The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1877-02-01

and spoke in opposition to the BILL He said he did
not believe the measure would accomplish the re-
suit aimed at. There were suspicious of unfair
ness about it; it gave improper powers to the tri-
ounal winch 1t created. he argued that the
trainers of the constitution never intended
to delegate to Congress the power to count the
electoral vote or discriminate between the re-
turns; that function, he claimed, was lodged in
the PRESIDENT OF the Senate. Mr.. Sargent further
opposed the bill because, as he claimed it de-
PRAYED the Supreme Court by bringing the judges
down into the muddy pool of politics, and com
peled them to wade through it. At the conclu-
sion OF MIR. Sargents Speech Mr.. Conkling
took the floor and resumed his remarks he
argued that In no instance had the President of the
Senate attempted to do anything in presiding over
the JOINT convention to count the electoral vote ex
cept by command of the houses and cited numer-
Gus precedents and authorities to sustain his posi-
tlon Referring to Mr.. Morton's assertion that the
DILL was political contrivance he said if there ever
was " continuance " it was the bill which passed
at the last session; it was ga political hel-gate
paved and hoEeycombed with dynamite Mr.
Conkling said he believed Gov Rayes had been
elected. but he asked him to take title to the
great office which no one could question If this
bill was compromise of truth, of law. or of
right, he was against it; but he denied that it
was any compromise, and, above all it did not
compromise right, principle or constitution. To
contest claim was not to compromise it, To in
slst upon an honest, fair counting of the
electoral vote was not compromise Presi-
dental election had occurred, and unless there was
that fact was no compromise. Mr. Conkling was
followed by Mr.. Morton in vigorous speech in
opposition to the bill. Messrs Bayard. Chris
nancy, Thurman. Stevenson and Morrill, all spoke
IN FAVOR OF the measure, and Mr.. Morton again
secured the floor, and, at O'Clock a. M. began his
third speech against the bill At the conclusion
OF his remarks Mr. Blaine secured the recog-
milton OF the presiding officer, and spoke
IN opposition to the bill. He did not believe Con-
gress possessed the powers which it was proposed
to transfer to the commission, and therefore op-
posed 1t on constitutional grounds. In conclusion
ne urged upon Congress to prepare at the present
session and submit to an expectant people con-
stltut1onal amendment which would relieve the
country in future from similar difficulties. Mr..
Howe succeeded Mr. Blaine at 2:05 O'Clock in the
morning (the Senate, by large majority having
repeatedly voted down motions to ADJOURN and
began by denouncing Mr.. Morton's Incorporate
aspersions. He expressed the hope that the meas
ure would receive unanimous vote from the Re-
hcan party in the two houses
Observation-Disclosures was resumed of the reso-
lutions reported by the Committee on Privileges,
and Mr.. McDill, of Iowa, took the floor and
spoke in favor of the resolutions submitted by the
minority of the committee. He said if the propo-
s1tion of the majority was true that no vote
could pe counted without the consent of the
House. it would give the House practical veto
power over every election by the people. He was
ground. He maintained that the constitution gave
congress control of the whole subject, and that no
Returnlng Board could GUST Congress of it's iurs-
dlctlon. Mr.. Payne, from the Committee on
Banking and Currency, reported a bill to amend
existing laws in regard to National gold banks 80
Mr.. Lamar, from the Pacific railroad committee
reported back favorably the Senate bill ex-
tending for eight years the time for the COM
pleuon OF the Northern Pacific railroad. . Mr.
Lamar also, from the same committee reported
supplementary to and amendatory of the Texas
Pacific Railroad bill of March g. 1871. Mr. Kasson
made minority report and Mr. Landers offered a
cd 1afar rod
to the committee of the whole on the state of tn
Union. -. The message of the President IN regard
to the use of troops in the South at the late cleo
tlon was, after spirited partisan debate referred
to select committee of eleven to inquire whether
there had been exercise of authority not war
ranted by the constitution and laws in the use of
troops for which the President is justly RESPONSE
BILE, with power to send for persons and papers,
THURSDAY, Jan. 25-Sendte. debate
in the Senate on the bill reported by the select
committee in regard to counting the electoral vote
was continued all night. Mr. Morton continued
his speech in opposition to the bill. He claimed
that the bill was fagrantly unconstitutional that
the commission could not carry out it's provisions
without going behind the returns said the bill was
sprinkled all over with very white pretty
meal, but the Democratic cat was re-
posing beneath it, and he earnestly urged Re-
publican Senators to vote against it. Mr. Blaine
followed Mr.. Morton, and opposed the measure on
constitutional grounds. He had desired earnestly
arguments adduced in its favor had persuaded him
of its unconstitutionality, and he felt himself
compelled, however reluctantly he differed
from certain Senators, to record his vote
against the measure. Mr.. Howe, of Wis.,
consin, made an earnest speech in advocacy
of the BILL He characterized it as the proudest
tribute to American craftsmanship that had been
prepared since the convention which framed the
constitution adjourned. He would have been
glad If it had received the unanimous approval of
the COMMUNICATION he would have felt like one
greater than himself felt when looking upon the in
FAINT Savior He would have felt he had seen the SAL
walton Of his people and of his country Mr. Thur
man spoke in favor OF the bill. Mr. Whyte. of
Maryland, had doubts as to it's constitutionaiity
but would vote for it as temporary remedy. Mr..
Eaton, OF Connecticut, the only Democrat opposing
the bib, denounced 1t as unconstitutional said the
power to count the electoral votes was
vested vest al, IN the e., two houses of Congress,
should sink into the earth. Mr. Burnside expressed
the hope that the bill would pass Mr.. Edmunds
closed the debate with an earnest appeal in behalf
OF the bill, at the conclusion of which vote was
we'll, Burnside, Chaffee, GGristiancy, Cock
rell, Conkling, Cooper, Cragin, Davis, Dawes,
ae e aonnds Howe dBs GOd
Creepy, Mcdonald Mcmillan, Marcy, Merrimon.
Morrill,, Price, Randolph, Ransom, Robertson
sharon, Stevenson, Teller, Thurman
v allace, Whyte, Window, Withers, Wright-47. |
Nays-Blaine, Bruce, Cameron Pa,), Cameron
(Wis), Clayton, Conover, Dorsey, Eaton DENY, |
Hamilton, Hanlln, ingalls,, Mitchell, Morton, Pat
terson, Sargent, Sherman. West-17.
HoUse.-The House took up the Electoral Tribunal
bill, and Mr.: McCrary, of Iowa, a member of the
joint committee, opened the debate. He said the |
country was in the presence of a very great and !
very dang emergency. The present was |
crisis in national affairs which the fathers of the
republic had foreseen in 1900, and which at various
periods in the nations history great statesmen had
foreseen and had dreaded. The country was con-, /
frohted, not only with great and widespread diff
ference OF opinion on the merits of the |
question, but it was confronted with what |
was thousand-fold more perilous, with |
he fact that the American people, American states
men, American lawyers and jursts were almost
equally divided, not only as to the merits of the
question but as to authorities to be cited He sub
nitted that that statesman was false to his duty
hat that man did not come up to the exigencies of
he occasion who would stop short in the most
earnest endeavors TO provide some lawful mode for