New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-01-24
THE ELECTORAL BILL.

The sensational dispatches of Monday
claimed
1. That this bill would pass Congress.
2. That the President would sign it
without hesitation.
8. That the Federal judges would ac-
cept the powers conferred upon them by
Congress.
Among other reasons assigned for this
extraordinary concurrence was that the
passage of the bill would appease the
friends of Mr.. Tilden. 1t does not seem
TO have entered the idea of the reporters
that TO surrender the electoral result and
the constitutional umpire might some
what dissatisfy the friends of Mr.. Hayes.
Democratic intimidation and Republican
submission would seem to be an cpl
demic which overspreads the Union.
When the law that governs the choice
of a President is read by the his
tory of the country, our amazement
that any impartial mind can see any pos
sible justification for the compromise
bill subsidies. into suspicion that other
agencies than that of reason must have
entered into its suggestion. The Federal
constitution defines the duties of the
President of the Senate The same body
testifes to the precise mode of performing
these duties. This we have heretofore
quoted. The first Senate which assembled
under the constitution contained five
members of the constitutional convention,
to wit: Messrs. John Langdon, of New
Hampshire, William S. johnson, of Con-
necticut, Robert Morris, of Pennsylvania,
William Few, of Georgia, and William
Paterson, of New Jersey. The official
record says:
MONDAY, April 6.-Richard Henry Lee,
from Virginia, then appearing, took his seat
/ and formed q quorum of the whole Senators
/ of the United States.
The credentials Of the members present
being read and ordered to be filed, the Sem
ate proceeded, by ballot, to the choice of a
/ President for the sole purpose OF opening
and counting the votes for President Of the
United States.
John LangdOn was elected.
Ordered-That Mr. Ellsworth inform the
House Of Representatives that a quorum Of
the Senate 10 formed; that President is
elected for the sole purpose Of opening the
certificates and counting the votes Of the
I electors Of the several States in the choice
OF a President and Vice President of the
United States; and that the Senate is now
ready, in the Senate chamber, to proceed In
fpage tenl the presence Of the H0uee TO dis
charge that duty; and that the Senate
have appointed one Of their members TO sit
sc the Clerk's table 70 make a list of the
votes as they shall be declaredi submitting
it 10 the wisdom of the House 10 appoint
one Of their members for like purpose.
The Speaker and the members of the
House Of Representatives attended In the
EenRte chamber, and the President elected
for the purpose Of counting the v0tes de
oiared that the Senate and House Of Repre-
Bsntatives had met, and that he, in tlfeil
/ presence, had Opeaed and counted the votes
Of electors for President and Viee President
/ Of tbs United States, which were as fol
lows; 6s, q, 2, 3, 90 :, 90 l,l,L
We omit the tabular statement
Mr.. Madison, frem the House of Repre-
/ Bentative8, thus addressed the Senate:
Mr.. Presldent--I am direoted by the
House Of Representatives 10 inform the
Genate that the House have sgfeed that the
notifications OF the election Of the President
and AZ the Vice President Of the United
States should be made By such persons and
In such manner IS tbs Senate ahau b
pleased TO dixeot
Heza. then, We End the construction
placed upon lhe meaning Of the constita-
lion BY ibis unanimous resolution Of ia
mombsss 1t che salne time with tie adop.
tom and signature Of that instrument
earried out II ths samo words undaE tha