The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1877-01-26
The Electoral Vote.
REPORT OF THE JOINT coMMrrrss.
WASHINGTON January 1S.

WASHINGTON January 1S.
In their report, submitted with the bill, the
commItce say they havc applied tho utmost
practicable study and deliberaton to the subject,
ard believe that tho bin reported is the best at
tainablc disposition of the difficult problems
and disputed theories arising out of the late
election They speak of the difficulty of reach
ing conclusion, and they dealt with abstract
question only save so far rs they necessarily
involves IN the legislation isoposed. The report
implie< that tcgtsattct maybe had on the sub
Sect in accordance With the constitution but the
committee think that the law proposed is incon-
sistcnt with few principles and theories the
Suh'ce-, The bill is only directed to ascertain
Hng, for the purpose and in aid of tho counting,
what are the constitutional votes of the rcspcc-
tive States; and whatever jurisdiction exists for
such purpose, tho bill only regulates the method
Of exercising il. For this the constitution gives
warrant, and therefore the law proposed is not
inconsistent with that instrument. The commit
tee regard 1t of far greater moment that the will
of the people should be legally carried out than
the question of who shall be president for pre-
sHrbed term They, therefore, enieayored to
frame u fair aul impartial measure. The lcgis-
laturc and The judiciary are represented in the
tribunal in equal proportions. The composition
OF the Judicial part of the commission looks to u
selection from different parts of the republic
WiSte IT is thought to be free from any prepon-
dcrnnce or supposable bias. aud the addition of
the necessary constituent parts OF the whole,
in order to obtain an uneven number of the COM
mission, is left to an agency farthest removed
from the prejudice Of any existing atainable
ono, it would be difficult IT, mot impossible the
committee think, to establish tribunal that could
be less the subject Of party criticism tban such
n The committee felt bound, by the highest
duty, to let bias Of party feeling stand in the
way Of just, equal and peaceful measure lu"
cxricating the question from the cmbarraSs-
mens that at present surround it. The com
rnittee conclude as follows:
'tn conclusion, we respectfully hes leave 10
lmprcsS upon congress the necessity of a specify
de- ermiN9tion upon this subject. 1t is imposs
bic to cso'nste the material loss the country da
ly sus'ains irottthc existing state Of uncertainty.
directly anu po">yfully tcnds,to unse'ttc and
iralyze bu'iness tGSe~tcn edbGo and private
orou 10 cFcaH apprei~ns,ni's n the minds Of
me people that 'isturb :he pea. rul tenor Of
thct ways and ma. rier hHppincs. Il does
far hr more. 1t tnds To bring republican in
siitutions irto discr! and to create dOuD., of
ihc success Of ouv form ~ government and T
the prosperity of he republic. All conSilcra-
MS of interest, II patriotism and of justice
""'e IN oonandng of the law making power q
measure TINT will bring peace and prospert, to
INC country. and show that our republican insti-
."'loiis are equal to any emergency. In this
connection We cannot refrain fro-n the expression
oi our satisfaction ;hat your committee compo-
sc' "t equal numbers of both parties. have for
tnnately been able to do what has been attcm cd
In VAIN neretoiore-almost unanimously agree
ur"" plan considered by them all 20 bc just,
wise ana elhclent. We accordingly recommend
inc proposed act to the patriotic and just judg-
mcnt of Congress.
The report is signed by George +. Edmonds
Frederick 1. Frelinghuyscu, Eoscoc Conkling
A. u. Thurman, 4. +. Bayardy NJ. w. Ransom
OF the senate Committees ~ b. Payne, Eppa
ilunon, VIM, NJ Springer, George W McCrary,
George F. IIoar, George Willard of the House
committee
y bill to provide for AMI regulate the count.
ing of votes for President and Vice President
and the decision of questions ari ing thereon
l"r the term commencing March i, a. b.
1877.
DE At enacted, &C., That the Senate and
louise Of Representatives shall meet in the hall
OF the house of representatives, at the hour Of
y. W., on the first Thursday in February, \. b.
1871 and tho president of the senate shall be
their presiding officer Two tcilers shall be pre-
viousy appointed on the part of the senate and
two on the part of the house Of representatives,
to whom shall be handed, as they are opened by
the president of the senate the certificates and
papers purporting to be certificates of the cleo
torai votes, whlct certificates and papers shall
be opened in the prcsrucc of the two houses,
and DC acted upon in the alphabetical order of
the states beginning with the letter \ and said
tcllers, having then read the same in the presence
and hearing Of the two houses, shall make n lis
VI 'hc NoicS 'S 'cy appear ifuu INC Sllu Ccftlil-
Gales AMI the votes having been ascCrtainCu and
counted rs in this act provided, the result Of the
same shall be delivered to the president of the
senate, who shall thcrcupOn announce the state OF
the vote and the names Of the persons, if any,
elected, which announcement shall be deemed u
sufficient declaration Of the persons elected pres
ident and vice president of the United States,
which, together with list of the votes shall be
recorded in the journal Of the two HOUSES
upou such reading Of any snsaD,kstihdMe pa,
per, when there shall be only one return from
objections, 1s"any qG tls sSSaat. sS9aiatt5 S5l lGaf
made in writing, and shall state clearly and CON
>jscly, and without argument, the ground there
vi, %nd shall be signed by ut least one senator and
one member of the house of Representatives be-
fore the same shall Lc received. When all oh
JectionS so made to any vote or paper from
state shall have been received and read, tho SEN
ate shall ihereupon withdraw. and such ohicc-
tions shall be submitted to the senate for its dc
csion, and tho speaker of the house of repre-
sUniativcs shall in like manner submit such Oh
Jectlons to the house Of representatives for its
decision, and no electoral vote or votes from anv
state from which one return has been received
Shall be rejected, except by the affirmative vote
of the two houses. When the two houses have
voted they shall Immediately again meet and
the presiding officer shall then announce the de-
cision of the question submitted.
SEC. y That if more than one return or pa-
per rurpOrtinS to be 4 return from Il state shall
have been received by the president Of the SEN
n'r r"rporting to bethe certificates of electoral
votes given at the last preceding election for
president and vice president in such state un-
less Llsy shall be duplicates of lhc!same rctsss-u
affeuch returns ann sl'tl'eTs olrhed by |
him in the presence of the two houses, when