Mexico weekly ledger., 1877-02-08
The Presidents Message Approving
. .t,f g. the Electoral Bill.

WASHINGTON, d. c., Jan. 29.-The fol.
owing is the text of the Presidents mes
sage concerning the Electoral bill:
To the Senate of the United States: t4
follow the example heretofore occasionally
presented of communicating in this mode nv
the counting of votes for President and Vice.
President, and the decision of questions arising
thereon, because OF my appreciation of the i'm.
minent peril to the institutions OF the country
from which, in my 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 is now, a dispute exists
with regard to the result of the election of Chief
Magistrate of the Union. 1t is understood that
upon the disposition of the disputes touching the
Electoral vote cast at the last election bv one or
more States depends the question whether one or
the other of the candidates for the Presidency ia
the lawful Chief Magistrate. The importance of
having clearly ascertained by procedure regn.
lated by law which of two citizens has been elect.
ed, and of having the right to their high office
recognized and cheerfully agreed in by all the
people of the Republic, can not be over N
and leads me to express to Congress and to the
Nation my great satisfaction at the adoption of a
measure that affords an orderly means of deci-
sion of gravely exciting questions. While the
history Of our country in its carly period shows
that the President OF the Senate has counted
the votes and declared their standing. our whole
history shows thatsln no instance of doubt or dis.
pute has he exercised the power of deciding and
that the two Houses of Congress have disposed
of all such doubts and disputes, although in no
instance hitherto have they been such that their
decision could have essentially affected the re.
suit. For the first time, then the Government Of
the United States is now brought to meet a cues.
ton as one vital to the result, and this under
conditions not best Calculated to produce
several branches of the Government,
or among the people Of the country. In a
case, where, as now, the result is involved, lis
the highest duty of the law making power to
provide in advance a Constitutional, orderly and
Just method of executing the Constitution. In
this most interesting and critical clause of its
provisions, the bill, so far from being a compro-
mise Of right, is an enforcement OF the right land
az execution of the powers conferred by the Con.
stitution on Congress-. L think that this orderly
method has been secured Dy tie bill, which, ap-v
pealing TO the constitution and law as a guide in
ascertaining rights, provides a means of de.
Gliding questions of single returns through
respect 20 double returns, by IL tribunal of in
curry, whose decisions stand unless both Houses
Of Congress shall concur in determining other.
wise, thus securing definite disposition OF all
questions OF dispute in whatever respect they
may arise. With or without this law, as all O!
the States have voted, AMI as the vote is record
ed, it must be that one of the two candidates has
been elected; and 1t would be deplurable
to witness an irregular controversy as to
which of the two should receive or which
shC uld continue to hold the office. In all records
OF history controversies have arisen as to sue
cession or choice OF Chiefs of states, and no
party or citizen loving their country and its
free Institutions can sacrifice too much of mere
feeling in preserving, through an upright course
OF law, their country from the smallest Gangerto
| It's peace On SUCH an OCCdslOu, anu IL can not De
impressed too firmly on the hearts of all people
that true liberty and real progress can exist only
through a cheerful adherence 10 constitutional
law. The bill purports to provide only for the
settlement of questions arising from recent cleo
tons. The fact that such questions can arise
demonstrates the neeessity-wbich, l can not
dsubt, will before long be supplied-of perma-
nent general legislation to meet cases which
have not been contemplated in the Constitution
or laws OF the country. The bill may not be per
feet, and its provisions may not be such as
would be best applicable to ali future occasions,
but it is calculated TO meet the present condition
OF the question and OF the country. The country
is agitated; it needs and desires peace
and quiet and harmony between all
parties and all sections; its Industr es
are arrested, labor unemployed, 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 Ma.
ton. 1t wants to be assured that the result Of
the election will be accepted without resistance
from the supporters of the disappointed candi.
date, and that its highest officer shall not hold
his place with a questioned title of right. Be-
lieving that the bill will secure these ENDS, | give
it my signature.
~tSigneQl L. s. GRANT.
Executive Mansion, January %, 1877.