The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1877-01-09
Gte Daily Argns,
ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS.
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is to pass law, to which the President
assent is necessary before it becomes OPP
erative, declaring what electoral votes
shall be counted legally. If we have the
authority to pass suah law-and | do
not propose to discuss that question now;
[ think very clearly We have the author
ity-when it is passed by both bodies and
approved by the President, it is binding
on the members of the convention when
they NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. 2, 1865,
SENATOR EDMUNDs, OF VERMONT
No; all the President of the Senate shall do
is to open the package, and the votes shall
then be counted.-February 25, 1875.
Ertract from bill presented to the Senate By
Senator Edmunds, Februarys25. 1851
The President of the Senate shall, in presence
OF the Senate and House of Representatives., open
all the Certificates and papers purpOrting TO be
certificates of votes given at the iast proceeding
election for President and Vice President respec
lively and which shall have come to his possession
and the votes shall then De counted in the man
ner and with effect hereinafter provided.
SEC 3. That when the certificates of votes for
President of the United States shall be opened by
the President of the Senate in the presence of the
Senate and House of Representatives, as provided
in the Constitution and by this act, the same
shall, with the therein contained or stated,
be then aid there delivered TO the )mmittee pro-
vided for in section OF this act which committee
shall count the votes which shall appear to have
been legally given and duly certified and returned
And said committee shall report in writing soon
as may be to said meeting their proceedings, the
state of the votes, and what persons, II any, have
been pursuant TO law elected President and Vice
President respectively: and if on such report, any
question shall be made by any Senator or member
of the House OF Representatives touching the legal
validity or any v0Ie or votes So delivered to said
committee, or touching any action OF s i'd commit
| tee, the Senate shall withdraw and each house
tshall proceed to consider the question.
THE MODE OF COUNTING TO BE PRE-
| sCRIBED. BY LAW.
| SENATOR THURMAN, OF ONO, FEB.
RUARY %, 1871 think that the spirit
of the Constitution requires that these
votes shall be counted in sope mode By
Congress or the convention of the two
houses; but what shall be the mode. Il
is a fundamental principle that. where any
power is conferred upon the Government
or any department or officer thereof. anC
the mode of exercising that power is no
prescribed in the Constitution itself, it be
longs to the law making power to pre-
scribe the mode, | said the other day
that that was fundamental principle Of
the Government, but need not have gone
to any general principles of government
because it is expressly declared in The
Constitution, as we all know in the very
familiar paragraph, the last of section
Of article |, in which, after enumeratins
the powers of Congress it is said:
The Congress shall have power to make all law
which shall be necessary and proper for carrying
into execution the foregoing powers, and all othe
powers vested by this Constitution in the Govern
ment of the United States or in any department
or officer thereof,
| ITO be continued