Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-02-10
THE ELECTORAL BILL.
President CRAMPS Endorsement Of tho BilI
~ Indicated on Returning II with Ills
Siunnturp.


President Grant's Endorsement Of tho 1911
, ~ Indicated ON Returning II with III
signature.
TO tie Senate of the United States
/ follow the example heretofore occn
sionnlly presented OF com municating il
: this mode my approval of the net to pro
vide for and regulate the counting Of tn
vote for President and Vice President
and the decision of questions nrsin,
thereon, because of my appreciation o
the imminent peril to the institutions o
the country, from which, in my judg
ment, the not affords wise and consti
tutional means of escape.
For the first time in the history of on
country, under the Constitution MS it nov
is, n dispute exists with regard to the re
suit of the election of the Chief Magis
trate of the nation. 1t is understood
that upon the disposition of disputes
touching the electoral votes cast ut 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
nscertained by procedure regulated by
law which of the two citizens has been
elected, and of having the right of this
high Office recognized and cheerfully
agreed i'll by all the people of the repub-
lie cannot be overestimnted, and leads
me to express to Congress and to the ma
ton my great satisfaction Mt the adop-
ton of measure that affords mn orderly
means of decision of gravely exciting
question.
While the history of our country in it's
earlier period shows that the president of
the Senate has counted the votes and de-
clared their standing, our whole history
shows that in no instance of doubt or
dispute has he exercised the power of
deciding, and that the two houses of
Congress have disposed of such doubts
and disputes, although in no instance
hitherto have they been such that their
decision could essentially have affected
the result. For the first time, then, the
government 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
agreement or to induce calm feeling in
the several branches of the government
OF among the people of the country. In
n case, where, as now, the result is in
volved, it is the highest duty of the law
making power to provide in advance
constitutional, orderly, and just method
of executing the Constitution in this
most interesting and critical of its pro-
Visions The doing so, far from being
compromise of right, is an enforcement
of right and an execution of powers confer
red by the Constitution in Congress.
7 i,1y ,In
secured by the bill, which, appealing to
the Constitution and the law as the guide
in ascertaining right, provides means
of deciding questions of single returns
through the direct action of Congress,
ahd, in respect to double returns, by
tribunal of inquiry, whose decisions shall
stand unless both houses of Congress
shall concur in determining otherwise,
thus securing definite disposition of all
questions of dispute, in whatever respect
they may arise.
With or without this law, as all of the
States have voted, and asa tie vote is i'm
possible, it must be that one of the two
candidates has been elected, and it would
be deplorable to witness an irregular
MS to which of the two should
receive, OF which should continue to
hold the office. In all periods of history
have arisen as to the sue
cessflll choice of the chiefs of States,
and no party or citizens loving their
country and its institutions can Sacrifice
too much of mere feeling in preserving
through the upright course of law their
from the smallest danger to it's
peace on such an occasion, and it cannot
be impressed too firmly in the hearts of
all the people that true liberty and real
progress can exist only through a cheer
full adherence to constitutional law.
The bill purports to provide only for
the settlement of questions arising from
the recent elections. The fact that such
question can arise demonstrates the ne
cessity which, [ cannot doubt, will be-
fore long be supplied, of permanent
general Legislation to meet cases which
have not been contemplated in the Con-
or laws of the country.
The bill may not be perfect, and its
provisions 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. 1t
lteuS itii, IL ueSiIes peace 'iilu utllet iilli
harmony between all parties and all sec
tons. It's industries are arrested, labor
capital idle, and enterprise
paralyzed by reason of the doubt and
anxiety attending the uncertainty of a
double claim to the Chief Magistracy of
the nation. 1t wants to be assured that
the result of the election will be accepted
without resistance from the supporters
of the disappointed candidates, and that
its highest officer shall not hold his place
with a questioned title of right.
Believing that the bill will secure these
ends, give it my signature.
U. S. GRANT.
Executive Mansion, Jan. 80, 1877.