The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-01-30
as his physicians, Drs. Walsh, Hall, and
Barnett, have assured him and his friends.


4 as his physicians, Drs. Walsh, Hall, and
Barnett, have assured him and his friends.
The plan OF settlement. CO..
1 MESSAGE OF TIE PRESIDENT APPROVING THE
] PLAN OF SETTLING THE ELECTORAL con-
TEsT-GENERAL GRANT EXPRESSES HIS sAT-
1sFACT1oN At TIE RESULT.
WASHINGTON. January Ex-senator Con-
over visited the Executive Mansion this
morning and presented the electoral bill to
the President. The latter affixed his sigma
ture to the bin at 1920 a. NJ. $50
| The following Is the Presidents message
concerning the bill:
| To the Senate of the United States: -:
I follow the example heretofore OCCASION
ally presented Of communicating in this
mode my approval OF the act "to provide for
and regulate the counting OF votes for Pre-
| sident and Vice-President, and the decision
| OF questions arising thereon, for the term
commencing March 4th, A. D. 1871" because
of my appreciation OF the imminent peril
to the institutions Of the country, from
which; in nv Judgment, the act affords
wise and constitutional means Of escape.
For the first time in the history OF our
country, under the Constitution as it now
is, a dispute exists with regard to the result
| OF the election Of the Chief Magistrate of
the nation. -,
It ia understood that upon the DISPOSE
ton OF disputes touching the electoral
votes cast at the late election by one or
more OF the States depends the question
whether one or the other OF the candidates
for the presidency is the lawful Chief Magis-
trate. The importance Of having clearly
ascertained by procedure regulated by
law which of the two citizens has been
elected, and OF having the right to this high
office recognized and cheerfuIly agreed In
by all the people of the republic, cannot be
over. estimated, and leads me to express to
Congress and to the nation my great salts
faction Mt the adoption OF measure that al
fords an orderly means of decision OF
gravely exciting question
While tie history. OF our country in its
earlier periods shows that the president OF
the Senate has counted the votes and de-
clared them standing, our whole history
shows that in no instance Of doubt or dis
pute has he exercised the power OF de-
Gliding, and that the two houses OF Congress
have disposed OF all such doubts and dis
putes although in no instance hitherto have
they been such that their decision could
essentially have affected the result.
L "
ment of the United States is now brought
to meet the question as one vital to the
result, and this under conditions not
the best calculated TO produce an agree
ment or to induce calm feeling in the
several branches Of the Government or
among the people OF the country. In case
where, as now, the result is involved,
it is the highest duty OF the law-makfng
power to provide in advance 4 constitu-
tional. orderly, and just method OF execu-
ting the Constitution in this most in
teresting and critical OF its provisions.
The doing so, far from being COM
promise OF right, is an enforcement OF
right and an execution. OF powers confer
red by the Constitution on Congress.
think that this orderly method has been
secured by the bill which, appealing to the
Constitution and the law as the guide IN
asceT,aining rights, provides means OF de-
Gliding questions OF single returns through
the direct action OF Congress, and III re-
spect TO doubled returns by tribunal OF
inquiry whose decisions stand unless both
houses Of Congress shall concur in de-
terminipg otherwise, thus securing
definite disposition :of all questions
of dispEse in whatever aspect they
may arise With or without this
law, as all Of the States have voted, and as a
tie vote is impossible, it must be that one OF
the two candidates has been elected; and
it would be deplorable to witness an irres-
ular contro versy as to which OF the two
should receive OF which should continue to
hold the Office. =;
In all periods Of history controversies
have arisen as to the succession or choice
of the chiefs OF States, and no party or citi-
zens loving their country and its free insti-
tutions can sacrifice too much OF mere feel
ing in preserving through the upright
course OF law then country from the small
est danger to its peace on such an occasion,
and it cannot be impressed too firmly in the
heart Of all the people that true liberty and
real progress can exist only through cheer
full adherence to constitutional law.
The bill purports to!provide only for the
settlement Of questions arising from the re-
cent elections.
The fact that such questions rs can arise
demonstrates the necessity which, l cannot
doubt, will before long be supplied OF per-
manent general legislation to meet cases
which have not been contemplated in
the Constitution or laws Of the country.
The bill may not be perfect, and its pro-
visions may not be such: as would be best
applicable to all future occasions, but it is
calculated to meet the present condition OF
the questions and OF the country.
The country is agitated. It needs and it
desires peace, and quiet, and harmony be-
tween all parties and all: sections. Its in
dustries are arrested, labor unemployed,
capital idle, and enterprise paralYzed by
reason OF the doubt and anxiety attending
the uncertainty OF double claim to the Chief
Magstracy Of the nation. It wants to be
assured that the result OF the election will
be accepted without resistance from the
supporters Of the disappointed candidate,
and that its highest officershatl not hold his
place with a questionable title OF right.
Believing that the bill will secure these
ends, / give it my signature: s,..
e. S. GRANT.
Executive Mansion, January 30, 1877.