Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-01-31

TWO Houses, tne Nlcc-ffeslucnt nau inc 1lBnt 70
count the electoral votes Therefore as no rem
edy was provided for the probable impending dis
agreement, and az this measure had been framed
by so able committee Of both Houses, and as
no other measure for the settlement OF
the difficulty could now be expected he felt con-
strained to give 1t his vote.
The bill was further opposed by Senators Nor
ton, Dawes and Blaine, on constitutional grounds,
and supported by Senators Thurman, Bayard,
and Stevenson and little after sun
rise Thursday morning-passed by the follow
ing vote:
Teas-Messrs. Alcorn of Mississippi Allison Of Indiana,
Barnum of Connecticut Bayard OF Delaware, Bogy Of
Missouri Booth OF California boutwell, Of Massachusetts
Burnside OF Rhode Island, Chaee Of Colorado Chrsl-
tiancy Of Michigan Cockre Of Missouri Conkng OF New
York, Cooper Of Tennessee, Cragn OF New Hampshire
Davis of West Virginia. Dawes Of Massachusetts Dennis
of Maryland Edmunds of Vermont, Frenghuysen Of New
Jersey Goldhwalte Of Alabama Gordon Of Georgia. Howe
OF Wisconsin, Johnston OF Virginia Jones Of Florida Jones
Of Nevada Kelly Of oregon Herman Of New York MeCreey
Of Kentucky McDonaldo of Indiana, Mcmillan OF Minnesota
Maxey of Texas, Merrimon OF North Carolina Morrill, Of
Vermont, Price OF West Virginia, Randolph Of Sew Jer
sey Ransom Of North Carolina Robertson Of South Caro-
lima Salisbury Of Delaware sharon OF Nevada, Steven
son of Kentucky, Teller OF Colorado, Thurman Of Ohio,
Wallace Of Pennsylvania whye of Maryland, Window Of
Minnesota, Whers Of Virginia, and Wright OF Iowa
forty-seven.
Ndys-Messrs. Blaine Of Maine Bruce Of Mississippi
Cameron of Pennsylvania Cameron of Wisconsin, Clayton
Of Arkansas Conover OF Florida Dorsey Of Arkansas Eaton
Of Connecticut Hamilton OF Texas amlin Of Maine In
gals of Kansas, Mitchell of Oregon Morton Of Indiana,
Patterson OF South Carolina Sargent Of California Sher
man Of Ohio, and West of Lousana-seventeen
Absent, not roting-Messs Anthony of Rhode Island,
Ferry of Michigan. Harvey Of Kansas Hitchcock of Ne
baska, Logan Of Illinois, Norwood Of Georgia, Ogesby Of
Illinois. Paddock of Nebraska, Spencer of Alabama and
wadlegh of New Iiampshreten seat from Louisiana
and one from Tennessee being vacant.
Peds-tweny Republicans and twenty democrats.
Ndys-Sixteen Republicans and democrat (Eaton)
Nays-Three from New Observation-Disclosures, Hamlin and
Eatoni seven from other Northern Sates-Cameron Of
Pennsylvania, Cameron Of Wisconsin, ingalls, Of Kansas
Mitchell Of Oregon Morton Of Indiana Sargent of Calfor
mia, and sherman of Ohio; from the southBruce
of Mississippi Clayton of Arkansas Conover Of Florida
Dorsey OF Arkansas Hamilton OF Texas Patterson Of
Carolina, and West of Louisiana.
In the House, the session was spent in politi-
cal debate over resolution of Mr. Wood, of New
York, to " investigate" the President in regard
to sending troops into the Southern states-whch
was adopted one hundred and thirty-four to
seventy-fve.
THURSDAY, January 18th.
The interest in the electoral bill was to-day
tlduSltIltu lTOIl lilt NtDite 10 the House. MT.
Hoar, of Massachusetts,, made an able argument
in its support. He deemed it incredible that the
trainers of the constitution or the people who ac-
cepted 1t ever meant or could mean to entrust the
power of deciding these vast questions to the
President of the Senate, subject to no control Of
the two Houses of Congress or of the aw-making
powers First, they were a generation Of men
that dreaded above all other things the usurpa-
ton of executive power. Second, they expected
that the President of the Senate would ordinarily
be one Of the candidates whose claim to the office
was to be decided They provided that two per-
sons should be voted for for President, OF whom
that one having the second highest number of
votes was to become Vice President and President
OF the Senate The President of the Senate,
therefore, must within four years have been a
leading candidate forthe Presidency of the United
States. Their habit of continuing the same per-
sons in public station doubtless led them to an
ticipate that he would be leading candidate for
the succession, as had happened when Adams sue
ceeded Washington, when jefferson succeeded
Adams, when Van Buren, succeeded Jackson and
in many cases of unsuccessful competition. =
The two houses of Congress are the tribunal
which, according TO this bill, is to execute this
grave authority If they have it by the consttu-
ton, it is left undisturbed If it needs the forces
of the iaw-making power to confer it, this bill
confers it, The only case when any other aid
comes in is when the two members of which the
final tribunal is composed differ in their judy
ment. Certainly it is within the aw-making
power to provide what shall happen when the
members of constitutional tribunal composed of
Some gentlemen have spoken of this AS a
compromise bill. There is not a drop of com
promise in it. do not mean that, after it was
found that the principle Of securing an able and
impartial tribunal conformed to the opinions and
desires of all the committee, there was not some
yielding OF individual views to detail but how
can that man be said to compromise who having
just and righteous claim asserts it, maintain.
it, eniorces it by argument and proof, yields NJ
jot or title of it before tribunal so constituted
as to insure its decision in accordance with ustc,
and righteousness, far as the lot Of humanity
will admit? But tits charged that this com
mission is in the end to be made up of seven mel
who of course will decide for one party and sever
men who, OF course, will decide for the other
and who must call in an umpire by lot, and there
fore you in substance aud effect to put the de
cision of this whole matter upon chance. If thii
| be true, never was fact so humiliating to tn,
republican Congress since it was inaugurated
| OF the members of our national assembly, wises
and best, selected for the gravest judicial dut,
ever imposed upon man, under the constraint o
this solemn oath, can there be found in all th
Sodom not ten, not one, to obey any other man
date but that of party? The act which W,
are about to do will, in my Judgment, be o
the very greatest in human history. our anna
have been crowded with great achievements il
war, in peace and arts, in literature, in com
merce. Other countries, other republics, hav
equaed us in those particulars, but in this grea
act we shall stand without a rival and without al
example. For thousand years. our children
with tears of joy and pride will read that Will
in the fierce strife for executive power the sun o
other republics after short but brilliant day
has gone down in darkness and blood in thei
own country, too, the same great peril has arisen
that their sky has been darkened by the sam
cloud, that their ship with its costly freight o
love and hope encountered the same storm an,
was driven near the same rocks, but that in tn
midst of storm and darkness and conflict tn
august and awful figure of law rose over the fac
of the waters, uttering its divine controlling man
date, Peace be still" Enthusiastic applaus
on the floor and in the galeries).
The bill was also advocated by Messrs Nc
Crazy of Indiana lunton and Goode of Virginia
Springer of Illinois, Willard of Michigan, am
Hewitt of New York. Mr.. Hewitt said: Ate
the election, he had believed Tilden and Hen
bricks elected, and nothing had occurred sine
that time which could otherwise than strengthe
that conviction. He had been asked why, hold
ing that opinion he should agree to depart fror
the ancient way in which twenty-five President
had been declared elected, which, il it had bee
adhered to- would have resulted in the Inaugural
ton of the democratic candidates. The main OF
position which the democratic party had TO NEE
was the influence of the administration. Ate
the defeat of the Republican party in November
1t still remained intact and claimed the election
OF its candidate and attempted to strengthen tina
claim by returning boards and military interior
ence and by declaring that the Nice-Presden
had right to count the votes. The scheme wa
then completed for counting 'rilden out and laye
in He was confident that the project would b
executed to the bitter end. The President of tn
Senate would count the votes and declare the re
suit and the President OF the United States wou
deliver up his office TO the person declared =
elected and by the use of troops he would b
duly inaugurated. OF course, the House wou
not be silent and passive spectators Of that pro
gramme and would insist its constitutions
right to participate In the count, and would coun