The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-01-26

isS@. the compromise proposition is
imply his:
The Eois shall choose five Demo
'rars), the Senate Ave Or publicans);
four Judges OF the Supreme Court are
aided. not as iudse- but pariizans, two
being Democratsani two Republicans,
and these four choose a fifth. These
jfteeD viii constitute a commission to
settle q grave question.
THE ABsURDITY OFT.
They then take an oath 60 do the fair
thing. which, as it is political and not
"A judicial commission, means to rule in
favor of the party having the extra man
on the commission. The fourteen are
"f 30 consequence, the political com
plexion Of the fifteenth being known.
As well draw cuts to see which of the
Congressman or judges shall retire; or
the fourteen might as we'll get together
and flip a copper" for the chance To
decide without the fifteenth man. Il
would b. just as statesmanIike pro
cesding "a the one suggested, and a
more honorable compromise (admit,irg
such thing possible, than the method
proposed. A dexter Us ''flipp-r" may
turn up a head or tail nine times ia
succession and miss the tenth. But a
fifteenth member of political cornlnis
sion will decide wiFh his party every
time. The copp-r flipp-r, perfo ce,
ToHid leave ole chance in ten ia favor
ut his oppon. ut; the fifteenth man not
one ia q thousand
The whole thing is an outrage upon
tie people, and if permitted. the deci |
sion it reaches. though it may be ac-
quiescsd in, will ither merit or re |
ceive their confidence or respect know
ing. as they will, that the conclusion
reached is only the conclu- ion of po-
iitical majority.
The bill offered in the House by Mr..
Foster, of this District, has more merit
in it. We do not believe in comprOmi
ses involving q nations perpetuity or a
peoples prosperity; but, if there is 10
escape from compromise, give us that
which leaves the Constitution sound
and uuemasculated, but refers to the
Supreme Court, as Court. and not as
a polnic Al commission, questions of law
which may arise
Mr.. Fosters bill. if correctly reported
by correspondent of the Cincinnati
Commercial. comes nearer meeting the
emergency than any yet suggested. ex
cept the proposition to stick to the old
way. provides, say, the Commercial
that the President of the Senate shall. |
in the presence of the two houses. open
aud count the elrctor al votes, without |
restraint, or any kind of instruction |
or interference; that he shall declare |
the result, and that the two houses shall |
then at once go into separate Session.
and draw up exceptions to the vote of
any sta e, as they may agree; that they
shall certify these exceptions to the
Vice PresideI t, who shall III turn certi
fy them, with the certificates and 9th
er papers connected with the Electoral
vote, of the vote excepted, to the Su
preiHe Court. The right to except 10
rhe counting of vote is al>o CONCEDED
to any one OF the candidates; that the
Court shall at once consider the exc.p
tions, hearing counsel if they choose.
and slaII certify their finding to the
President of the Senate on or before
the Is of March; that the two houses
shall then again meet in joint conven
ton, and the Pr sideut of the Senate
shall correct his .o-mer declaration in
with the fin ing of the
Court. and announce the result aI d
certify tie election accordingly.