Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1877-01-27
THE AGREEMENT.
The Proposed BiIl for Counting the
Electoral vote-Full Synopsis of ats
Provisions.

The Joint committee, from both Houses
Of Congress, which was appointed to de-
wise some plan for counting the electoral
vote, has agreed upon plan and submit
ted the same to Congress. AS the sub
ject is one in which every citizen is large
ly interested, we give full summary of
the important paper.
TIE PROVISIONS OF THE BILL.
i The bill is entitled: "A bill TO provide
for and regulate the counting OF votes for
President and Vice President and the de-
ciSion of questions arising thereon for the
term commencing March 4, A. ID. 1871 y
= Section /. The Senate and House OF
Representatives shall meet in the hall of
the House of Representatives on the first
Thursday in February at 10 A. VI. The
President of the Senate shall preside. and
shall open in alphabetical order. begun
ming with the letter "a" all the certifi-
cafes and papers purpOrting to be certifi-
Gates of electoral votes. and hand them
to the tellers. who shall be four in num-
ber-two appointed by each House.
| these shall read the same, make a list OF
the votes and determine the result and
the vote having been ascertained and
counted. their statement shall be delivered
70 the President of the Senate and by him
read to the joint assembly. and this an
nouncement shall be deemed sufficient
declaration of the result.
Upon the reading of any such cer.ifi-
cate or paper the PRECEDENT of the Senate
shall call for objections. if any. Every
objection shall be in writing, concisely
| II, J., cl,oiI no
signed by at least one member of each
House. When all the objections to the
vote of any state have been made. the
Senate shall withdraw. and such objrc-
tions shall be considered by each House
separately; and no vote from any state
where but one return shall be received
shall be rejected except by the concur
rent vote OF both Houses.
Section p Ii more than one return
from any state shall be presented, all
such returns shall he opened by the
Pre-ident of tie Senate. in the presence
OF the two Houses rs aforesaid, anl by
him be submite to the judgement and
| de'ision, as to which is the true and law
| tul elect ctOrai vote of such stale, of a com
mission composed of five members each
OF the Senate, House of Representatives
and Supreme Court. This commission Is
| selected as follows: The members from
each branch of Congress by UiUd UOce
VOTE on the Tuesday next preceding the
ioint meeting while on the same day.
or as soon thereafter ;iS may be, the As
sociate Justices of the Supreme Court OF
The United States now assigned to the
First. Third, Eighth and Ninth circuits
shall select in such manner as major
| ity of them shall deem tit. another Of the
| Associate Judges of said court. which
| five persons shall be members OF said
commission, on the part of the Supreme
Court. and the person longest in COM
mission of said five Justices shall be Pres
iJent of said commission. The members
of said commission shal respectively take
and subscribe the following oath:
.I,-. do solemnly swear or affirm,
as the case may be, that will impartial
ly examine and consider all questions
submitted to the commission of which [
am member, and Il true Judgment give
thereon according to the constitution and
laws. So help me God"
When the commission shall have been
thus organized it shall not be in the
power of either House TO dissolve the
same or to withdraw any Of its members,
but in case OF the death or physical disa-
bility of any of the members, the fact
shall be reported 10 the body TO whom
the member belonged, and the vacancy
shall be Immediately filled-in the case
of the Senate or house, by a riUG 0oce
vote. as in the first instance, and in the
case of IA Justice of the Supreme Court,
by the remaining members OF the justices
on the commission.
| When, therefore in the case OF states
s.l~ sf,c,, In
been received. all the returns from said
state shall have been opened. the Presi-
dent of the Senate shall call for Objec-
tons, and these, If there be any, shall bt
i'm writing, etc.. as prescribed i'm section
l. The returns, with the objections and
all the papers appertaining to the sub
| ject, shall be submitted TO the coDmis-
sion, which shall proceed to consider the
same with the same power now possess
ed tor that purpose by the two Houses
acting separately or together and by a
| majority of votes decide whether any
and what votes from such state are the
votes provided for by the constitution of
the United States, and how many and
what persons were duly appointed elect
ors in such state, and may therein take
! into view such petition. deposition and
other paper. if any, rs shall by the con-
stitutiOn and the now existing law be
competent and pertinent in such consid-
eratiOn which decision shalt be made in
! writing, stating briefly the ground
thereof. and signed by the members of
sail commission agreeing thereto
Whereupon The two Houses shall again
meet. and the decision shall be announced,
and the votes authorized by the commits
sion shall be counted, unless there shall
be objection thereto, made in writing,
and signed by at least four members OF
each House of Congress, and each House.
separately voting theron, shall concur in
a decision that the vote shall not be
thus counted; in which case the concur
rent order shall govern. At this stage of
the proceedings no votes or papers from
any other state shall be acted upon until
the objections previously made to the
votes or papers from any state shall have
been finally disposed of.
Section H. While the two Houses shall
be in meeting, as provided in this act, no
debate shall be allowed and no question
shall be put by the presiding officer. eX-
cept TO either house on Il motion TO With
draw. and he shall have power 10 pre-
serve order.
Section prescribes the limits of de-
! bate. Each member of the Senate or
House may speak once tor ten minutes 20
each objection either to an electoral re-
turn or the decision of the commission !;
but debate shall be closed by either
House after two hours. and the main
question then put without further de-
| bate.
Section 5 preScribes the arrangement
-.
their officers when the two bodies are IN
i0jnf aSSe1nhlv. a11 provfleS that SllcIl