Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-02-02
The Electoral bill becomes a LAW

| lulNAs
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The Electoral Bill becomes Law.
As briefly stated in our last issue, the
compromise bill for counting the electoral
vote passed the United States Senate last
Thursday morning at half.past seven, after
an all-nights session, by vote of AZ TO II.
The great speech in the Senate in favor of
the bill, after the opening argument by
Senator Edmunds of this State, was made
by Mr.. Conklng of New York, whose eff
fort on the occasion, covering a period of
eight hours, is regarded by his friends as
| having been the most notable one of his
| life. 1t was not until after midnight,
Thursday morning, that Senator Morton,
"Indiana's great war governor" obtained
the floor TO reply TO Edmunds and Conk-
ling. He was weak, pale and trembling
from Sickness but he made a telling
| speech in opposition 10 the bill.
The debate in the House began on Thurs
day. The speeches in the day session were
made by McCrary, Hoar, Hunton, Goode
and Hewitt in favor of the bill, and by
Hale of Maine against it. The speech of
the day was that of George f. Hoar of Mas
sachusetts. Goode of Virginia, in speech
supporting the bill, had stated, amid strong
expressions of disapprobation on the Re-
publican side of the chamber, that unless
the bill was passed there must be an igno-
minious surrender of the Democratic party
or a war. With this sentiment Goode con-
cluded his speech, and Hoar arose. lie
| eafI (, rF 1 1.
were beneath notice. If they were serious,
| they deserved the contempt Of the Ameri-
can people. Prelacing his speech with this
declaration, which seemed to meet the
hearty approval of members of both par
| ties, Hoar, in a speech of less than twenty
minutes, condensed the essential argu-
ments in favor of the bill which it took
Roscoe Conkling eight hours TO utter. 1t
was cmphatically a speech of points, and
might fairly be considered the GROWING
oratorical effort of Hoai's eight years Of
service in the lower house.
Gen. GARFIELD of Ohio took the floor late
Thursday evening and made candid and
able speech against the bill. The debate
was continued during the day Friday, and
v ote was fl 'ally reached about O'Clock,
Friday evening, when the bill passed-yeas
1871, nays SO.
The vote of New England was somewhat
curious. Every Democratic representative
from that section voted aye, but the Re-
pubicans were divided, Messrs. FIVE,
Frye, Hale and Plaisled of Maine followed
the lead of Senators Hamln and Blaine, in
ng nay, while Mr.. Burleigh voted aye.
Mr.. Blair of New Hampshire voted nay,
Senator Cragin having voted aye, while
Senator Wadeigh did not vote. Messrs.
Denison, Hendee and Joyce of this State
voted nay, although Senators Edmunds
and Morrill, had voted aye. Messrs. Grape,
Harris, Pierce, Hoar and Seelye of Massa-
chusetts voted aye, as had Senators Dawes
and Boutwell,, while Gen. Banks voted
nay. Messrs. Ballou and Eames of Rhode
island voted nay, although Senator Burn
side had voted aye, and Senator Anthony
would also have voted aye had his health
permitted him to be in his seat and Mr..
Wait of Connecticut followed the example
of Senator Eaton from that State in voting
nay. Tho grand total were-Democrats
voting aye, l50; Republicans voting aye,
81; Democrats voting nay, IS +; Republicans
voting nay, SO. The Democrats were large
ly in favor of the measure, but over two.
thirds of the Republicans were opposed to
it.
MIR. MORRILL, SUPPORTS THE MEASURE AS
CHOICE OF EVILS.
Mr.. Morrill, of Vermont said that whoev-
err contributed TO rescue his country from
peril, whether real or imaginary, deserved
well Of the country, and would receive her
plaudits. The remedy proposed was for
that which bad long been held as weak
point in the practical workings of our form
of government. Most of the senators of
both parties were committed to The neces-
sity of some legislation on this subject. He
was one OF those who believed Hayes and
Wheeler legally elected. lie spoke of the
objections 10 the bill, aud said that too
much had been surrendered to the Demo-
cratic party. 1t gave that party a chance
where it was not entitled to any. The
makeup of the commission assumes that
fourteen-t ilteenths Of it will be partisan,
and both parties base their hopes on the
uncertain one-fii(eenth. He thought, if the
case were TO he submitted to any tribunal.
it should be 10 the entire supreme court.
Instead of this, there was geographical
selection of four judges, according TO their
political af1inlies, and a linh, who is the
great unknown. Something more was re-
quired than a mere expedent to bridge
over the present emergency. A measure
OF broader scope should have been provid-
ed, applicable not merely to next month,
but TO the coming century or all time.
Notwithstanding these objections, he was
inclined to support the bill, as without it
we were in danger of drifting without pilot
or rudder. lie referred to tho fact that,
last March, only three Republican and four
Democratic senators voted for an amend.
ment declaring that, in case of disagree.
ment between the two houses, the vice
president had the right 10 count the electo-
raj votes. Therefore, as no remedy was
provided for the probable impending dis.
agreement, and as this measure had been
framed by so able a committee of both
houses, and as manifestly no other meas.
ure for the settlement of the difficulty |
could now be expected, he felt constrained
10 give it his vote.