, 1877-01-02

States. and, together With list of thr votes, bc
f :. b. to tho
votes Of Nlsaourt. md Tho counting. or omtttlng
to connt which shsl not cstcssia!ly chanse The fe'
ported by the President Of the stnate In Tic fol-
iuwinx manner: We're the vote. Of sisaoutt to 30
dent ;s of Inc I cnissa ssies G not eounted
for \ = as President Of tho United states,
hnt etses e,s elsse1 r5s.fnt
Vice President
Mr.. Clay offered somc remarks explanatory Of
the considerations which governed tho COM
mittee IN recommending the resolutions which
The 5rst resolution was adopted without
division,
The question being stated on the second rcso-
luton,
Mr. Randolph said he could not consent TO
tho special verdict, as It hal been called. IL the
case Of Missouri. lie coulI not recognize In
this House or the other House, stng1y ur. con-
jointly, The power 10 decide on the votes Of any
State. lie maintained that tho Electoral Col
1cge wns as independent. Of Congress "a Con
gress OF them. lie would rather see Ill inter-
regnum, or SEQ no votes counted Mt oil, than to
sec priueiplo adopted which went to the very
foundation On which the Presidential office rest
Mr. Trimbto said tie House might set m ex-
annie by this vute as rn[nu,ls iu its consequences
"A any decision which could bo made. It was
te s t tas 0u1e or tS epnssts s ho f,e
dent, and the proposed annunc!atfon would not
be the fact.
MI Floyd sad the rotcs OF Indlana, At the
last election for President, were counted w''e'i
sourl now. lie protested against this assump..
tlon OF authority on tho part OF Congress, and
wished to show his ttsapprobatton vi the resolu-
| ton In tho strongest manner.
Mr. CLAY said the Constitution required Of
| the two Houses to assemble anil perform the
highest duty that could .levotyc On a public
botly-to ASCERTAIN who had been elected to I'D.
| minister their national concerns. In d case Of
votes coming forward which could not bo counted,
the Consultation WAS silent; but, fortunately,,thc
end IN that case carried With 1t the means. The
| two Houses werc called On TO Gnumcrate tho
course they were called on to decide what are
votes. It being Obvious that difficulty would
arise in the joint meeting, concerning tho votes
| OF Missouri some gentlemen thinking they
| from tllat opinion, tho Committee thought IT
best to prevent nll difficulty by wniyIng the
question fn tho manner proposed, knowing that
Il could not affect the result of the election.
himself thought her q State, with perfect
mornl right to be admitted into tho uuton, but
kept out for the want OF ceEc,nonious act
which was deemed by others necessary to en-
Stase IN fact, ret. not being 50 In form. her
votes could NOT bc counted according to form.
| lie VIA aware that tho question Of her ndm!s-
l SION might come GU anu GG AEEiuGu IN HEEY
shape; lor II Congress allowed her to vote for
| President and Sicc-l'rcsitlcnt, and counted her
vote, would he full admission Of tho Statetnto
the Union; but the Committee thought, that, as
| there were other md more usual modes OF ad-
mIttIng tile State into the Union, It was better
| not 10 bring up tile question In tho discharge Of
their solemn and Indispensable duty, h.it TO A.
low Tint ceremony to proceed, u possible, With
out difficulty Or embarrassment.
| Mr.. Tracy was compelled, he said, to vote
against the resolution. lie was sopposcd to the
resolution because Missouri VIA neither State
In tue Union nor one out OF thu Union: but WIS
consent that her votes should be counted at all
-cons,icring them eutlro1y foreign to tic clcc-
tton of President md vIee.Prcstient.
Mr.. Clay eald lie would merely observe, that
IL whcn tho two Houses meet, Or nvo!d 1t by
como previous arrangement. The Committee
being morally certain that the question would
arise OIL tho votes, i tho totut !ncctlng, thought
e.,-by In this way. Suppose this resolution not
adopted, the President of tho Sc,late will pro-
coed to open md couni The votes; and, would
thu House allow that officer, slnrly end alone.
legality nj tho yotcsa IL not. how thcu were
they u procccdl Was 1t to be settled by the
decision Of the two Houses conlolntIy, or Of tho
two Houses sepArntelyl Ono l1o!.so would say
| they uug gllt not; mud tlLen the votes would bo
lost altogether. Woult the gentleman from
New York {Mr. Tracy pTefyr that II ba decided
md sef Gfi n is iesasr a, mssty sd t ths % On
the question yesterday. III fact, Afr. Elay snitl,
there was no mode pointed oiit In tic Constltll-
tsoM Of settling ltlgated questions as1snra In tho
discharge Of this duty; II was caEfa on'tssus
and Le thought II would DO proper, either BY
some net Ut dtrivalyc Legislation, or by MI
amendment of tic Constitution itself, to supply
the defect.
The second resolution was agreed to.
| FIN 1nntiOn Gf Mr.. LlnY. II fbGH 0rfIcrrt1.
tl,at message be sent 10 the Senate informing!
that body that this Hnusc, On It's part, concuEa
In the report Of the joint Counlttec, and Ii
now prepared to proceed, with tho Senate, lt
the performance Of its constitutional duty.
Soon after tho Senate enne into the fnt, and
the President OF the Senate WIS conducted b.,
ales,rs Clay and I'LL to tho speakcr's chalr
ths Speaker occupying cllafr q hia left iland.
This President Ut tho Senate then ot,enc,l ami
delivered tho votes 0f tho States to tho tom
mftteo for counting the vosea, BY whom they
were read, except tho Slate q Missouri; and
wien the certificate Of tho Electors. Of ths
State was opened m objection was male by Mr
Ltyrrmnre, Ut New llampshtrc, to counting sat
votes, beeauso Missouri 10 not State of lht
Unfu.l.
Il ,notion was then male by member Of til,
Senate, and adopted, that tho Senate 10 nos
withdraw to lis chambers, anu tic Senato r.
tired
Of Virginia, then rose aud submitted the follow
Ing rcauluttun:
Ktsafftd, Tint Missouri h onc,of The statsa 0
this Gnlon. and her votes for President and Vice
Isesideut u tho uulted Ssatcs ought 70 bs receive
and CnIHlel.
Mr.. Floyd offered son,c remarks in favor o
his resolution.
Mr. Stevenson Archer, Of Maryund, said that
entertaining the sane sentiments as The gentle
man from Virginia tFloyd) with respect to th
refusal to ahnst Missouri Into tllo Union, he re
felt h!n,sclf bs,un,l tn move, rs ho HOW did, i
postpone the further consideration u this rest
l1tlon indefinitely. lic WAS opposed to tht
! 1I0usc undertaking to proceed In any lnunncr u
: u the lesuiity OF the Electoral yotcs. IIccou!
/, recognize no power lu the House OF Representa-
ttvca on this subject separate from thu Senate
The expressions in the Constitution In regard t
tie counting 1T the yotcs Of Electors, etc.. b
considered is imperative. All questions aristn
out Vi II, acrortl!ug to h!d construction, must i
settled in Joint meeting of ihc two Houses. II
; could not agree that ttlls ltouse Aatl right t
|, determine whether any vote should ba receive
!. OF rejected. What are thu wonls OF II,
i Constitution! "The President Ut the Scnat
= shall, in tho presence of the senato a1ll Hous
q KeWestniIiives, open all fig certificates. all
Il | follow, pskrl MT. Archer. that the votes mi.