The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-01-27
TELEGRAPH
Forty-F Fourth Congress
HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 90.

the punsT VI tuS piCsiuShN NV oSH"'S "
count the electoral votes, and quoted pre-
cedents. The present bill did not, as the
man from Ohio (Garfeld) had said. destroy
the electoral college. On tho contrary, 1t
provided that the action of the commission
might be reviewed by either house. There
was no surrender of the power Of either
house, 80 far as the report of the commit
tee was concerned.
Mr.. Hartrldge of Georgia said ho had
sternly investigated in his W mind before
coming to a conclusion, and he was con-
scientious when he declared he believed
the bill was perfectly constitutional, He
felt sure the tribunal would be governed
by fairness, by law, by patriotism and by
the constitution. The proposition that the
vice president could count the votes was
utterly absurd but the doctrine held by
many OF his own party that the house could
cast out the vote of any state was opposed
by the s~trictest constructionist5 of the con-
stitution who held to the doctrine set forth
by the bill that it required concurrent ac-
tion to reject a vote. He did not apple
bend war. lie knew the American people
In their great heart were too much wrap
ped up In constitutional liberty to have
arms clashing over a constitutional ques-
ton.
Mr.. FELTON, of Georgia followed in favor
of the bill.
Mr.. Mills of Texas opposed the bill. The
constitution and law had been sufficient to
carry on the country tor 100 years, and
they were still sufficient. There were some
good things in the bill. 1t would be de-
plorable If they were not. 1t s'lenced the
pretense tina. the president of the senate
had power to count the votes. No vote
could be counted until it received the con-
currence of both houses.
AT the expiration OF Mr.. Mills time the
point of order was raised that he could not
speak more than ten minutes, according to
the agreement made yesterday, but, after
some discussion, his time was extended to
one hour, and 4 o'clock was fixed as the
time for calling the previous question.
Mr.. Mills said the doctrine that it took
the concurrence of both houses to count
the votes meant that one body could decide
who had been elected president, and such
a course would be revolutionary. He was
| opposed to the bill because it was uncon-
s%titutional, and because it provided for an
alliance between the legislative and judicial
departments. That alliance, whenever ii
took place, was an absolute prostration OF
all civil liberty. Those departments must
have their independence of each other, Oh
civil liberty would perish.
MIR. Lamar of Mississippi said he under
stood the opponents of the bill opposed ii
on the ground that it involved a delegation
of power which the constitution left In the
two houses. The fallacy Of this was, in
the assumption tina. the power claimed
either on one hand for both houses or en-
the other for the vice-president to count the
vote. was q legislative act by legislative
body. 1t was no such thing. A legiela,
tive body could do no act without having
the president approve that action. 1t wal
not alegislative body in the contemplation
of the constitution. 1t was an organized
body, clothed with a single function. That
was either to count the votes, as the demo
Gratis contemplated, or to witness the coun'
as the republicans held therefore the bill
was o a delegation of legislative author
ity. In his opinion the bill was in har
mony with the genius of the constitution,
If 1t did not pass the rcxt president woult
have to be inaugurated by a method which
was exclusively advocated and pressed BY
n party alone. There would have to b.
either submission or resistance by the PEG
pie. There was no use in trying to blinl
the question. The man who said he de
spised a menace of civil war was a maj
who overlooked one of the most importan
factors 10 all governments; that it was tn,
content, satisfaction and repose of society
for which he had legislated, and had got Il
learn the very first lesson in the elemen ar!
book Of practical Legislation.
At this point the legislative session o
yesterday closed with a formal adjourn
ment, and Immediately thereupon the hous
was called to order, and to-day's legislativ
session was opened with prayer by tn
chaplain. The reading of the journal @
yesterday was postponed.
Tho aNanEar annn,,1ooI tho fO1INuip
select committee on the use of troops /
the presidential election: Wood Of Ne'
York, Goode of Virginia, Southland of Ohio
Throckmorton of Texas, Caldwell of Ala
bama, Smith of Georgia, Harrison of Ill
nois, Kasson of Iowa, Foster of Ohio
Eames of Rhode Island, and Page OF Cal
fornia.
Mr.. Lamar then resumed his speech i
support of the bill. He said that the bi
eliminated the sword from controversy an
sent it to a tribunal whose character qua
anteed justice, right and truth.
Mr.. Mills then continued, declaring this
the supreme court was in great dangt
when it wa called upon to decide upon p
litical aud partisan questions. 1t woul
condemn that court before the people, an
without moral power the Judicial pow
was a skeleton.
Mr.. Baker could not see the necessity
creating a commission outside of the col
: stitution and foreign to the institutions
! the government neither did he think
was constitutional for congress to delegs
:, its power. He criticised the bill for e.
9 Guiding from the commission the chief ju
5 tice, declaring it was an odious and upju
Z reflection on u wise magistrate.
/ Mr. Watterson of kentucky said 1t mig
q q not be true that the country stood on Il
brink of civil war, but 1t was true tn