The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-01-26

$3.50 ~ HASio ~ VII UuI uOL IIOU
any fear Of civil war or menace of violence
I Such threats II made Ia a spirit Of empty
blus'er deserved nothing but contempt; II
serious they deserved indignant tcorn and
condemnation. lie believed the power oil
counting the electoral vote resided In both
houses of congress. The two houses we're
the tribunal which by the pending Til had
to execute this grave authority. II they
had that power by the constitution then il
was left undlsturbed. II 1t needed the fer
ces Of the law making power to confer ii
than this bill conferred it. He denied that
the bill was in any way or senfe a COM
promise and concluded by appealing to the
house to pass the bill.
Mr.. Hale opposed the bill and said the
proposition was based on profound funda-
mental errors. It struck a blow at the
electoral c llege, which stood as high In
the constitution ~ the presidency itself,
a1d shattered 1t "from turret to foundation
stone" 1t substituted for 1t the power of
congress which might at any time tbwait
the will of the people and render nugatory
Its deliberate and expressed judgment. lie
had listened to the illustrations Ingenious
ly framed In tho other end Of the capitol as
TO what might be the evils of a single man
deciding the presidential question, but this
commission virtually gave the power Of
deciding election 10 a justice OF the SD.
p'eme court, who would be selected by the
other four.
Al the end of Ha'e's speech Mr.. Hoar
pre'ented a dispatch which he had Just re-
ctived, stating that the Massachusetts
house endorsed the bill.
Mr. Hewitt of New York, favored the
bill as the only means of avoiding q strug-
gle which must ensue from differences GER
"a n to arise between the two houses in re-
gard to counting the vote. The bill, even
II not within the strict letter of the con,tl.
tn | n, was certainly within its spirit 1t
subs ituicd law a n 1 order for strife aud an
archy. 1t meant the supre icy Of civil
over military poTer. 1t meant the preser-
Walton Of the autonomy Of states. 1t
meant tie oblivion of all bitterness of the
pas ; security for the present, hope for
the future.
Mr.. Willis read a telegram from a New
York commit O. urg n the immediate pas-
sage of the bill a. it came from tie seLate.
Mr.. Monroe opposed the bill on conSti-
tut nj grounds. It deprived the VICE
president OF all power to ascertain and
decide the aAful eec'Orsl votes. He de-
WED that congress bad the right to give
away that power Of The vice-president to
any other body He btleved that the b II
conf cted with the most cheri sled conetilu-
Iioual theories. He should prefer to have
The electoral votes Counted ia the old wsy
and t'ust to the good sense, M deratiou
aud patriotism Of Congress a ID of tn. |
Country for a p acefl and satisfactory re-
suit, az tie close of Moproe's speech the
house took recess till 1880.
EVENING SESSION.
On the Resembling of the house, Mr..
Hooper occupied the spc iker's chair. The
galleries were crowded With spectators, the
atten lance of MEMBER being very small.
MIR. Cald vel of Tennessee was the first
speaker, AID a ivocatsd the bill. He de-
C ares himself ready ty his vote to commit
tie cause in which be believed to the ,ri-
burial provided for 10 the bill, assured that
through it The country would fud peace
and prosperity.
He was folio wed by Messrs. Stevenson
and Garfield of Illinois in support of the
bill.
Mr.. Springer also favored the bill, de-
caring the Inevitable result of failure TO
pass 1t would be that Tilden would be pro-
claimed president in one end of the C ,pitol
and Hayes in the other. This bill was an
appeal from the returning board of Louisi-
ana. II was bringing the case from the
lowest order of adjudication to the very
highest. He believed the decision of the
commission weuld be Impartial and just,
and would meet the approval of the Ameri-
can people.
Mr.. Lawrence of Ohio asked whether
the power of the commission was coLiaed
or le unframed ed.
Mr.. Springer replied it would have the
power belonging to both houses, and there
was appeal from its judgment to the two
houses, which were the final srbiters IN the
Gaze.
Mr.. Willard (Michigan) spoke In favor
of the bill and Smith (Pennsylvsnis) in OPP
position thereto, advocating the right of
the president Of the senate to count the
tie toral votes.
MIR. Garfield sail the bill hal some great
merits and woull d ubtless result in giving
the person declared elected u more undis-
puted tile than perba IS any other method
yet suggested. II he had to speak of the
bill only as n partisan, he should say he
vas not afraid Of its operali IN, believing
az he did that Hayes had been elected. Ii
would be unworthy of them for the sake
of agui ling pres' mt danger to incur greater
for those who come at or. Mr..
GAf,ld then pr ceeded to argue 10 support
uf The theory that ii was the right of the
president ot tie seua,e t. count and de-
lare the electoral v ties. As i Instr tive OF
his arguments he cited The fact that in thir.
lyon e ia es Of the Union opening and
publishing of v ties for & ,vernor is a mini
ttrial act and is put in the hands OF IN re
desigua'ed execn1vr officers, while in only
seven It It's the legIsl ture was tue canvas
ing and lie urDiug b, a d.
Mr.. Hoar remarked that Ia ell the orig
Inal lhirie-n states the two houses of the
legislature counted votes.
Mr.. Garfield ieplied that in tbs mqjoriy
of the original thirteen states the legisla-
ture elected lhs governor.
Al nna. Z IL not t.,o th.t l.: -