New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-01-24
lust enough, and safe enough for his successor
COMPROMISING WHATf

COMPROMISING WHATf
We cannot suppose that Republican Senators
and REPRESENTATIVES who support the Com
nromse Commission bill realize what it is
that they surrender and why any concession
should be demanded of them. Democrats who
discover in this scheme the only chance Tor
the success of their candidate may perhaps be
iudged with mercy il under strong temptation
tbey expOSe the country to grave con-
stitutional danger and give up the right OF
the States TO choose their own electors with
ont Federal interference. But Che conduct OF
Renublicans is not 80 easily accounted for.
The propriety of the action of the President
of the Senate in counting the electoral votes
went unGuestioned during the first quarter
century of our national life. from lfoo 10
1921 there was no dispute MS to his rght,
no suggestion that the function had not
been appropriately committed to him. :" BE 1t
9" known, that 80. the underwrltten, Presi-
9" dent of the Senate pro tempore, did, In the
&" presence of the Senate and House of Repre-
"sontatives, open all the certificates and count
"all the votes,"-so ran the official notification
which the President of the Senate was anthor-
lied to make to the persons upon whom the
choice of the electors fell. That was the form
lid to 1921, and it was revived in 1923. 1t
was never pretended that the power committed
to this high officer was too great to be lodged
in the hands of q single man. 1T IL not pre-
tended that the power ever was abused. but
now it is suddenly discovered that the inter-
pretatiOn of the Constitution under which our
unsuspicious forefathcrs acted so long without
trouble or discOrd, il fraught with appalling
perils. Counting votes is too delicate and i'm
portant a function to be left with any one man.
What then do the Constitution thinkers propose
to dO7 Why, to take it away from h i'm and
give it to another man.
We have already shown that the compromise
plan amounts to nothing moro than thls.
Seven Republicans are to sit on one side OF
the table and vote in the Republican interest
Seven Democrats are to sit on the other ana
vote in the Democratic interest An odd Judge
ia to sit at the head of the table and decide
everything. The fourteen opposing and mu-
tually neutralizng members are added for style
rather than use: it is the fifteenth man who
holds the result in his hands. And who Is heY
The presiding officer of the Senate Is prcSllm-
ably one of the most dignified and honorable
members of the highest legislative body known
to the American Constitution. He is almost
invariably man in whom the country
has well-IOunded confidence. lie per-
forms his duty in the full sight of the ma
ton and under lively sense of responsibility.
The unknown arbIter contemplated by the bill,
if not selected by chance, is most likely to be
chosen for the ooseness of his Opinions-0r, III
other words, for the weakness of his head. He
will be answerabe only to his own conscience.
IN iuUp
has perhaps escaped the attention of Congress
that the only person from whose favor ne can
expect promotion Is the man whom his decision
will place in the Presidency.
To Justify the transfer of the function of
counting from the President of the Senate TO
this Great Unknown, some grave consideration
should certainly be pleaded. But there is
none. The change is demanded by the Demo
Gratis only because they believe that Mr. Tilden
is defeated without it, and it is yielded by the
Republicans only because the Democrats de-
mand it, On the one side it is desperate
clutch at the last chance OF power; on the
other it is a surrender to vulgar camor. We
have never been able 10 discover in the speeches
and essays of Mr.. Tildcns friends d single
argument against the cOnstitutionallty OF the
old mode of counting that deserved serious refu-
tation We have heard little but threats-thrcats
of war, threats of riotOus personal petitions,
threats of the revolutionary Inauguration of
contesting President by the sole authority OF
the House of Representatives,. 1t is to these
threats that the Republican supporters of the
bil'have yielded. Frightened at the flaming
eyes of this hollow pumpkin which the Demo-
Gratis have rugged as specter of war by AID
OF a tallow candle and bloody sheet, they
abandon che rights they were appointed To
guard and run away trembling. The COmpro-
mise bill is doubtless to be passed, but at least
let us understand what we are doing and what
it is that Congressman are going to sur
render. If we are to administer the Govern
mnnt on the principle Of Anything for quiet
"life,' it will save trouble to refrain from
obscuring that policy by false pretenses.
THE SITE STRVEY