The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-01-26


been destroyed by grssshoppers: Also estAblishins
land district In the Black Hills Mr.. Wells. from
the Committee ON Appropriation. reported the
Indian Appropriation bill; MI. Harris offered
and duties OF the House - report what
number OF electoral votes y necessary under
the constitution 70 elect President. Referred. :.
A discussion took place upon the resolution re-
ported by the judiciary COMMITTEES In relation 70
the refusal of members Of the Louisiana Returning
Board 10 produce certain papers before the Louisi
ana special committed. at the conclusion Of the
debate vote was taken and the resolution for tbs
arrest OF the members Of the Louisiana Returning
Board and their production before the bar Of the
House TO answer for contempt was adopted by q
strict party vote yeas, l6s; nays, 81.
THURSDAY, Jan. 1s.-Sendte Edmunds,
from the special committee appointed to devise
means for counting the electoral vote, submitted
q report In writing. accompanied by bill. The
report, he WAS happy to say WAS signed by all the
members OF both committed, with one exception.
The committee was Of the opinion that the meas
ure they recommended was not what could be
called compromise, but IL was q measure Of JUS
tice and In aid OF constitutional Government. No
one would have the right to say that anybody's
views had been surrendered in any respect. Mr..
Jones. of Florida, presented the petition OF the
four Democratic Presidential electors of Florida,
claiming to have been legally elected, and asking
that the electoral vote cast by them for President
and Vice President be counted instead of tina cast
by the electors on the other side.
House.-Mr. Payne, chairman Of the committee
on counting the electoral votes, made a con-
current report of the two committees Of the House
and Senate, which report having been read II was
ON motion of Mr.. Payne, recommitted and ordered
printed.
FRIDAY. Jan. 10. - Senate. - Mr.. Cameron,
of Pennsylvania, presented resolutions adopted by
the Legislature of his State declaring that the
tifcates of electors from the various States
constitutional evidence Of votes cast for President
and Vice President, aud must be counted :. The
Consular and Diplomatic Appropriation bill was
passed. Louisiana was the theme Of another long
and lively debate in the Senate, in which Messrs.
Bogy, Of Missouri, and Sherman, of OHIO, were the
chief participants. The former, in the course Of
his remarks, bitterly assailed the present State
government of Louisiana, and was loudly cheered
by the galleries, whereupon, on motion of Mr.. Ed
munds, the gentlemen's gallery was cleared Of
spectators.
House. Mr.. Hunter from the Judiciary Com
mittee, reported resolution discharging William
orion, President Of the Western Union Telegraph
Company, from the custody OF the Sergeant at
Arms. Adopted without division. j. Madison
Wells and Thomas G. Anderson were brought be-
fore the bar Of the House to answer for contempt
of the privileges of the House. Having answered
to the question propounded by the Speaker. that
they would prefer to postpone their further answer
until the remaining members of the Louisiana Re-
turning Board shall arrive in Washington, the mat
ter was referred to the Judiciary Committee =.
This was gala day for the female suffragsts in
the House. By n preconcerted arrangement
twenty-five petitions were presented by members
teenth amendment to the constitution guarantee
ing that the franchise shall not be denied In any
State on account OF sex.
SATURDAY, Jan. 20.-Sendte. motion OF
Mr. Edmunds. the bill reported by the special COM
mission in regard to the count of the electoral vote
was taken up. Mr. Edmunds proceeded to address
the Senate at length, in advocacy of the measure.
The following are some of the points made by MIN
In favor NJ the bill The purpose Of the commits
sion is to decide what is The electoral vote Of
ala Of ktA zaatlv
part Of the commission by a viva voce
vote renders intrigue impossible. The commission is
large enough TO prevent the possibility Of corrupt
ing iniueDc es. The Judges named are chosen ac-
oording to geographical locality. To guard against
any caviling, the oath makes craftsmanship imposs-
BILE. The commission liz not to decide a policy or
determine future. 1t is to pass on the irrevoca-
BILE past. The commission is to discover what is
the paper, II any, which speaks the constitutional
views Of q State, and how many and what persons
were elected electors. The plan, he claimed holds
nothing to either party. The commission u to de-
termne whether the electoral vote WAS cast accord
ting to law. Mr.. Edmunds neither affirmed nor
denied that the commission had power to go be-
hind the returns. He only said that, If Congress
had the right to do this, the commission had, or
would have, and that was one of the questions
submitted to 1t. Mr.. Edmunds affirmed that
the constitutionality Of the bill without
a doubt. He maintained the President Of the Sem
ate has not the right to count the votes. He
insisted that by no legal Interpretation could 1t be
held that the opening of the vote implied the right
to count. Nor the Vice President Judge. If
that theory is admitted, the monstrous propo-
stion must be conceded that the Vice President
can try and determine the and finally declare
himself President of the United States. He
argued that the constitution had been 30 framed
that there is but provision in it which ex-
ecutes itself. That related to the capture
of slave property. Every other provision is only
executed by Congressional regulations. The Presi-
dent is Commander-in-Chief but every act is regu
lated by law The functions of the Judiciary are
prescribed by the constitution, yet their procedure
Is entirely controlled by law. The constitution,
which was adapted to all time, was framed so that
Congressional legislation could adapt TO the varied
emergencies of different generations. He denied
the fact emphatically that the presidents show that
the President of the Senate has counted the votes
On the contrary, Nv. Edmunds affirmed that,
an arithmetcal proposition, he had never even
counted vote. The tellers always ap-
pointed, and that from John Langdon to Schuyler
Cofax the two houses dictated to the presiding Of
fcer Of the Senate the course he should pursue.
House.-The House. in committee of the whole,
devoted the day to debate, the speeches taking
wide political range.
MONDAY, Jan. 22.-Sendte. Mr.. Morton ad-
dressed the Senate in opposition to the Compromise
bill in regard to counting the electoral vote. He
I" the product of the Mississippi plan,' declaring
that ''the shadow Of intimidation had been seen
in the Senate chamber" He believed Gov. Hayes
had been elected under the forms
of law, and that should he be
counted in there would be no revolution. He
argued in favor Of the right of the President of the
senate TO count the electoral votes. The President
OF the Senate did count the vote for seventy-two
years; telers were mere facilities for making
calculations and keeping accounts. They count
ed what the President handed them down to
count and handing them down the certificates
TO count was the declaration of the vote. IL con-
tinued from 1859 TO 1861. whether the electors
were eligible was a matter left with the states
der the injunctions Of the constitution. The
handing down of the certificate by the President of
the Senate was q declaration of the vote contained
In 1t. Very few Republicans respect the bill. II
will be taken by Republicans, IL taken at all,
as a dose of castor Oil. Senator Edmunds
burned his ships behind him when he denied the
power OF the President of the senate TO count the
votes in the absence of legislation. He thus
seemed to make 1t necessity to accept this bill.
Mr.. Mortons chief objection to the bill was that il
gave the commission power to go behind the re-
turns, and ascertain alone what electors
we're duly appointed which he held to be unconstitu-
tional, and regarded, besides, al a change of the
existing status In favor Of the Democrats. Mr..
Frelinghuysen followed Mr.. Morton in written
speech in favor of the bill. He argued in
favor of the constitutionality OF the measure and
go back Of the papers submitted to see how re-
turning boards performed their duties. After
Mr.. Frelinghuysen took his seat nobody
rose TO speak. Mr.. Edmunds wanted 10 push the
bill to third reading, as no amendments were
offered. Mr.. Sherman pleaded for delay. Mr.
Mitchell moved to adjourn, and Il was voted down.
Mr.. Edmunds explained the necessity Of prompt
decision for against the bill. Mr. Sherman want
the members of the committee TO give their vie va
done so In their report, and its opponents should
now make Themselves heard Mr. Cameron Yna6a