Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1877-01-27
THE SENATE SWuNDLE.

Scuatt SOiiiiittSc las icaCHSu aS W tue
mode OF counting the electoral vote oe
correct, We have no hesitancy in pro-
nouncing il cheat aud mockery, and
totally insdmisable by the House con-
mit,ee, or the democratic party OF the
country. If properly stated it is in
substance as follows:
First That the Senate shall, on the
day for the counting of the vote Qhe
l4th Of February meet with .he House
in the hall Of the latter body. The
Vice. President sl.al open all certificates
aud the tellers appointed for the pur-
pose shall, as usual, read, record, aud
sum up the votes; but they are 10 count
in the first place only the returns TO
which no objection is made.
Second-When there IL one return
only from State, and that is objected
to, the two houses will determine
whether it shall be counted, but con-
currence of both houses will be rcquir.
ed TO reject any vote.
Thlrd-W Where two returns are made
from State the dispute is 10 be refer
red 10 commission or tribunal com.
posed of niue members of the House
and the Senate and the four Justices OF
the Supreme Court longest in the SER
vice. The nine members of the House
and the Senate are to be shci,G ly
the appointment Of live senators
and five representatives, and then
dropping one Of the ten by draw.
ing vi lots.
Now, as regards the frst-two prspo-
sitions there can be no particular objco.
ton. In fact, they may be- accepted by
the democrats as fair aud just. The
meeting of the two bodies in counting
the vote has occurred in the House
ever since 1909, and should occur there
again in 1877. The Vice President
only opens the ballots, and the vote
should be counted as heretofore by
the two houses. 1t is very well, too,
perhaps, TO count the uncontested
States first, 50 as to clear the way for
business, and We are willing to accept
the second proposition as correct; that
where there is only one return from q
State and objection is made by any
member to its reception, the vote OF
both houses should be- required to re-
ject. We will concede ali of this seem.
ing liberality. But what is il all worth,
aud how far will il contribute to sat
isfactory and honorable settlement Of
the matter when the third proposition
is the direct election Of Hayes and
Wheeler, and ali insult to tho friends OF
Tilden and Hendricks
First. 1t gives the Senate an equal
committee with the House, which is
tho larger body, and then sn equal
chauce TO draw the odd committee. ineu.
Second. II the Senate should fail in
winning this decided advantage, then
comes in four OF the oldest members of
the Supreme court, three OF whom are
the most thorough old radicals in the
country, on. Of them Justice Millcr),
having in advance, and very recently,
declared for Hayes
So that the whole proposition, from
top TO bottom, 10 simply a bare faced
Yankee trick of ''heads win, tails you
lose" not bearing even the semblance
OF disinterested partisanship, fair play
or good intentions. II 10 simply count.
ing Hayes and Wheeler 10 by the cast
OF one die and the partisan action Of
three radical judges whose opinions and
preferences are just as well established
and known now as those of Morton and
Chandler
Besides this, the proposition of itself
is without precedent, in violent conflict
with all the usages ofan hundred years,
and IN insult ard mockery Of the
express language Of the federal consti.
tuition under which We profess to act,
and which senators aud Representatives
are sworn to support There is no uss of
any committee OF both houses. There
is no use Of any tribunal of the supreme
court, whose membership should never
be mixed up with politics There 10 no
use of ''throwing die" or "dswing bal.
lots" or stalking chances" 10 elesiing .
President Of the United States. Great
heavens! what commentary upon the
degeneracy Of the times, and the "best
government the sun ever shone npon.
What burning commentary, too, 10 is
upon the senate Of the United Ststcs,
once esteemed by noble senator's more
to be envied than the Presidency itself,
but now the convenient den of compar.
alive ignorance, common black-legs,
political tricksters aud unblushipg
kuaves
When President and Vice President
fail TO be counted 10 by the two house,,
the constitution expressly prescriLes
how they shall be counted 10 by each
house seperstelr. II Is provided that
the tao houses shall separzte. and tkst
tho houses procsed ct oncs to sIsct
President by . vote Of States, and that
the senate shall proceed to sIsct Vice
President to preside over its own delib-
erations, Dot by sTArEs, - the houss l.
required 10 do, but by ordinary vos<sl
10 the face Of these plaio written pro |,
Visions of the constitution, and of uni
versal custom, the senate committ~s nov
propose 10 make the election Of Presi.
dent and Vice President mere qdes
lion to b decided by game Of ihiS,
card monte, to b played ky sscb e.;
perts and swiDdlsss - -Mgrtsn, cbas-
dler sud Grant l-Pusrsbvss. ~. .
Poet. 80. 9s'rF p.
There 6 10 bs1i.7 LIyIzESFiSsS,