, 1877-01-24

MS ARGUMENT IN FAvon or TIE PLAN.
WAsnrsaroS. D. c., Jan. &a--1n the Senate
to-lny, ,tr. ConkIlng, In Ills speech on the
Electoral Count bill, said:
B.fore rcaclng tho "details of this measure,
o! ifs advantages or merits, the Senate mnst
make suso NJ the power In some nude to sub
IcSt tue .atcr tu the uettou Ut tic Two Houses
oi Congress, os to tho Law -naklnC power Of tho
Government. 4 study Vt this matter years ago
convinced him ot the right, and, therefore, tho
duty, OF Congress TO ascertain and verify the
Electoral votes, anil declare tr'ie tho result OF
Presidential elections, or else by an asacrtlon of
:. ttAsiaH:suaklng poWcr To- lcc!aro how these acts
should be done. His present judgment did not
rest on pgcconeriycd upinfout so'newceks ago fc
reviewed carefully anl cautiously every net and
proceeding iu our history hearing upou th.s
ls1estlop, and, without the aid of the conpIla-
lions .uatsc sIl,cc then, he had examined cyeTv
uttesa.ec fit houli., 4 distinction might tc
drawn brtw'ccn the power of tho Senate md
Ilnusr ri Representatives to nrt In contlIrttn.
tic Electoral count. 1t wax not his purpute at
TIL. .oncns t" rxp!orc that distinction, n4r 70
tn1uir,. low far Ut whether ut RIi thu law i'itl-
ratetl { C exact form III which lilo CONSTITUTION
shnu!ll be executed.
Sir. Cunklil1y then spoke Of
THE pEIEcTluAs TO THE DILt~
ana ta!h Il It WAS trss" that tc !lGAt ia eount
t! President of tlir Senate. the hill IH'w upon
tho table, nur any hil! rule. or plan wuuld br of
tht s1IEhs.t eileacy or effect. Nhencvsr tile
EunstitNt!nh drfMtItcsi power with any "jl!erf,
department. or fn.1rit,nary, there II ist re-
lnain. II thu Constitution deinsltc'l IN tbs
President Uf tlr Se1lato tho power tn count tue
Electoral vets there Mns All cn,l III It. attt any
net nr ruc I" *trlp HIM Of tlsa. pn~cr wotld u:
bold Intrusion uptu TIN tun-t4tutlun. II st,cfa
VIA tl!u f,uwcr VI thn President ut the sch4tc,
| thrn Every proceeding had heretofore by
lhc tpn lInllres of Con1rrAs was 4 t'a:rant
tiulatiun of tin Constitution, He denied t!lat
lte power tu the tount tr yuten was vested III
thu President vi tllc Senate. at'd said u tht
Constitution gave ult tln' tn'wrE |" "ae man It
| Mas mt sasy 10 src h.t% Congress could
WITNESS on yE4IFi TIE AIT.
II tic IrcxEtlcl.t III thr Sc,latt ctt,sc TO utter
tho words the members of The twn itun>rsmu.t
| tintcb u Inn. Tue Cs,nstttntlon declared the
President nf thr scDate should npcn all 1e Ter
.4srates; tl,at VII, u gr:Int "t l"wrr::, Il then
.i.,lurcl III! vote tIlu.,la he counted. by wlnun:
| Iii thu trainers IT tho Constitution lutcta II
| should he by thr President Ut ahc Senate: ~ II
HI, Two LITTLE wurtls would hnTe !fxct u. Ih:
men whu .lraitr,l the Cnn*lllutlon were nus
it's uf t!ln language. Tllcy wrrc 80 tus-
.!a', tSat vonis l. hln.aid p,c.ns thr cchoes 81
tluag1 that lieSs up's'sn;s'l Con''hitts., n, ~
style, In urder that every fentrnrc might he
>yfutInize4, and tAIs provision in regard I" tue
| callntiuE ut the Electoral rute "At
| NEPEni.Eu To That CuMHtrTEE,
/ unl Trlhbsttn lAek Nv flial luMmtlce. ne
rouj,t not believe illat liz iratncrs III thr Con-
] ktt1lt!un Intended lhc President .! The SENATE
sup,1Id touut t.tsni, bad, and indifferent csr'-
ratr., a, Nas nrEntal BY tho Scnatur frons In.
diana iMt'rtom Yesterday.
It llal mcn sil'l tl!at The poser tt tlln rfc>t-
tlrnt os he se''at., 1hout Hot efErefsts! " tug
CONSTITUTION, might be ltalllt.l. Ae could nut
arsrpl that ttortrinr. Authority tn do = minis
tr7tat act did n"t iM'ly authority 10 10 ~.
ruwcr Ii *etd iur wltnctsrs, cl!l fur trleZranis,
ind im,ri..aI parsons unless they ygafr t,eun mns
The Ct,,,4Iltullan 1la'i tIut oluiowrd t!n Mtth
i>lt. tho Stasr nj Ohiu h-1 In ats Fundamental
LAWS the very words If the Federal t"ilstl; ;usI
that tl!o imrs!ding o1tcs sllo!!a "l~n ti's ts., T.
tIir:4trc, and tAs yotrs should bc r"ll1!'t!'.' -
that H., lresl,liu. t'tilrer merely p"nel the
certificates, ni,i the lHo lfnusts tft~tfsaesa to
eouut tie yu.e. To open certificates WIS
purely ministerial a't' -, hut To- roant me
must t'e assorted frum tue faa t'I'rs' !! New
Yurk tcut ioItY-llrc Electoral sntrs, only thirty
| five wolLl br true yntt*. and ttle true utirs
nIu7t be takcn from thr iAlsh une"; II Tue teF.
tlli,atrs trent Massachusetts, should ahow that
| ti4at State yuiri iur thu nenitGtatlc cahdhlate,
i; wuui.i Ie la'tt. The world knew that shs
,ulcl 10. thr Krrapt!eun nas'!nce, aud
MU,r w 30 C3cNrRb.
ft thu Electors In uIle state had voted for Jnliu.
| tusar.-t,e meant Ju!tua CGear. latc Ut koine
ilaughter,-nf Harry the VIII, thoss votes
| would nut ba counted without Inquiry.
liz stnae a. 1un,u Length - to tbs constitu'
tlouaiy Ut thu bill, and asked, Did not scasoE
and fitness Ut things inform the Senate that ou
fathers Intended tl44t the powcf to Fitlato, ~
tho allegation u fraud or trrcsalar!ty. tlc
Electoral vote Of state, and thus turu II
eicct!uu, should not be rep0sel tu Gus nlan
They knew 1t would 10 safcr 1cposed IN tn
American Congress. 1t WAS mol designed to to
commit this vast power to une inaI, especially
Al that ,nan mighs bo thu sole Judge ~ bis OWL
casc. Divine gll human law. elnsu tho morn
iii own ease, even though he sat with othe1s
II tho Pre4ldoat OF the 6custs had POSER Il
count the yotes, . ba1e majority in tho Senate
NIGHT Y4LkcT / PRESIDENT
tor secret puEposu Of making The eouut OH