The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1877-01-25
CONGRESSIONAL.
SENATE.

SENATE.
Washington, Jan. 24.-The chair
presented the Presidents message, en-
closing the report of the secretary of
state in answer to Anthony's resolution
requesting information on our diplo-
matte relations with Turkey. Ordered
printed and tabled. The credentials of
Senators elect Window, Bailey and
Harris were placed on file. Wright
reported on the Senate bill extending
for two years the act establishing the
Southern claims commission. Placed
ON calendar. The chair presented
Sherman's resolution for the arrest of
any one disturbing this chamber by
applause etc. Also, Gordon's resoln-
tion declaring Wade Hampton governor
of South Carolina, but neither Senators
being present, the resolutions were post
poned.
The electoral compromise bill was
then considered, and Conkling had the
floor, but not having arrived, short
recess was taken, after which Sargent
took the floor and opposed the bill. He
said he had endeavored to bring his
mind to an assent to the provisions of
this bill, first, because he desired that a
result might be worked out of the COM
plication satisfactorily to the whole
country, and second, because he desired
that equal and exact justice shall be
done to every candidate at the late
Presidential election, and to the parties
which put those candidates forward,
but he did not believe this bill would
accomplish any such result. There
were suspicious Of unfairness about the
bill, because it gave improper powers
to a tribunal which it created. If fair.
ness was desired, the bill was very un-
fortunate because the result to be ac-
complished by it depended upon one
man, to be selected, and as yet un-
known. The supporters of the bill had
addressed their arguments to two ques-
tions: First, was it constitutional?
Second, was, it expedient2 He then
argued that it was never intended that
Congress should count the electoral
vote or discriminate between returns.
If the trainers of the constitution had
intended to lodge any such power in
Congress, few words would have made
it certain. 1t was not intended to
lodge any snch dangerous power in
Congress, because the two houses could
themselves create an exigency in which
the constitution provided that the
House should elect the President and
the Senate the Vice-President. He
argued that the power to count the
electoral vote was lodged in the Presi-
dent of the Senate. Sargent quoted at
length from Madison's papers, and
argued that the clause Of the constitu-
tion in regard to counting the electoral
vote as at first agreed upon by the con-
stitutional convention, read that the
President Of the Senate shall open all
certificates and the vote shall be then
and there counted in the presence of the
Senate and House of Representatives,
and it was referred to a committee on
revision and subsequently reported to
read, ''the President of the Senate
shall, in the presence of the Senate and
House of Representatives, open all GER
tifcates and the vote shall then be
counted.'' This was argued by the
committee and the report was substan-
TALLY the same as that originally agreed
upon by the committee. He objected
to the bill because it invited political
party, defeated by ordinary forms, to
clamor for another hearing. The peo-
pie would not respect the decision of
this tribunal, which was without pre-
cedent and without sanction. He re-
garded the bill, not as a compromise.
but as surrender Of Republican rights.
Hamlin interrupted the Senator from
California, and read the returns from
the state Of Georgia in 1901, and said
there was no certificate accompanying
them, that the electors had balfoted.