The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-02-14

altar ali passions and all prejudices must bow,
would Mt last vindicate the bill and those who
proposed it.
read a number of kilograms from the people OF
Indiana, against the passage OF the pial,
and said that he had received more than 1 wv
declared that leading Republican papers were
against it. In reply to this Mr.. Mcdonald
Dem. of indiana. said that he was Mt Indian
apolis three days before and heard but one
orninion relative to the bill and that was i'll
Mr.. Bayard (Dem.), of Delaware, spoke for
two hours on the bill and in its favor:
Mr.. Christiancy (ltep.), of Michigan, also
spoke in favor of the bill, closing, with a strong
protest against the charge that the Judges VII
disregard their oaths and decide according to
their political predictions. He said that the
norty which should reject this bill without
Offering one equally fair would necessarily 1or'
felt the support of the people.
Mr.. Dawes Rep.), of Massachusetts, wanted
fine scopc of the bill defined so that the com
mission should not claim the right to invade
fine State of Massachusetts, and take from the
Governor and council the power of determining
Milo the State has appointed as her electors.
Mr.. Thurman DEM. Of Ohio, spoke IN 1aro1
of the bill. He maintained the constltutlonanty
of the measure, and argued That the queslon
was of such Importance that the pcrPet!lIs
of the nation depended upon us Horltlon.
There never was greater reason IMAM no" ~ y
constitute such a tribunal as the bill proposed.
beneath which III Importance all others suiik
into insipniicance. As a member of the JOINT
committee no would say, Democrat as ne was,
That he would be willing to submit the decision
of the question to the committee itself, Tor ne
f.lt in tle atmosphere which surrounded the
spccial committee that when the day OF tr1al
came men could rise above party ana perform
their duty. .h.
At seven o'clock in the morning, after n night
session. the bill passed the Senate by a vote OF
AZ yeas to II nays. The vote for and aSalns
the bill was as follows: AflirmatlveIAicorn'
Rep: Allison, Rep; Barnum, DEM: bayMlu'
Rep: Burnside, Rep; Chaffee, Rep: Chris
fancy. Ncp.: Cockrell, Dem.; Conkllne, l'ep.
Cooper. DEM: Cragin, Rep; Davis; DEM
Dawes. Rep: Dennis, Dam: Edmunds, lep.
Frclinghuyse1l, Rep: Goldthwaite, Dem.
Gordon, Dem; Howe, Rep; johnson. Dem
Jones. of New. Rep: Jones, of Fla, DEM,
Kelly. Dem; Herman. DEM: McCreery, Dem.
Mcdonald. DEM: Mcmillan. Rep; MaXcy,
Dem: Merimon, DEM: Morrill,. Rep: rTics,
Dem: Randolph, DEM; Ransom, Dem'; toD'
ctson, DEM: Salisbury, DEM; Sharon. hep'
Stevenson. DEM: Teller, Rep: Thurman, Dem.
Wallace. DEM; Whyte, Dem.: Window. rep.
Withers, DEM; Wright, Rep. ,
Negative Blaine, Rep; Bruce. Yep
Clayton, Rep: Conover, Rep; Dorsey, Itep'
Hamlin, Rep; Ingalls,, Rep; Eaton, DEM
Hamilton, Rep; Mitchell, Rep; Morton. Rep.
Patterson, Rep: Sargent, Rep; sherman
Rep. West, Rep.
4 GOOD deal of time was occupied deciding
the question as to whether the House should
proceed to the consideration of the resolutions
reported form the committee OH the privileges
md duties of the House in counting the cleo
toral votes, or that of q compromise plan. The
Hcpublicans favored the latter and the Demo
crafts the former. The House decided, by 4 vote
of 141 to 81, to proceed with the resolutions re,
ported by the committee on privileges: when
are MS follows:
First-That the Constitution does not confer
on the president of the Senate power to ex,
anime and ascertain the votes to be cast as the
electoral votes. r..
Second-Tlat the only power which the Con
~stitution does confer on the president OF the
senate in the matter is to receive the sealed
list transmitted to him by the several e%lectora!
colleges. keep the same safely, and open al
certificates Cor those purportlng to be surA) III
the presence of the two houses.
Third-That the Constitution does conftr on
the Senate and House of Representatives. The
power to examine and ascertain the votes "a
be counted az electoral votes.
Fourth-That in the execution of such power
the House of Representatives Is at least cqua
with the Senate anu
Fifth-That no vote can be counted against
tbo Judgment and determination OF the House
of Representatives. ,
Mr.. Knott, CDem.l of Kentucky, chairman OF
fine committee, addressed the House in support
of the principles enunciatcd i'll the resolutions
concluding with these words.
Believing that this House has n high power
and a solemn duty to perform i'll regard to
counting the electoral votes for President and
Vice-President, in my humble Judgment, any
attempt on the part of any men or body OF men,
executive, legislative or ministerial. 10 coerce
this House to count a vote which In lts ludg-
Oent is invalid or void, or to cocrce this House
to throw ont q vote which, III its Judgment, II
legal and valid, or to interfere in any manner
whatever with the peaceful discharge of its con.
stitutioual functions in this high regard. would
he an utter subversiOn of our constitutions!
government, and, if accompanied by armed and
organized force, would be treason 10 the Ohileo
States of America.
Mr.. Burchard, (Rep.), of Illinois, a member
of the committee, offered. on behalf OF the lou
Republican members of the committee, the fol
lowing MS q substitute for the resolutions by the
committee: A..
First-That it is the power and duty OF the
House, conformably with the Senate, TO provlde
bv law or other constitutional method, a mode
for fairly and truly ascertalning ana proper!
counting the electoral vote OF each STATE: so a.
to give effect to the choice of each state IN tle
q ,,I ISnu prasiInnt
Second-That in the absence OF Legislative
proyision on the subject, or authoritative dlrec'
lion from the Senate and House of Representa-,
tiyes, the president of the Senate, upon opening
fine certificates, declares and counts the electora
vntes for President and Vice-President OF the
United States. A.
Judiciary committee, reported n resolution dls'
charging VIM. Orion, president OF the western
Union Telegraph Company, from the custody o.
the sergcant-at-arms. Adopted.
Mr.. Ellis Dem J, of Louisiana, ohercu d
resolution calling on the President 1or ln1olha
ton in regard to the rival governments IL
Louisiana. Referred.
Two of the members of the Louisiana return,
ing board, J. Madison Wells and Thomas e.
Anderson, were brought before the bar OF th'
House to answer to the charge of contempt
They asked for and were granted turther tille
NessrS. Willis and TarboN expressed thcll
hostility to the Electoral bill, and Mr.. fhltten'
den. of New York, followed witha speech III III
defense. In the course of his remarks he sale
that he had ascertaincd that the House con
tanned only ninety-onc members VINO "crelo,
LAWYERS. He was, he said. one of the nlnety-olt
"A layman-and while he had great respect fol
the Constitution. and listened usually with grea'
interest to the discussion Of very nice and illit
Constitutional points by the eminent legal talen'
of the House intlis case he was n mere layman
having the interests and prosperity OF the conil
try 1T heart, wishing to see confidence ana pros
pcrity restored. and great calalnlties averted
begged them not to dwell too long or those re-
conditc ~nicctics of law in which they NATURAL,
delighted, but to set the country ut ease d.
passing the Electoral bill. =.
Mr.. Lamar Qem.), OF Mississippi, from th'
Pacific railroad committee, reported back favor
ABLY The Senate bill extending for eight years
tie time for the completion OF the Northern
Pacific railroad, Referred.
Mr.. Wood CDem.), of New York, 0f1cred
resolution that the message of the Presldcn
relative to the use of troops i'll the South d
referred to n select committee OF eleven Il
inquire whether there mad been an exercise o.
authority no. warranted by the Constitution nnt
laws in the Use Of troops for which the Presl
dent is Justly responsible, with power t" scile
for persons and papers. After diScnssi"il, tn
resolution was adopted by q vote OF ia yeas u