The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-01-19
REPUBLICAN PROGRAMME IN THE STATE
"a .H LEGiSLATJIRE

"a Ed LEGISLATURE.
On Friday the 18th inst, resolutions were
offered by Mr.. Lawrence (Rep.) on the po-
resolutions declare in effect that Congress
has no power to go back of the returns, but
that "the persons having the majority OF
votes of the electors appointed by the states
of the Union in the manner prescribed by
the legislatures thereof, must be, by force Of
Constitution and laws, declared President
and Vice President respectively, and must
be on the 4th of March inaugurated, al
there aiterward duly, respected as SUCH"
Thank you. That gives Tilden one vote in
Oregon, and elects him. These are the in
structions of the republicans in the Penn
sylvana Legislature to senators and rep
resentatives in Congress. But such was not
the intention of the trainers OF the resolutions
1t was simply to prevent If possible the de-
feat of Hayes, therefore the vote was taken
Immediately against the protest of the Dem
ocrats the Republicans fearing debate ON
the question. As an Offset the Democrats,
through Mr.. Ermentrout offered set OF
resolutions on the same subject. Both will
moderation and justice OF the Democratic
offer will speak Tor itself:
Mr. Lawreuces' resolutions which wer
adopted.
Whereas, AS the tranquility OF the country
has been disturbed and its business prosperity
imperled by the extraordinary difficulty o.
a-cert"ining in the nearly balanced vote
wnat has been the result Of the late election
tor the electors of Pres dent and Vice Presl.
| dent and
Whereas. To allay an excitement that may
enddnger the public peace and precipitatc
upon the people the calamities of civil war
from which they have been lately delivered,
it seems fit and proper that the Legislature
of the States whose prerogatives and vital
interests are involved in the issue should de-
clare and emphasize those principles en-
bodied in the national Constitution, by
which the decision of the pending question
can alone be safely and lawfully reached
| Rsjired, By the Senate, the House of
Representatives concurrng, that the will of
the people in electing Pres d ,nt and Vice
President of tht United States can only be
expressed in the n amer prescribed by the
Constitution, aud the persons having the ma
| jority of votes of the electors appointed by
the States Of the Union in the manner pre-
scribed 10y the Legislatures thereof must be
by force Of the Constitution and laws, de-
clared President and Vice President respect
lively, and must be on the 4th of March, in
augurated ,and thereafterward duly respected
as such.
Second. That all factious opposition and
all threats of violence designated or intended
to prevent or imperil the declaration and
confirmation of the constitutional election
of the President and Vice President are un-
patriotic in spirit, dangerous and revolution
ary in tendency, and merit and should re-
ceive the condemnation of an outraged and
indignant people.
Third. That the lists which the duly ap-
pointed electors of the States respectively
required by the Constitution of the United
States to make Of the persons who vote for
President and Vice President. and the num-
ber of votes for each, and which are to he by
the electors certified and transmitted by them
sealed, to the President of the Senate, and
which certificates are to be opened by him
in the presence of the two houses of Congress
and counted, are the constitutional evidence
of the votes cast for President and Vice
President.
Fourth. That under the Constitution the
persons having the majority of all the votes
actually cast by the duly appointed electors
of the States respectively, are by force oI
the Constitution and laws the President and
Vice President from and after the beginning
of their term of office, and any attempt Il
defeat the election of President or of {
Vice President by either House of Congress
upon the pretext that certain persons duI!
certified to be electors of any State were no
such electors, or by throwing out or refusin,
to count the legally certified votes of an,
State, or by impeding the counting of til
electoral vote to ascertain the result, or 70
: any other cause than that provided for il
the Constitution, when no person has ma
jority of the votes of the electors duly al
pointed, will be proceeding fraught wit
: danger to the public peace, perilous to tn
stability OF our government, and exposin
: our nation to contempt in the general opir
ion of mankind.
), Resolved, That our Senators in Congress /
instructed and our Representatives requisite
: to let their-action on this question conforI
y to the spirit Of this declaration.
Resoluecs That the Governor be requeste
to have q copy of this preamble and resC
'e lutons forwarded to each of our Senate
and Representa- yes in Congress as early
> convenient.
Mr.. Ermentrout's resolutions.
- Whereas, The continued depression
business and paralysis of hard times in Il
y land are largely due to the unsettled state
:, the questions growing out of the rece
= Presidential election
i Whereas, 1t is the plain duty of eve
a good patriot, untrammeled by party, to u
N his best and most conscientious efforts
at bring about some fair, peaceable, loyal al
constitutional adjustment of the difficult
"a declaring that free, full and peaceable ele
= ton is the cornerstone Oft the Republic tn
=, accession to the Presidency by any candi
"A ate by force or fraud, for either is usurpatic
I'd which, if acquiesced in by the popular jud
a. ment, will be the death knell Of hone
a. government and American liberty and Il
a. fruitful parent of anarchy, bringing in
ga train destruction to the commerce, trade a
30 credit of the nation and to the prosperi
Ia and happiness of the people, declari
!. further that no just decision can
:, rendered as to matter of fact without f.
no disclosure and proof of the circumstanc
s attending the election in the respective Sta