Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-01-27

President. | believe the President 0
the Senate, under the Constitution
acts only in a ministerial capacity
and when he, in the presence 0
Z the Senate and House ef Repre-
sentatives, opens the certificates,
the two houses of Congress have
the right to count the votes of tn,
electors and decide all questions tha
may arse connected with the count
and then by the direction and consent
of the two Houses the President ot
the Senate declares the result. Th9
counting of the votes by the President
of the Senate when Washington was
first elected was in pursuance of an
order of the Senate and by the consent
of the House. Atevery election since.
numbering, | believe, twenty-one, the
two Houses have concurrently exer-
clsed equal power over the count. in-
cluding, also, the place of meeting, the
order OF proceeding, and the mode of
declaring the result. [ know Of no
instance in the history of our Govern
ment IN which return has been
counted against the objection of either
! House. Whenever a question has
| been made as to the vote of any State.
and such questions have arisen twen-
| ty-one times, the two Houses have
separated and each decided the aues-
ton for itself, and the President of
the Senate has never been permitted,
without the order or consent of both
Houses OF Congress, to perform any
! act connected with the count, except
the mere manual set of cutting the pa
per and opening the packages. One
OF the greatest dangers to be appre-
hended, 10 my opinion, is
DELAY CAUSED BY DISCUSSION
of the rules for the government of the
joint session, and debate upon great
and important questions connected
with the election. which may occupy
the entire time from the first meeting
of the two houses in joint session on
the l4th of February to the 4th of
March, and trust that all Congress
men will guard against this great dan
ger, and give to the country the legal
and constitutional result before the
4th of March.
In the crisis through which we are
passing, l believe the
DUTY OF KENTUCKIANs
is clear and plain. The sole moving
consideration with every citizen should
be the peace and welfare of our coun-
try, and the maintenance of all the
rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
We should witha an earnestness prompt
ed by the highest veneration for JUS
tlce and free government protest against
the sending of United States soldiers
into the States of South Carolina. |
Florida and Louisiana, in time of pro- |
found peace, where elections were be- |
ing held. We should protest against |
the occupation of the capitols Of those !
States by the United States army at |
the time the election returns were be- |
ing canvassed and counted, and when |
their Legislatures were assembling, as /
being unwarranted by the Constitution |
of the United States. subversive of the
rightful subordination of the military /
to the civil power, and destructive of |
the highest rights of freemen. Usur-
patton of power usually commences SO
gradually as to be almost impercepti-
BILE, but, unchecked, it will soon be.
come open and bold, and ready to
trample down every barrier. If the
scenes lately enacted in the South pass
unnoticed and unrebuked they may
soon be repeated in other States, and
bayonets may glisten in the rotunda
of the Federal capitol as they have
recently around the statue of Wash
ington in the State house of South
Carolina, and the country be forcibly
reminded of the days of Cromwell in
England and Napoleon in France,
when Parliaments and Assemblies
were broken and dissolved by the
edicts of rulers, and power was hedged
and protected by bayonets and battle
implements. Applause.
We should also protest against the
use of any means for the settlement of
the presidential controversy other than
the forms prescribed by the Constitu-
ton and lay and esta blished prece-
dents. and haging committed this grave
question to our Senators and Repre-
now assembled, and having
full confidence in their courage. ca
pacity and integrity, We should support
them in every legal and constitutional
step they may take. During their de-
liberations we should do no rash act. |
We should be cool and calm and care
ful, but at the same time firm and true.
Ever willing to sacrifice on the altar
Of patriotism all personal iaterest and
ambition that may conflict with duty,
and ever ready to act with our North
srn brethren, and aid that portion of
The people of the United States which
We believe is struggling for public JUS
ice and the enforcement of the Con
and the law. Applause.
| haua foIfh INV oountru,oon 4hnt
TRUTH AND JUSTICE, LIBERTY AND
LAW
will triumph in the end. Truth and !
ustice were decreed by God. Liberty !
vas wrenched from tyrants by the he
'Oic efforts of the people, and together 6
With law has given happiness to our !
citizens and strength to our republic
or hundred years. [ cannot believe
hat Republicans or Democrats will 9
low willingly relinquish these crown J
ewels that have so long glittered and t
in our national diadem. To '
ollow them is to walk in the path of
luty and safety that will lead us to
)eace and harmony, constitutional I
lnion and national prosperity. To de-
~ them is to fill the future with the 9
NACCh VI a OHCC a
As citizen Of this Commonwealth. >
nd your honored executive, | earn 2
stly hope that the Great Ruler of ma :
ions and individuals will vouchsafe !
o us all peaceful and honorable set 3
lement of the questions now agitating I
'ur country; but in any emergency q
hat may occur | shall always endeavor !;
o so discharge my whole duty that the )
,roud name and record of Kentucky =
hall remain unsullied Applause and .
n this | believe | will be sustained :
nd encouraged by nearly million !
nd half of brave, liberty-loying and /
)onstitution-supporting Kentuckians. '
$
GEN. LONGSTREET. I