The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1877-01-27
THE ELECTORAL BILL.

The ELECIORAL BILL.
The American people admire cour-
age, or what is POPULAR Y called "pluck."
1t is their boosted national characteris-
tie not confined to localities or limited to
parties. But while Democrats, neither
individually or in the aggregate, can
truthfully claim a larger share of this
desirable quality, yet it really seems as
if the disposition of prominent Rcpub-
|ican leaders to yield to popular clamor,
displays the fact that they have not the
courage Of their own solemn convic-
tons Take Mr. Conkling for instance
in the admissions contained in his speech
on Wednesday in advocacy of the pass
are of the Electoral Compromise B;ll
He said that he was thoroughly con
WINGED that Rutherford Il. HAYES had
been fairly and legally elected Pres-
dent of the United States: that he was
patriot and a noble gentleman, but
that there should be no doubt about the
title by virtue Of which he went into
Office. Now if Gov Hayes majority Of
one electoral vote be, as Mr. Conkling
thinks, legally and regularly declared
majority, how can the doubt he deprI-
Gates he cast upon it bv the official or
ministerial act Of counting the electoral
votes. whether that function be eXer-
csed by the Office to whom it constitu
tionallv belongs the President of the
Senate,-or be delegated by Congress
to other hands. Clearly not by the
merely ministerial act Of counting, since
the electoral certificates show upon their
face the majority named as in favor of
Coy. HAYES, and which Mr. Conkling
comedies. Then, as is the case, the
Senator's trouble is over the question
Of mere methods IS to the declaration
Of the majority, for, in the same sent
cnce in which he declares his convic-
ton Of Gov. Hayes election, he de-
nounccs what he terms the necessity
plan This necessity procedure, as
the Senator terms it. is no new pro-
cess, 10 untred experiment in the his
tory of Presidential elections 1t is Il
practice contemporary with the history
of the Constitution itself. established
in the beginning when, on the 9th of
April, 1889, John Langdon, of New
Hampshire, was chosen President of
the Senate for the sole purpose Of open
Ing and counting the votes for Presi-
dent and Nicc-President of the United
States. and continued with but trifling
or immaterial notifications down to
1873 As an issue, this is the point Of
dispute, not between Republican Sena-
tors and their constituents, but between
the political supporters of Gov. Hayes
well fortified by law and precedent in
the position they assume, and the Demo
cratic retaners of Mr.. Tilden ready to
turn to his advantage any compromise
in his otherwise hopeless contest for the
Presidency But granting, as Demo
Gratis generally and Republicans of Mr..
Conkling's school hold. that the consti-
tntiona method is 1.-THE necessity "plan,
what Improvement is practicable by the
Electoral Commission method? The
Democratic objection to the former con
sjsts in tie incxpediency of investing
so much power in the hands Of one man
as that exercised by the Nicc-Prcsiden.
in counting the electoral vote But
does not the compromise plan lead to
precisely the same result! Its projec-
tors seem to be political alchemists.
since they recognize the wcll-known
fact in chemistry that an alkaloid neu-
traizes an acid. Five alkaline mem-
bers of the Senate, well mixed with five
aciduIated members of the lower House,
nentrajze each other, and the result is
nothing. On the same pEinciple the
well-balanccd selection Of two and two.
on the judicial side of the commission,
produces-zcro. The four then select
by draw" lot, or any method pleas
ing to them, the fifth member Does
not this unknown fifth quantity contro!
the whole. Then this plan plainly re-
solves itself again into the - one-man
method, with the decided and positive
weight Of Constitution sanction in favor
Of the Nicc-Prcsidenlial exercise of the
power II this is true, then we claim
that neither Mr. Conkling or any Repub-
lican advocate of the electoral compro-
mise have the courage Of their convic-
lions. and in surrendering their ronst-
tutionaI positions to popular cIamor,
raised for Mr.. Tilden's benefit, they risk
the reversal Of a result in the legality
and regularity Of which they profess to
have confidence.
SENATOR MORTON rs. WHYTE.
The attempt has been made in vain