The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-22
THE ELECTORAL COUNT.
The Practice for More Than Eighty Year,
A Tow err More Potent than dlongres.
F'o" seoa By D, H,n t,mss Tss'ug 9, 0s Great Nus

N rover More Potent than Congress.
From Ss,d M ne hon LINN. 7i,ealuv NJ ue Great M,.,
N''f'nl ~ Uioyo ~ d. ~.
Tho present SENATE Mt it's last session.
passed u bill which was voted for by Mr. Ferry,
IL President, aud nearly every Republican Sen
plcnary power of the two Houses ov, r The count
of the votes for President and Nice-pr,sidout
ia tcii Hn,b,nqhtity ree,S ana rcict votes
Tor these measure. brought forward l., Mr.. Ed
ninnds and MIR; Morton. i the Constitution
count tho yotrsY Every Congress from ihcd av-
" Washington IN the rrcsam time has assorted
IT. power over aud prov idod ior the count 81 the
electoral vote. Ihero Is scarcely mcmucr ol
tl" present Senate vino has not assorted and
n yea upon This same power. anil the claim now
Soy up ~ some quarters that under th" Cunsti-
tuition the President Oi Tho Senate has the au-
thuritN tu nuke the count is an assumption at
war with the pra'iicr OF thr Government for
more than eighty years. and II revolutionary in
churacior For Mr.. Ferry and other Republican
senators to ass mt to such claim would be- 10
1t being. then. the duty of the Senate and the
House of Representatives a. mako the count,
other duty imposed upon them In acting upon
this subject they must at ~ indcpendo mt
bodies in the same manner us they do other
business. Ihc Constitution knows no such body
rs Joint convention Of IN" two Houses of Con
gross. When the certificates containing the
OF the Senate ~ an organized body. with It's
Prosideni presiding. and by the House of Rep
rescutativcs. with its speaker presiding. The
president OF The senate has no more right 10
preside over the House when the two bodies rs
tIiin' IN 'h' Sailc room lnh Whch tn'y, arc IA
preside over the twn Houses when in the pres
cncc of each other than has the Speaker of the
housr. l.r cnnNrnleM". t. preserve order
and prevent confusion when the two Houses rs
srmne ~ tAr same room. i llhs been u~unl To
nloNll' NY ,"n urrnW r,r,,ut,n. &l1W "a .p-
SENATE shall preside over both. but this L. 2 mat
yer ul 'fr -'iil' ma nlW,'h the HOUSES, what
eyer Is dom hy either House must IA" done scu-
nratnv VIII Their they % 4 IN the presence of c3lrh
Uihrr or MOI; bn' Is said nat the COUNTING OF
We 81, einr.i votc IVY .tc so!Mr"i H.uon "i ennh
,Efcr A. wen mishi II De SaiH that ihey would
~, n.l'v u, I's7 l',lVn n,liS or u, my
! .rnnnui. The concurrence" ~ the two Houses ~
/ CONGRESS upon many questions i~ 'ss 'ui'Al 10
/ Inc existence OF the tNNrrnm'ut. and when
] tho time comes when either House of Congress
/ persist. niN rriu~ - ,llp"ihir IN m~sur'~
o. 'os.-intion n r'.ssiry - ih. 9, i-ien of me
/ HuN'fumeni' our 9Nsi'it is in.lur. such
/ state ~ tWnE- L. NOT tp h' SUPPOSED. nor ~ 10
I u u" sulpv-'d iiat ii' Two House ~ Con-
gr,-S cnnnot iEr"' upon Some mode ~ count
J. INK n" ~ tofllNotr tnai shnli not only have
/ the forms ~ law. hui h" Just and right. No
ir, in either bran h of Conlres. who T. not
/ wiling ~ unit upon some method that Will in
1 sure u fair and honAst count of the electoral
7 vote. IT. MS d'inand this of our senators and
R"p"s natives. II Is r'prpach both to their
ini Xix u and Oh. rpatrioi'-'n 10 SUPPOSE tilnt
! they cannot ADJUST their di-u.rnHm ut-. No
/ man gan luv' stronger D'nNiruru~ than have
/ that MI, 1ilden l. honestly and lurly entitled
H. a, " VI 81 's'u Tl'h" ny, ny. ~ 'l"Ie
/ cle.t'd Ir,Hri"nt nni wa- ncN afraid TO- sub
init good case to = fair tribunal for decision.
/ ana 10 agree To- abide the result. hrliHv tre
hturhIn- u '"tL ~ .ouit lana hai No. jar -ii'-
/ tlon under the state law 30 eanyuss thu vote for
81 ciuis OF President anu Vice. President and
/ roget votes IN liz discretion. Others think df-
rcniN. IL thyrr ls' no oihcr way Of arriving
at decision OF these questions. let Congress
ask IA" Supr me Court or any other impartial
iribunn what The meaning of the Louis .na INV
IT, and how'll b,a bold Cpngri s,muu WHO. after
that opinion Is uidAlurd. shall Set up his own
opinion against 10. II Is not for me t. -ugg,S
what uit thpi the two Houses shall adopt To-
bring alpui an adjustment of pending di-nl,r -
menis hut the lmpplr hat, a. right 10 demand
thhi tu'y ma some luetlnd oi doing IL.
lhrr' ~ p'w'r ~ thi~ .luntry NOR" potent
thnn thc nrhlr9rN rot "' Il turning Boards. TIA"
.n,uls 81 paitS ls'd"r-' am th' demands "l par