Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-01-25

eaeh house, and the counting of the
votes shall proceed in conformity there
with, unless, upon objection made
thereto in writing BY at least five Sena-
tors and five members Of the House of
Representatives, the two houses shall
separately concur in ordering otherwise,
in which case such concurrent order
shall govern. No votes or papers from
any other State shall be acted upon I'M
til the objections previously made to the
votes or papers from any State shall
have been finally disposed of.
Sec. 8. That while the two houses
shall bein meeting, as provided in this
act, no debate shall be allowed and no
question shall be put by the presiding
officer, except to either House on mo-
ton to withdraw, and he shall have
power to preserve order.
Sec. 4. That when the two houses
separate to decide upon an objection
that may have been made to the count
ing ofany electoral vote or votes from
any State, or upon objection to a report
ofsaid Commissioner. or other question
arisingunder this act, each Senator and
Representative may speak to such OBJ
lection or question ten minutes, and not
oftener than once; but after such debate
Shall have lasted two hours it shall be
the duty of each House to put the main
question without further debate.
Sec. 5. That at such joint meeting of
the two houses seats shall be provided
as follows: For the President of tic
Senate, the Speakers chair; for the
Speaker. Immediately upon his left; the
Senators in the body of the hall. upon
the right Of the presiding officer; for the
Representatives in the body Of the hall
not provided for the Senators, for the
tellers, Secretary Of the Senate, and
Clerk Of the House Of Representatives,
at the Clerks desk. for the other officers
OF the two houses in front of the Clerks
desk and upon each side of the Speakers
platform. Such Joint meeting shall not
be dissolved until the count Of electoral
votes shall be completed and the result
declared, and no recess shall be taken
unless a question shall have arisen in
regard to counting any such votes, or
otherwise under this act, in which case
it shall be competent for either house.
acting separately, in the manner here
inbefore provided, to direct recess of
such house not beyond the next day,
Sunday excepted, at the hour of ten
O'Clock in the forenoon. And while
any question is being considered by said
commission either house may proceed
with its legislative or other business.
Sec. 6. That nothing i'll this act shall
be held to impair or affect any right
now existing under the constitution and
laws to question, by proceeding in the
judicial courts Of the United States, the
right or title Of the person who shall
be declared elected, or who shall claim
to be President or Vice-President of
the United States, if any such right ex-
lists.
Sec. !. That said commission shall
make its own rules. keep a record Of
its proceedings. and shall have power
to employ such persons as may be nee
essary for the transaction Of its business
and the execution Of its powers.
THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE.
In their report submitted with the
bill the committee say they have appli.
ed the utmost practicable study and
elaboration to the subject, and believe
that the bill reported is the best attaina-
bic disposition OF the difficult problems
and disputed theories arising out of the
late election. They speak Of the diff
Guilty Of reaching a conclusion, and they
dealt with abstract questions save SO
far as they are necessarily involved in
the legislation proposed. The report
implies that legislation may be had on
the subject in accordance with the con-
stitution, but the committee think that
the law proposed is inconsistent with a
few principal theories upon the subject.
The bill is only directed to ascertaining,
for the purpose and in aid of the count
ing, what are the constitutional votes of
the respective States; and whatever
Jurisdiction exists for such purpose, the
bill only regulates the method Of eXer.
c;sing it. For this the constitution
gives warrant; and therefore the law
proposed is not inconsistent with that
instrument. -
The committee regard it as Of far
greater moment that the will Of the
people should be legally carried out
than the question Of who shall be Presi.
dent for a prescribed term. They there.
fore endeavored to frame fair and I'M
partial measure. The legislature and
judiciary are represented in the tribunal
in equal proportions, The composition
of the judicial part Of the commission
looks to a selection from different parts
Of the republic. while It Is thought to be
free from any preponderance or suppos.
able bias; and the addition Of the neces-
sary constituent part Of the whole in
order to obtain an uneven number Of the
commission is left to an agency the
ftlrthest removed from prejudice of any
existing attainable one. 1t would be
difficult, ifnot impossible, the committed
think, to establish q tribunal that could
be less the subject OF party criticism
that such one. The committee felt
bound by the highest duty to let no bias
Of party feeling stand in the way of a
just, equal and peaceful measure for
extricating the question from the en-
barpas that at present surrounds it,
The committee concludes as follows !:
In conclusion, we respectfully beg leave
to impress upon Congress the necessity
of a speedy determination upon this
subject. 1t is impossible to estimate
the material loss the country daily sus-
tains from the existing state uncer-
tainty, Il directly and powerfully tends
to unsettle and paralyEe bueiness, to
weaken public and private credit, and
to create apprehensions in the minds Of
the people that disturb the peaceful
tenor OF their ways and mar their hap-
piness. It does far more. 1t tends to
bring republican Institutions into dis
credit, and to create doubts of the sue
csss Of our form Of government and of
the perpetuity Of the republic. All
considerations Of interest, Of patriotism,
and ofjustice, unite in demanding of
the law making power a measure that
will bring peace and prosperity to the
country, and show that our republican
Institutions are equal to any emergency.
and in this connection we cannot refrain
from She expression Of our satisfaction
that your committee, composed of equal
members of both parties, have FORUM
ately been able to do what has been
attempted in vain heretofore-almost
unanimously agreed upon plan con-
sidered by them all to be Just, wise and