Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1877-01-27
PRESS OPINIONS ON THE sAGREE-
MENU,

Regarding the plan adopted by the
joint committees for counting the cleo
toral vote, the New York Herald believes
it will be endorsed by the American peo-
pie, and the bill passed by Congress, and
promptly approved by the President.
The adoption of this plan, it believes,
will have the affect to reassure the coun-
try and relieve the apprehension of vague
dangers and stormy 4th of March. All
the elements of the proposed methods
are constitutional; and if this plan should
be rejected by Congress no other can be
contrived. for there is no time. The
country would then be left to wrang!e
and to increasing excitement. and Con-
gress would be forced to resort TO the
secret intrigues and holder strokes of
demagogues-all ending. probably in
violence, and perhaps war, or at best in
lasting discomfort on one side or the
other.
The New York World editorially still
holds to its decided views respecting the
electoral votes, and claims that the Presi-
dent of the Senate is nothing more than
an official receiver AMI keeper of the
electoral certificates. and that there his
functions end and the two Houses have
complete and exclusive jurisdiction of
the whole business. The World avoids
discussion of the points of the joint COM
mittees plan, but by implication opposes
the bill.
The New York Times opposes the
plan. and considers its worst feature that
which constitutes five of the Supreme
Court judges arbitrator between the
branches of Congress. BY it tie Senate
surrenders method which protects the
rights OF states to determine the regular
ity Of their respective votes. and of the
two parties whose Interests are involved
the Democrats alone have reason to re-
joice. while the world will not believe.
on the authority Of the select commit
tees, that the federal constitution can
not endure the strain of closely con-
tested Presidential election, but that to
meet an emergency, which adherence to
tho letter of the instrument might readi-
" have overcome, it is considered neces-
sary to construct ricSety piece of ma
chlnery which will neither harmonic
with other parts of the system nor add
to The faith of the people in the sagacity
of their rules. The odium of pronounc-
ing Judgment which one-half of the
country will object to as partisan will
rest upon The Supreme Court.
The New York Tribune does not be-
lieve that the joint committee report pro-
vides a constitutional method of count
ing the electoral vote, and says it should
regret its adoption as precedent full OF
peril. 1t presents several objections to
its adoption, among them this That it is
revolutionary in setting up United
States Returning Board clothed With
powers not conferred by the constitution
upon any man or body of men; that it
involves the possibility of an election
either by cheat or by lot; that there
are possibilities of unlimited delay in
reaching judgment and also OF failure to
organize within the prescribed time. The
bill, IN its possible effect. is simply the
republic of Mexico reduced to United
States statute. The Tribune argues that
If the constitution provides clear path
out Of all these difficulties it is this: The
President of The Senate is 10 count the
electoral votes and declare the result.
This view, it says. is held by the ablest
constitutional lawyers of the land /;
among them William NJ. Evarts. The
Tribune believes the better method is TO
proceed with the work in legitimate
way OH the 18th of February under the
biadiag constitutional provisions.
All the morning papers in Washington
comment unfavorably on tie bill pre-