The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1877-01-25
The Electoral Compromise.

reporting To Congress plan for counting
the vote at the electoral COLLEGE. which
we print IN ia days paper, will he read
with profound interest by every one who
has the real interest Of the country at
heart Ii VIII probably BE- objected 10
by extreme partiIana on either hand, hut
The question to be decided should not IN
volve or turn upon the wants oi wishes OF
that class, or the merely personal interests
hopes or ambitions 1T any set ol men
There IL something lar above and beyond
all thai We have 4 country and Il COY
eminent, having IN their care and Keep
ING the welfare, the interests Rights,
hopes and aspirations o. forty millions Of
people. They are the present cust0djanS of
The precious LEGACY OF those whose labors
and SaeriticeS founded here a government
OF The people. and proruincI that In
asylum had here been established Tor trrr
thoughts, happy homes and the hoindle>s
possibilities which are tn ia. reached
through Individual effort. guarded and
controlled only hy the reciprocal needs
between the state and the subject We
have no right to peril all these hy npgl!-
gence OF Indifference. Not only that, but
ii il incumbent upon those who have ills
trust IN keeping to exercise to the utmost
, that arepless vigilance which is the price
Of libe3 !, and security.
There are those who laugh at ana de-
ride tears f-r the future We have Hat
them in this country before. But that
class had a sudden and sharp awakening
when the sound OF the cannon from Fort
SHnpter and Bull Run reached their ears
IN 1871. IT i NOT too early TO prepare for
storms when the distant mutterlngs of
thunder are heard. EARLY and proydent
lear." says Burke, is the mother Of
safety"
Looking at the plan Itself, its provisions
are simply admirable for the purposes in
view, 1t provides that the count shall
commence on the first day ol February,
instead OF the 4th. The returns from
States which may be unchalleugtd will lie
counted III the same manner Is hereto
tore, IN the presence OF the Senate and
House, by tellers from both bodies, after
the President OF the Senate shall have
opened the returns The vote oI i Nate
making but one return is not 10 he reject
ed except by a concurrent vote OF both
House. lie fr9GlI ct thi5 plan when put
III practical operation. viii doubtless be
thai the votes OF All the atatea will par8
nhchdllenped except oregon. Louisiana,
lorda aud South Carolina, ewing Iilden
Isl votes and HAYES 10; In regard to
disputed states the bill provides that oh
lertlon@ IN writing lnn7t be- made at the
opening and reading, by At least one sen
afor and one Representative, when the
vote OF sllrn state, with all lh,. evidence IN
the Gaze, il 10 be admitted to "A special
board or commission cunlpus,A Of five
Senators, five Representatives and five
Juaticea Of the Supreme Court 81 the
United state. II will be seen that as the
| commission numbers fifteen, there cannot
be a tie III It's vote And Whatever NAV be
the decision Of that commission, it must
| stand, unless both the Senate and The
House vote IL set ii aside lhua IL viii! be
th.It fl.It. a.
SION may make, il will be likely 10 stand.
For IT the decision Of a olven State be for
Hayes, the Senate would moi be liLeiy 10
agree TO aet it asiie--ii tor IiI,en the
House viii Of course sustain it AGAINST any
vote Of the Senate 10 set il aside
OF course the manner III which the com
mission is u ne made up viii be very M
poflahl. he senate hein" Republican
and the House Democratic, tllr members
contributed hy those bodies lnay be at
like politics, unless by mutual agreement
there should be n division of the members
IN tile respective lionseS - ~ to produce
numerically the same result We neNt
come to that portion oi the commission
furnished by the Supreme Court By the
| terms OF the BILL which designate The dis
trlcts OF the first lonr they will consist of
Justices Clifford, Field, Miller and Slronp,
These four are to select from amonr their
associates a fifth member OF the court
and the i've are to constitute the repre-
sentation of the judiciary in the body
the remaining Justices from whom To st.
lect will be Davis OF Illinois, Swayne Of
Ohio, Bradley Of New jersey and Hunt
of New York.
Thus will be represented the three
great bodies exercising the most import
ant functions Of our government the az
ecntlNc excepted - the trinity through
which the conservative men Of the coun.
try are preparing to compass its peace
and assure its salvation We have AS its
elements, the representatives Of the PEG
pie from the House, the representatives of
sovereign states from the Senate, and of
the highest judicial tribunal in the land.
the Interpreters Of the laws and the consti-
| tuition, in the members of the Supreme
Court. If patriotism, if honor, ii respect
for law and regard for justice fail here
where in all the broad land can they be
| found?
Objections are made TO this plan in some
quarters because compromise is involy-
ed in the creation OF the tribunal. But it
must be remembered that every stem in
the formation and establishment of the