National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1877-01-04
THURsD ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 4. Is
NO CHI A r @ q 1.
The Only way out of the woods.

In an editorial in the NATIONAL REPUBLI-
CAN few days since it was stated in plain
and unmistakable terms that the counting of
the electoral vote will be done by the Presi-
dent of the Senate according TO the Constitu-
ton and historical presidents. 1t was also
stated in quite as positive terms that should
the House, after the President of the Senate
has declared the one hundred and eighty-fye
votes for Hayes, attempt tc eject Tilden it will
be treason against tbs Government, and those
participating IL the movement will be arrested
as insuriectionists on the spot. The New
York San in referring TO this article says:
"Let it not be supposed that this revolutionary
scheme to MexcaniZe the Government is the wild
declaration of irresponsible partisan. 1t is
part OF the plot which has been matured in detail
and to sustain which large force of artillery and
other troops has been collected at Washington
and its vicinity. by the Secretary of War, during
the last three or four weeks"
The troops are here to preserve the peace.
and that peace will only be broken by an at
tempt on the part of the Democracy to oppose
the result of the counting under the forms of
law and the Constitution.
The way for the Republican party is as clear
as the face of cloudless day. Their duty is
to stard by the constitutional mode of count
ing the vote and follow scrupulously the pre-
cedent established by the electoral counts
which have occurred in the past. The Con-
stitution says 1.-THE President of the Senate
shall, in the presence of the Senate and House
of Repre- natives, open all the certificates
and the votes shall then he counted
In 1898, on February 6, the two Houses were
assembled in the Senate Chamber, and the GER
tifcstes were opened by the Vice President,
who read them, and then delivered them to
the tellers, who having examined and ascer-
tanned the votes, presented the list to the
Vice President, who read the list and an
nounced the result. The two Houses then
separated.
In 1917 the counting took place in the
House, but the course of procedure was the
same as before, except that an interruption
was made by Mr.. Taylor, Of New York,
who arose and, addressing the President of the
Senate, objected to the votes Of Indiana being
read and recorded, when the President inter
rupted him, and said that they had met for
the purpose-the single specific purpose-of
performing constitutional duty, and while
so acting he could not consider any PROPOSE
ton or perform any business not prescribed by
the Constitution.
From 1920 to 1857 the mode of procedure
was uniformly as above stated. After the
adoption of the twenty-second joint rule both
Houses acted in pursuance of it, but that is
now abrogated, and it leaves the matter lust
as it stood in 1857.
1t is upon these presidents and these his
torical facts that we based the assertion that
the work ofthe joint committee would be fruit
less and 10 urOn1d he Cd -
always been made in the past, by the Presi-
dent of the Senate, and by him declared.
This being the case, then, it is plain that the
President of the Senate, in counting the votes
as they were secured constitutionally at the
ballot-box and declared according to the
forms of law in the various Electoral Col
leges, will announce on the day fixed by law
1856 votes for Hayes and declare him elected
President of the United States. This will be
done, for there is no other way except those
which are dangerous to the liberties of the
people and safety of the Republic itself.
Thus will be seen the justice of our asser-
tiou when we announced that should the
House, after Hayes is declared elected BY the
President Of the Senate, attempt to elect Til
den, it will be summarily arrested for melting
instruction against the authorities of the
United States and the law thereof What
loyal hearted patriot is there, in all the broad
domain of the Republic, who now casts a
shadow OF blame upon the immortal Lincoln
for thrustirg into Fort Lafayette those who
sought to disturb the peace of the nation by
treason against its lawful authorities? There
is none now; will there be any in the coming
crisis!