The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-02-03
The Presidents Message.

TO exercise a right which had merely
lain dormant.
The Presidents Message.
The president promptly signed the
electoral compromise bill, and returned
ii to the Senate with the following mos
sage:
10 the Senate ofthe Jaied .S{otcS.
follow the example heretofore occa-
sionally presented of communicating in
this mode my approval of the act to pro-
vide for and regulate the counting of
the votes for President and Nice-Prcsi-
dent and the decision of the questions
arising thereon, because of my apprc-
citation of the imminent peril to the i'll
situations of the country, from which in
my Judgment the act affords a wise and
constitutional means of escape. For the
first time in the history Of our country.
under the constitution as 1t now is, Il
dispute exists with regard TO the result
of the election of the chief magistrate of
the nation. 1t is understood that upon
the disposition of the dispute touching
the electoral votes cast at the late cicc-
ton by one or more of the states. de-
ponds the question whether one or the
other of the candidates for the presi-
dency is the lawful chief magistrate.
The importance of having clearly ascer-
tanned by Il procedure regulated by law,
which of the two citizens have been
elected, and of having his right TO his
high. office recognized and chccrf,lly
agreed in by all the people Of this Re
public, cannot be oyerestimatcd. and
leads me to express to Congress and to
the nation my great satisfaction at the
adoption of the measure that affords an
orderly means of the decision of the
gravely exciting question. While the
history of our country in its earlier
periods, shows that the president of the
senate has counted the votes and de-
clared their standing. our whole history
shows that in no instance of doubt or
dispute has he received the power of
deciding, and that the two houses. of
Congress have disposed OF all such
doubts and disputes, although In no in
stance hitherto have they been such that
their decision could essentially have eff
fected tho result. For the first time.
then. the government Of the United
States is now brought 10 meet the ques-
ton as ono vital TO the result. and this
under conditions not best calculated to
produce agreement or cain feeling in
the several branches of the government
or among the people of the country.
In case where, as now, the result is
involved, it is the highest duty of the
law-maLing power to provide in adj
vance constitutional, orderly and Just
method of executing the constitution in
this most interesting and critical of its
provisions. The doing so, far from be-
ing q compromise of right. is the en-
forcement Of right and the executive
powers conferred by the constitution on
Congress, ! think that this orderly
method has been secured by the. bill
which appealing to the constitution and
law as guide in asccrtaning the rights
provides the means of deciding the
question of single returns, through the
direct action of Congress, and in respect
to the dopble returns, by the tribunal of
inquiry whose decisions stand unless
both houses of Congress shall concur in
determining otherwise. thus securing Il
definite disposition of all questions of
dispute IN whatever aspect they NAV
arise. With or without this law. as all
Of the states have voted and rs tie vote
is impossible, it must be that one of the
two candidates has been elected and il
would be deplorable to witness an IT.
regular controversy as to which of the
two should receive or which should
continue to hold Office. In all history
controversies have arisen as to the sue
cession of choice of chiefs of states. and
no party or citizen loving their country
and its free institutions can sacrifice too
much of mere feeling IN preserving
through an upright course Of law their
country from the smallest danger to its
peace on such occasions; and it cannot
be impressed too firmly on the hearts of
all the people that true liberty and real
progress can exist only through cheer
full adherence TO constitutional law. The
bill purports to provide only for the set
Element of questions arising from the
recent elections. The fact that such
questions can arise demonstrates the
which cannot doubt will be-
fore long be supplied, of permanent
general legislation to meet eases which
have not been contemplated in the con-
or tho laws of the country
The bill may not be perfect In its pro.
visions. may not be such as would be
applicable 20 all future occasions, but II !
is calculated to meet the present condi- |
ton of questions and of the country. The
is agitated; it needs aid il de-
serves peace and quiet and harmony be-
tween all parties and all sections; its
industries are arrested, labor unem-
pioyed, capital idle, and enterprise par
alyzed by reason of the doubt and anX- |
II