The New York herald., 1877-01-24
on his assE beside ir.srsn. cup OF tea ~ero hardly


to have any power whatever in regard electoral
vo,c except 10 open tho certificates argument
that OF great lawyer as vel as OF q statesman.
II was full OF Information His statements were
exact, his language sparkling with cpigram.
his abundant illustrations pertinent ana
luminous. and no demolished FIRST the front and then
tho tanks Of the fortress which the opponents OF
tho bill had ntrenched themselves until nothing was
ien, and whom ths-Senaie broke up every body felt
that the question: Al least fully aud finally settled
beyond the necessity possibility OF further srgu
menI
Many passages In the speech very striking, and
struck homo indeed Alluding the language Of tho
constitution which says that 'tho President Of the
Senate shall open the electoral certificates and they
shall then DO counted, he turned aside, and, with ono
hand outsretched 70 tho Senator's the other stretched
toward the Presidents chair. exclaimed, "By
hmI" in tone which set the galleries auttering.
..If Il had been intended that the vote should be
counted by him, those two little woris said he. 'as
two Senators have said before me, would have
pressed that intention" !"
Mr. Morton had, unuckily for n!msef asserted that
tho Vice President must only count, but he must
count all the votes, good, bad or Indifferent
"Is President, then, to DO chosen" asked Mr.
Conkling. "by counting forged votes; votes for
condemned 70 lasting disgrace and inability by the
Senate ON impeachment; votes for o dead man? Was
IL intended by those who framed the constitution that
votes for dead man should nll with an aching void
the Presidential Office To count my Hngcrs," he
said. 'rhat Is q purely ministerial Office; to
count q pile Of paper is the same; to
count bank notes. among which may be counterfets,
and sort the from tho false, that requires tho
exercise Of judgment If New York should send here
forty.Ave electoral votes they would be counted;
thcy would have to be sorted.
He showed the puerilty Of the argument that II the
houses to scrutnize tho vote tho action OF
house might bring the country to ruin, saying that
ono house might ruin tho country by refusing
appropriations and In multitude OF other ways which
he rectod. "Govcrnment," said ne, "rcsts on the
consent OF the governed. Is majority Of Congress
less to bc trusted than man? bare majority OF
this House might select presiding officer for tho
creature OF hour OF moro force or
Trustworthy than the wisdom OF the two houses3
OPINION rnE ELECTION.
The audience caught eagerly at any words which
seemed by implication reveal Mr.. Conklings opinions
on the merits Of the Presidential question: and there
was some sensation among tho republicans when. al
ludna to former Senator, Howard, he spoke of him
as who, nkc himself, believed in tho glorious
achievements and the glorious destiny of tho repub
can party.
He had not finished when he sat down; indeed he
had touched but Of several points which he meant
TO cover and the remainder Of his speech will bo hoard
tomorrow, the Senate meeting at eleven But what
he said this afternoon had q great effect upon his
listeners
PROSPECTS, or the BILL
II IL believed that the bill will pass the senate by
threc-foarths VOTE Mr. Edmunds gavo notice that no
would insist upon q vote tomorrow. The opponents
of the bill discouraged, but very bitter. and they
ore preparing to concentrate their efforts upon the
House
It is not true that Senator Gordon intends to vote
against tho bill He does not like entirely but no
will vote for It as the best attainable and
necessary to the welfare Of the country.
DEBATE ON THE ELECTORAL BILL.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Jan. %, 1877.
Tho Senate to-day resumed consideration Of she bill
reported by select committee In regard TO counting
the electoral vote.
SPEECH OF SHERMAN.
Mr.. SIBERIAN said when the committee was ap.
pointed by both houses Of Congress take into con-
sdcration tho the vote he expected
a matter OF course that in the committee
agreed he would be ablo for their bill He had
the highest respect for the members OF the committee
and It painful thing for him dissent the
views Of gentlemen whom he esteemed highly, but
after the brief examination no had gwen
the bill he felt IL to be his duty 10
vote against It, In dissenting from tho views and
crisicsing she work Of the committee he desired at
the outset to express for tho motives and work Of tho
committee his sincere respect The bill before the
Senate was designed to settle q now made up. 1t
bill to make court to decide a.case already
mado up. No avors this bill permanent icgis-
laton. Ho argued that there wero provisions the
bill totally incompatible with the constitution OF tho
United States. Such law as this would be evil
example aud Senators should carefully examine SEQ
II could be supported by tho constitution. Tho only
persons who authorized by the constitution to
witness the count OF tho electoral the Pros
ident OF the Senate the Senate and House Rep
resentativcs
QUESTIONS IN CONNECTION WITH THE VOTE.
Up to this timo tho four questions discussed in
nection with the counting OF the electoral vote
were:-
First-Shall tho President OF the Senate count tho
vote?
Second-Can either house admit exclude vote
TAird-Cau both houses, concurring do so?
FoarM--Can the Vice-President decide n tho two
houses disagree,
PROPOSITIONS or THE BILL.
This bill presented other questions which wcrc OF
more grave and serious character, Tho commit co