heh the country Is WITHOUT lesal fresl
ueh'' we che a lew interesting historical iaets
| James Monroe and Zachary Taylor were both In
| augurated on the 18th of March Tho REGARD In
,i, ,,..o ~, ,,,,,r., 4, i,,,i,,. H., L. a.. -,
Wv 20 '''''' " '"N',"Ps''' ""' :" ''' ''s'
OF Taylor the journal OF the senate shows tha'
on Friday, the ID of March, 1919, Mr.. Polk, the
| presidar, sent cor,mnnicati,n IN tho senate "a
- ~
| quenuhs thht pouN 10 meet III speci"l session Oh
| Monday March 9TH, at ten o'clock A. ~, as Their,
would Inc matters Of interest tn engage its atten
zion -rto ro,,,r1 ala, .t,,,.,. ,,,at 80 g, =.
WI" i"' i'0',' "'s' '"o"S ''". '"e oenH'e 'N
tended Its session OF Saturday, March "a, by re-
cesses until six o'clock on Sunday morning
| March 4th ,vhan the nresiding ofncer daclarod
a., -. -, -, ~, M,
.nat pouS "uJouIhou 81" u'' Inc term o.
| lnited States senators expires by law ON the u
| of March hut this has been construed IN rnear
| III -, =, A., -. ,
""'" 49," VI ''s "VN' ""S' po0ouen' was "
"o''s"'" !" lou ""'e' n"' pee" iol""eu eNel
Nh'e' VA '"e M vi Mal'n VI 'i'"' year. on "hlci
DAY, the terms oil one-thlru oil the senators would
expire, the Senate being In session at lively,
o'clock midnisht Senator Mason NJ vir,i,,, ~,
| .., 80. =,
| P'ss'" u""p' "he"'ei '"e term ior "hleh NJ
| had been elected did not expire at that hour, anC
desired To be qualified AS Senator under his GRO
ao,,;oi. - - o,o,,i,,, H.. G., Al,