New-York tribune., 1877-01-03

| this emergency shalt be counted "a they have awav,
been counted by the two houses Of Congress and by no
purposes OF any who would propose 10 depart from
the Dfecedents which have been hallOwed by time and
me uniform practice Of the republic from ~ foundation
The Constitution Of the United states confcr- mon ths
President OF The Senate no power whatever IN respect 10
encc OF tue Senate aud House Of RepFcso na;yes, 10
"Open" all the certificates whcn may TRANSMIT ted
by the colleges to the seat Of government directed 10
him.
The Constitution confcrs upon the President o, IN.
senate no power to determine the authenticity and va
hdy OF an electoral vote. or to interfere in any wise
No Pr .deut Of the senate has ever caiuod or oKer
cised snch power at any oi the n Pn-dcntiL
elections That have 0rcurred under Constitution
The mode of procedure Tor the counting OF electoral
votes has been invariably regulated by the i10 hg.rs ~
Congress, by concurrent resolution or .t,nduy ,i
adopted before the count. Those resolutions or u.s
nave prescribed every step In the whole prOccss every
function Of the teers and % the President O the Senate
whenever any additional service oven OF the Jn,,sss
formal sort, has been required Of bin.
In every n:tance the counting has been conducted in
conformity win the procedure thus prescribed by tbe
two houses rs servants designated by tbr tWo bn.cs
under instructions and in the presence VI tho two bouse
and with the entire concurrence and the impclt IIi
% every President Of tine Senate who mas nattc
patcd IN these ceremonies.
20 often any Question has arisen a. 10 the anthem
ciiy or validity OF an electoral VOTE the Two houses
nave aS7ahtd ahd exercised The exclusive power 10 act
upon and determine tIat question They have IN CON
temptation Of law, themselves made every count: they
have from the first assumed exciusiyc ur di''n ~
regulate and govern ti,c whole transaction Bv f,uuV -
concurrent ordcrs adopted tor the occasion by stanrs
joint rules ANA ~ the cnac, laws such has been
the uniform and uninterrupted course ~ precedeni. tho
invaraDie practice Of the Government and .o official
exposition Of the Constitution which has been delhi.
cracly adopted invariably acted upOn and universally
accepted.
No filter repository of all such powers rs are vested IN
or must OF necessity be exercised by the Government
can be- found than the two houses VI Congress fhcy are
only the agents of the people under our rep-
res atyG system, bu m of the failure OF choice
OF President and Vice President by the electoral colleges
they expressly charged by the Constitution vita the
duty of making the election.
The people Of the United states VIII never consent 70
have their Represeniayes In Congress gtrippd ~ tbee
Las "A q
Senate. OF by any single person. aud 5tl less by an O
who s frcqu nty interested a candidate IN the
resull Of the count.
IL this sentiment and purpose the State ~ Ncw-Y0rk
cordially cOncurs. Foremost among AL our American
mmOuwcaits in population, III the variety extent
of industries and interests she has IN every yri,s.
tude " public affairs put forth all her strength moral
and p Steal, to maintain the existence just au.
thOrtts OF the Union and she consent tnat te
timc-rOnsccrited methods Of constitutional government
sha be suppldnted Oyerthrown b. revolutionary ex.
pcdlcnts. l.. ROBINSON.