The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-01-26
motion OF Mr. Edmunds, adjourned until tomorrow
friday, at twelve O'Clock.


(Fridayl at twelve O'Clock.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 1871
Mr. WHITING (rep) Of Ill, presented resolution OF
the Peoria Board OF Trade in OF the bill OF the
JOINT committee.
ELECTORAL hill
Mr.. PAYNE tdem.) of Ohio. moved to 60 TO business
on Speakers table, in order TO refer the bill OF the
joint committee, which had come from the Senate,
the Committee Counting the Electoral Vote
Mr. PAYNE. in answer to question stated that the
committee had decided to report back the bill 'm-
medately let the debate all DAY to-day, with
night session; that the House would then ADJOURN
TIL eleven O'Clock tomorrow, and that he would call
the previous question ut o'clock TO morrow
Mr. FRYE, (rep) OF Me-, suggested that during the
last four hours OF the debate speeches should DO
limited to ten minutes In order that members snouid
have opportunity to explain Their votes.
Mr. PAYNE said that he would modify his request so
as to have to-morrow's session commence ut ten
o'clock the last tour hours OF debate to be consumed
in ten-mnute speeches, and members to have the
right enlarge their speeches Tor the record THIS
was agreed to by unanimous consent.
The bill then referred to the Committee on Eicc-
toral Votes, and was Immediately reported back by
Mr.. Payne, chairman OF the committee
The CLERK proceeded to read lhe bill IN ertenso.
Alter the reading of the bill Mr.. PAYNE stated that
the bill as passed by the Senate was precisely The
bill reported from tho committee in the first place
He entered motion recommt tho bill. III order 10
prevent amendments being offered to the bill
OF hR A'cRAEY.
comnia'ee opened The debate He said that after a
thorough earnest and an anxious consideration OF
the great question he, IN common win inc other
sion that the bill ought TO pass The country was IN
the presence OF a very great and very dangerous
emergency. The present was the Crisis IN
naliona! affairs which the fathers OF The
Repu Tic had forcseen in $780, and which, at various
Gin factn nd
ioreseen and had dreaded. The country, several
occasions, had reached point whero the votes for
President were counted, when disputes had ex
,sed as TO the legality of OF those votes. In all
those when disputes had arisen statesmen had
commented the danger which would threaten
he very existence OF the government il in
occasion should arise in which the disputed votes
would be decisive OF the result; This had been re-
garded or the greatest dangers to when the
country could be subjected The country was now
confronted not only with great and widespread an.
terence of opinion the merits OF the question: but
il was confronted with what was thousand iold more
porious-he TACT that the American people, the Amer
lean statesmen, the American lawyers dJuriss were
almost equally divided not only as TO the merits OF
the questions, but TO the authorities to be cited
He submitted that that statesman was false TO his
duty that that man did not come up to the exigen.
cies OF who would stop short In the most
earnest endeavors 10 provide some lawful mode for
the decision OF the question by tribunal whose au-
thorlty nobody could question and In whose decision
49, ''A DANGERS OF THE HOUR
There could be greater danger than that which
grew oil fact like this On one side Of the ques-
ton there 90 600 900 oil people who honestly
believed that Governor Hayes had been elected and
who honestly believe that in the absence OF any egs-
lation the SUBJECT the duty OF the Wee Presi-
dent to count On the other side there were
some 90 600 600 people who honestly believed that
Governor Tden had been elected, and that the Pres.
dent Senate had authority 10 countthe votes,
and could be counted except with the con.
sent both houses Ii Congress failed TO pass the Dill
and provide tribunal to settle this difference of opn-
ION the country would DRIFT upon rock, where the
ship OF might be broken to pieces
Ii might be that If the bill were defeated and Con-
gress failed any measure on the subject one or
The other OF those parties should peacefully submit 10
authority. He would hope and earnestly pray II such
an emergency should arse one or the o.her OF the
parties would submit; but he confessed TO very great
doubts and very great fears that such would not DO
the case. He would ask the gentlemen on the one
side the other who thought that their position
was imprcgnable 10 consider whether 1t obable
that the counting could avoid dual Presidency and
the possibility oil civil commoton and civil war;
He then proceed to quote authorizes pro and con,
upon the question whether the President OF the Senate
had power TO count the votes. IL had been SAID
by great many people who agreed with him poht-
ca opinion that the authorities were conc usve that
the Vice President had the right to count the votes
were equally potential and equally numerous. He
thought therefore, that ii woald be unw'se and un.
patriotic House TO refuse to adopt proposition
which all might agree to as lair
ana just, by which tho question might DO
a proposition and DRIFT on to the 14th OF Feb.
| ruary and the 4th OF March with those conflicting
opinions unsettled and take the chances OF dual Pres
dency with all lis horrors There wero some people
who assumed that single house OF Congress had The
men who held that opinion that they could not stand
on that and expect the country 10 acquiesce
in it, the declaration Of any result coming there
claimed the right OF the Vice President 10 count tho
votes could stand on that doctrine without great
danger that the people would not acquesce In it.
TIKI CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION
In answer to the objection that the bill was not
stutona he quoted IRON bills reported TO the House
in 1900 by John Marshall and In 1924 by Mr. Webster,
Of Massachusetts, which contained almost tho same
provisions as The present bill He though. bill
| tiona nj Land would
| SPEECH OF MR.. HINTON.
| Mr. HuNroN, (dem.) OF Va advocated the measure
He spoke OF Presidential elections dangerous per-
iods III history of the country and as more likely
than any other cause to wreck the ship OF State He
declared that all preceding troubles Of that character
sank into absolute nsigni1cance as compared with
those stared Congress and the country in the
face From at least four States OF the Union two
of electoral votes would be presented Tor count
! ing That the grave question which had to
he met not in spirit of partisanshp, but OF States
| manshp. He himself subscribed earnestly and
heartily to the doctrine that the power to count the
electoral belonged TO tie two houses OF Congress-
and not President OF the Senate, but the 0ppo
size doctrine was held by one OF the great parties Of
the country. AS neither party was willing to yield
| It's convictions on that point the time had arrived
when Congress should rise above partisan feeling
ana adopt a mode Of settlement that would tide over
| the dliiculues and avert danger oil war. He
| held that Just as the tellers, provided for
The organ OF the two houses the commission pro-
vded for the bill was but their organ 10 do for them
what they themselves might do He also held that as
the two houses had the right to count The votes,
they night by concurrent action to agree TO any
mode OF counting that might seem best to them. He
beneye ed that unless some such plan as this bill were
adopted no earthly power could prevent war, coDiu-
SION disruption OF tho government and an end OF
republican institutions in America II was, there
tore high and solemn duty the part OF Congress
10 bring about a peaceful solution OF the difficulty aad
tide over this eventul period OF history.
SPEECH OF MR.. GooDE
Mr. GoopE (dem.) OF Va, said that the members OF
the concur, Mt committee when nad reported ths o
were emncnty entedt to the thanks OF Congress and
Of the country Tor their patient, sensacrincng ana