The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-01-26
.f WHEELING WEST VA. FRIDAY MORNING,

perhhed II the attempt to count in III,
Republican candidate Tor President werI
acquiesced in, or II not being acquiescet
IN war would result. There was no es
cape from that position except by al
agreement between the patriotic men o
both Sides who preferred the goot
oil the country 10 the success O
party. Partisan as he was supposed Il
be, but patriotic as he hoped hcnceior.
ward 10 be regarded, he had deemed II
his bounden duty 10 labor Eealously to-
wards the attainment Of a Just plan oI
settlement whereby but one Presiden
should be declared by bill which all cit
liens wonld respect and no considerable
number Of voters would dispute. The bill
even II not within the strict letter Of thI
constitution, was certainly within IL
spirit. II substituted law and order iol
strife and anarchy. II meant supremacy
Of civil over military power. II mean
the preservation Of the autonomy OF thu
States. Il meant oblivion Of all the bit
terness Of the past, security for the pres
ent, hope for the future.
| Mr.. Willis read a telegram from .
New York committee, signed by Wm. Z,
Dodge, chairman, and Theo. Roosevelt,
secretary, urging the immediate passage
of the bill as II came from the Senate.
Mr.. Monroe, Ohio, expressed deep re.
sret that he could not vote for the bill,
He had given II his careful attention, but
there were some objections TO it which,
TO his mind, had proved insuperable.
he stated that there was constitutional
objections TO il, one OF which was that Il
irreyocably deprived the Vice President
oil all power 10 ascertain and decide the
lawful electoral votes.
HE DENIED THAT CONGRESS
had the right to give away that power
OF the Vice President 10 another body,
He believed that the bill conhicted with
most Of the principle theories on the
subject. Practically the difficulty was
that members were asked to vote
for measure which connicted
sharply with the cherished consti.
tutional theories. Whoever was to be
charged with disregarding the con.
stitutional convictions, that charge
should certainly not be made against
those who, ont Of regard for such convic,
tons, refrained from favoripg the bill
He should prefer 10 have the electoral
votes counted in the old way, and trusted
to the good sense, moderation and pat
riotism OF Congress, and Of the counting
for peaceful and satisfactory result.
Recess until 7:30 7. NJ.
SENATE.
THE ALL NIGHT DEBATE ON THE EI.EC,
ToRAL BILL.
Debate in the Senate on the bill re.
ported by the Select Committee in regard
to counting the Electoral vote was con.
tinued all night.
MORTON CoNTISUEs.
Mr.. Morton, continuing his argument,
claimed that the Vice President was not
bound to open any fraudulent certificates
from Stale. II there should be half q
dozen packages from State in his pos.
session he was not required to open them
all, but was only required to open thai
package which came from the Electors
As an officer Of the United States he was
bound TO take notice as to who has been
elected Electors by the States and act
upon his intelligence Just as other public
officers. ThereWere two certificates from
Louisiana in the hands Of the Vice Pres.
ident. he was not required to open them
both. II he refused to open and present
the second return how was il to be goi
out OF his possession? II he refused to
open such returns was that cause for
reyolution2 Did he understand that
the Democratic party threatened VIC
lence or revolution il the President Of
the Senate withheld bogus certificates !
This bill conferred upon tribunal II
created powers 10 legislate unless its ac.
tion should be overturned by the action
Of the two houses Of Congress. This
commission could not carry out the bill
without going behind the returns from
State. 1t was sprinkled all over with
very white, pretty meal,
nut THE DEMOCRATIC CAT
was reposing beneathit. He argued thai
the bill was unconstitutional after the
case had been made up.
Mr.. Blaine said he trusted he had as
great appreciation as any member on the
floor Of the gravity OF the situation. He
had supported the Senator from Yer
mont in his constitutional amendments
TO leave this whole question to tie Su,
preme Court, but that proposition didnol
commend isaelfto the favor OF the Senate
lit was defeated by a large vote. So far
as he was personally concerned he was
not welded TO any particular theory as tO
counting the vote. He desired simply tc
adhere to the custom. He was opposed iO
giving the power TO count the votes 10 Il
gentlemen, four Of whom were TO com.
Plete the number by selecting the 10th
and -rt ~ 81 ,'llsal8
THUS BY LOT oRcHAEcE
filling that coy and bashful blank as Ben.
ton would have termed it, on which the
attention Of the country Is fixed. Il was
proposed to give these 10 gentlemen
more power over the electoral vote than
Congress possessed, and he did not be.
lieye that this could be done by simply
an enactment, Nothing less than n consti.
tutional amendment could confer on the
10 men such tremendous power over the
electoral vote ofa State. ta. iHfti'. I.
Mr.. Howe denied that this instrument
was framed in the interest OF the Demo.
cratic party. He had not heretofore
been in the service OF that party, and did
not propose toembark in lis service now,
He was not able 10 see that this bill Of
Itself promoted the interests OF the Dem.
ocratic party. Nothing could be done
under the bill TO promote the election Of
the Democratic candidate for President,
unless, under the execution Of the law,
the opinion Of Eve picked men Of the
Senate, five picked men Of the House and
tiyepicked Judges Of the Supreme Court
could be secured 10 that end. The Sen.
ator from Indiana (Morton) argued that
no legislation was needed; that .i.a'
THE REPUBLICANS HAD A SURE THING,
and il was best not to give away part q
| IL. He (Howel thnnuhi ~ tba rasnIt "a