The New York herald., 1877-01-19
PROCEEDINGS IN CONGRESS.
SENATE.

AN SONUhkSc.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON Jan. IS, 1877.
Al ono O'Clock p. 81. tho members OF tho special
Committee Of Seven, appointed to devise means for
satisfactory count of tho electoral vote entered tho
Senate Chamber
SPEECH OF SENATOR xpMuxps
Mr.. EpMuxDs, OF Vermont, the chairman OF that
committee sad:-
am directed, Mr. President. by the select CONS
mitec raised under the resolution OF tho Senate ON
tho subject OF counting the electoral vote, to submit
report in writing, with an accompanying bull The
report is signed happy say, by all OF the mem
btrs OF both committees II bong a report IN form
JOINT and several to tho two houses, with exccp-
ton; and all that wish TO say this occasion,
stating that desire to take at tho earliest
siblc day, as time Is running vcry last, possibly.
and ! hope. indeed, on sa!urday-he day
after to-morrow-but certainly on Monday, to pass
to dctcrm nation In form steadily from that day
forth. only wish to say in addition that the COM
mttco are oil opinion that the measure wc recommend
is not what Is called compromise in any sense OF the
term but Is measure in aid ol the exercise OF
,uonn ana ina, 10 no sense o. the term
opinions or views have becn surrendered in any sub
siantial respect II Is not measure OF policy or con-
trvance, but measure OF constitutional justice for
the OF the peace and order Of the
mont.
Mr. SHERMAS-Lct II be read.
The report Of the committee and the bill to provide
for and regulate the counting Of votes for President
ing thereon, Tor tho term commencing March 4, Anno
Domni 1877, then read by the Chief Clerk, and 1t
ordered that they be printed.
rLAN OF AGREEMENT
Tho following is the complete text OF tho bin agreed
upon by the JOINT Committee Counting the Electo-
raj Vote
bill to provide for and regulate the counting of
for President ana Vice President and the decision
OF questions arising thereon for tho commencing
March 4, ammo Domini 1877.
scnatvcs ot the United states of America In Con grcss
assembled, That the Senate and House OF representa-
tves shall meet in the hall OF the House Of Representa-
tives at The hour OF O'Clock post meridian tho
first Thursday IN February, A. d. 1877, and tho Prcs
dent OF the Senate shall be their presid-
appointed on the part OF the Senate and two
the part Of tho House OF Representatives,, whom
shall be handed as they are opened by the President OF
the Senate, AL tho certificates and papers purporting
to be certificates of electoral votes, which ccrcacs
and papers shall be opened presented and acted upon
IN the alphabetical order OF the States beginning With
the letter A. and said teilers having then read the
IN the presence and hearing OF the two houses,
shall make list OF the votes they shall appear IRON
the said certificates and the wing been ascer
tanned and counted IN this provded, the result
OF the shall DO delivered the President OF tho
Senate who shall thereupon announce the state OF the
vote and tho names OF tho PERSONS II any, elected,
which announcement shall be deemed a sufficient do.
claraton OF tho persons elected President and Vice
President OF tho United Statcs and together with
list OF the votes. shall be entered the journals OF the
Upon such reading OF any such certificate or paper
when there shall be only one return from State tho
President Of the Scuate shall call for objections f any,
Every objection shall be made IN Writing and snail
state clearly aud concisely and without argument tho
ground thereof and shall be sgncd by at least one
Senator ana member OF the House Of RepresenI
uves before tho same shall be received. When all
objections made TO any vote paper from state
shall have been received and read tho senate shall
thereupon withdraw such objections shall
mitcd the Senate TOR decision and the speaker
OF tho House OF Representatives. shall In like
submit such objections the House OF
OF its decision and no electoral vote votes from any
State from which but one return has been received
shall be rejected except by tho affirmative vote OF the
two houses
When the two houses have voted they shall mmedi-
atcy again meet and tho presiding officer shall then
announce the decision oil the question submitted
SEC. 2-That II more than ono return or paper
purporting TO be return from state shall have been
received by the President OF the Senate purporing TO
be tho ccrthcatcs Of electoral voes gwen ut tho last
preceding election for President and Vice President
such State, uncss they shall be duplicates OF tho
return, n such returns and papers shall be opened by
him IN the presence OF tho two houses when met
aforesaid and read by the cllcrs and all such
papers shall thrrcupon be submitted the Judg
mcnt and decision to which Is the true and lawful
electoral vote OF such state, OF commission const.
During the session Of each house on tho Tues
day next preceding the first Thursday in Fob
vote appoint five OF It's members, who, with
she hvc Associate Justices Of the Supreme
after provided, shall constitute "a commission TOR tho
decision oil all questions upon or respect OF such
double returns named IN this section on tho Tuesday
next preceding the 6rst Thursday IN February, A. D.
1877. soon thereafter may he, the Associate
Justices Of the Supreme Court OF the United States
assigned TO tho FIRST Third, r. ghth and Ninth
circuits, shall select IN such manner a majority OF
them shall deem it, another OF the associate Justices Of
court, which 1--we pcrsons shall be members OF tho
SAID commission, and the pcrsOn longest ssion
OF said ve justices shall be the president OF said COM
inlsson Members of said mission shall respcct-
lively take and subscribe the follow ing oath -
~, --, do soennIy swear Tor aiiirm. tho case
may bel that viii imp1rtialy examine consider
alt questions submitted to the Commission OF which I
n thereon
agrccaby TO the constitution and the laws so hclp ms
God"
Which oath shall be filed with the Secretary Of the
Senate.
When the Commission shall have been thus organ
lied IL shall not be IN the power OF either House dis
solvo the same or to withdraw any OF It's members,
but II any such senator member shall die become
physcsy unable to perform the duties required |
Dy this act, tho TACT of such death
phys cal inability shall bc by said com nissIun.
before It shall proceed lurthcr tho
Senate or House Of Representatives the case may
be, which body snail immediately and without debate
proceed by vote to DlI the place vscatcd,
and the person So appointed SHALL take subscribe
tho oath hercinbcforc prescribed ana become mem.
Der oI said comniss0n and IN like manner II any Of
said Justices oil the supreme Court shall die become
physically incapable OF performing tho duties required
said commission, shsI Immediately appoint another
justice OF SAID court member OF said commission and
IN such appointments regard shall be had to I'M
partiay and freedom from bias sought by the Original
takc and subscribe to The oath herein
before prescribed, anu tccomc "A member of said com.
mission TO MI the vacancy so occpsoned.
All the certificates ana papers purporing to be
thcatcs oi the electoral votes cnc state shall be
opened In the alphabetical order OF the States as pro-
vidcd IN section of ths act, when there shall be
more than one such certificate paper the certih
Gates or papcrs rom sucp state snail bc opened
~ 1n ltfr