The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-01-27
Forty Fourth Congressional Session
SENATE.

sion it was agreed sthat bill reported by the
judiciary, last session, to create sinking fund
for the settlement of the Indebtedness due from
the Pacific Railroad Co., be taken up at the ex.
piration of the session to-day 80 as to be unhn-
ished business at the next meeting of the
Senate.
AT the expiration of the morning hour,
Jones of Fla called up the memorial of the
Democratic Presidential electors of Florida, re-
Gently presented by him, asking their vote be
counted as the true return from the State, and
addressed the Senate at length on the condition
of affairs in that State, arguing that peace and
prosperity existed there.
He spoke at some length as to the duty of
State in appointing Presidential electors, the
manner of ascertaning the true vote and ar
gued that they were officers of the State, not of
the United States. The electoral certificate Ct
the Republicans of Florida was certificate of
fraud upon the people of that State, and should
not be counted. The petty sh6ff1ing and trick
cry of the returning boards might for moment
mislead the people, but the sober second
thought would come and dispel the mists of
error.
A resolution was adopted calling on the Sec
rotary of the Navy to transmit to the Senate
reports of chief engineer King, U. S. Navy, on
European ships Of war.
AlIsOn from commissioners on appointments
reported with amendments the military acade-
nay appropriation bill. Placed on the calen-
dar
Most of the amendments are of an unimpor-
tant character, the two principal ones being to
restore the Longevity pay to prof essors and in
structors and appropriating $l1 900 for the pay
of the band.
Window reported back the fortlfcaton APP
preparation bill with an amendment increasing
the appropriation for the armament of the sea
coast defences from 100000 to $205,O
Placed on the calendar.
Senate at 4 Is went into executive session and
afterwards adjourned till IL o'clock tomorrow.
HOUSE
Passage of the Electoral Bill.
The House was called to order at L o'clock
with but few members in attendance and was
addressed by Mr.. Hooker of Mississippi, who
argued against the power of the President of
the Senate to count the electoral votes, and
quoted presidents in support of his views.
Mr. Hart-idge of Georgia said he had sterny
Investigated his own mind before coming to a
conclusion on the subject and he was conscien-
tlous when he declared that he believed the bill
was perfectly constitutional.
Mr.. Bolton of Georgia followed in favor Of
the bill
MIR. Mills of Texas opposed the bill. The
Constitution and the law had been sufficient to
carry on the country for ten years and they
were still sufficient.
On the expiration of the ten minutes Mr..
Mills was given an hour and the time of taking
the vote postponed till o'clock.
Mr.. Lamar said that he understood the op-
ponsnts of the bill opposed it on the ground
that it involved the delegation of the power
which the Constitution lett in the two Houses.
The falacy was in the assumption that the
former claim either on the one had for both
houses, or on the other for the Vice President
to count the votes-was legislative act by a
legislative body 1t was no such thing. A
legislative body could not do an act without
having the President approve that action.
At this point the legislative session of yes
terday closed with formal adjournment and
Immediately thereupon the House was called to
order and today's legislative session opened
with prayer.
The Speaker announced the following select
committee on the use of troops in the Presiden-
| tial election: Wood of New York, Goode,
Southland, Throckmorton, Caldwell, Smith of
Georgia, Harrison, Kasson, Foster, Eames and
Page.
Mr.. Lamar then proceeded with his speech
in favor of the bill.
Mr.. Mills then continued. declaring that the
Supreme Court was in great danger whenever
| it was called upon to decide upon political and
partisan questions. 1t would condemn that
court before the people and without moral
power judicial power was skeleton.
Mr.. Baker of Indiana couldtnot see the ne
cesslty of creating a commission outside of the
Constitution and foreign to the institutions of
the government. Neither did he think il was
constitutional
Mr.. Watterson said it might not be true that
the country stood on the brink of civil war, but
it was true that grave danger threatened every
public interest. He wished to inveigh against
no party, but we'll organized conspiracy to
place in the Presidential Office man who had
not been elected existed he consccentiously be-
lieved. If the two houses failed to agree on
some plan to tide over the great emergency the
country would see Senate declare Hayes
elected and it would see the President of the
United States supported by the army and navy
prepared to seat him in office
Speeches were made by MessrS. Hurlbut of
Illinois against, and Hill of Georgia and Da-
Wis of New York in favor of the bill.
The debate was continued by MesSrs. Single
ton, Lapham, Vance, (Ohlo), Townsend, New
York; Lynch Knott, Carr, Dunnell and Pratt
against the bill, and by Messrs. Bland. Stew
ard, Harrison, Foster, Hardenburgh and
Townsend of Pennsylvania in its favor.
Daring the discussion Mr.. Vance of North
Carolina sent to the clerks desk and had read
telegram from Gov. Vance of North CARROLL
na stating that the resolutions approving the
bill had passed both houses of the Legislature
almost or quite unanimously.
At 4 o'clock, the time for general debate
having closed, Mr.. Payne of ONO rose to move
the previous question. Before making the
motion, however, he allowed to be read an
amendment which Mr.. Hopkins of Pennsylva-
mia proposed to offer, the most important point
being to refer to the commission all the testi.
mony taken by the committees of either house.
Mr.. Payne refused to allow the amend ment to
be offered and moved the previous question
Then an effort was made by Mr. Southland of
ONO to get in the amendment which he had
suggested In regard to Colorado, but he was
met with loud calls tor the regular order aud
Mr.. Payne insisted on the previous question.
Previous question was seconded and the main
question ordered.
Mr.. Payne of Ohio having the final hour to
close the debate, yielded a portion of his time
to Mr. Walker of Virginia, who declared that
he would give the bill his cordial support
He was followed by Lawrence OF Ohio and
Blackburn of Kentucky against the bill, the
latter concluding with the remarks. Il do sin
cerely trust that it will never be truthfnlly said
Of this Congress that it abandoned its preroga-
tive and sought to avoid its responsibilities l
trust that it may never be truthtully charged
that in this crisis, not fraught with the dangers
which some attribute TO it, tImidity appeared
where manliness should prevail, and that cow
ardice usurped the hour 10 which courage
should rule.' (Applause.)
Mr.. Jones of Kentucky opposed the bill,
not so much on account OF the uncOnstitution-
ally Of the measure as on account of its i'm
policy.
Mr.. Field of New York said have watched
the progress of this bill with intense interest,
for while l thought it was unquestonably
within the competence of Congress, was sure
it was just and honorable settlement and the
best method of escaping an impending calami-
ty. While shall take no part in its further
discussion, L cannot refrain from expressing
my admiration of the fidelity, the courage,
coupled with the moderation of the members of
the concurrent committee on both sides and in
both Houses of Congress.
Mr.. Blown of Kentucky favored the bill.
Mr. Gibson of Louisiana spoke for the bill
and Mr.. Payne then closed the debate by
brief but earnest speech, IN the course Of which
he said that although the danger of civil war
had been flppantly sneered at, there had been
danger of such war with which no war in an
Gent or modern republics could have compar-
ed.
The speaker announced that vote would be
taken on the final passage of the bill.
The clerk proceeded to call the names Of the
members amid the most intense excitement and
as Republican after Republican voted mo-
that vote seemed to cause surprise to many who
had supposed that fully one.half of them would
support the bill.
The Speaker announced that he would exer-
else his constitutional privilege and vote as
representative from the state Of Pennsylvania.
He directed the clerk to call his name and his
response of AYE was greeted with applause.
Finally the count was completed and the
result announced as yeas 191, nays Sc, as fol-
lows:
Yeas-The Speaker, Messrs. Abbott, Adams, Aims
worth, Anderson, Ashe Atkins, Bagby, Geo. A.
Bagley, John H. Bagley, Banning, Beebe, Bell,
Bland, Bliss, Blount, Boone Bradley, Bright, Brown
of KY, Buckner Burchard Of Wis., Burlegh, Cabell,
Caldwell of Tenn, Campbell Gambler, Caulfeld,
Chaplin, Chittenden, Clark of KY, Clark, Mo, ely.