The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-02-01
Message Of the President Ills Approval
of the Electnral Bill

/ WAsniNGToS, January a9.-The following is til,
Presidents message concerning the electoral bill
transmitted to Congress to-day:
/ TO THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES: / follow
| the example heretofore occasionally presented O.
communicating in this mode my approval of the
act To provide for and regulate the counting o
votes for President and Vice-President. and the
| decision of questions arising thereon. for the
| term commencing March !. A. D. 1871" because o.
my appreciation of the imminent peril TO the in
sttutions of the country, from which. in my iudg
/ ment the act affords a wise ana constitutions
| means OF escape.
| For the first time i'll the history Of our country
under the constitution as it is. a dispute ex
lists with regard to the result OF the election ol
| the chief magistrate OF the nation.
1t is understood that upon the disposition Of dis
putes touching the electoral votes east at the late
election by more OF the States depends the
question whether one or the other of the candi-
dates for the presidency is the lawful chief mags
trate The Importance Of having clearly ascer-
tanned by a procedure regulated by law which OF
the two citizens has been elected and having the
right to this high oece recognized and cheerful
y agreed i'll by all the people in the republic can
not be overestimated and leads me TO express to
Congress and to the nation my great satisfaction
at the adoption OF measure that affords an ord
erly means of decision OF grayely exciting ques
tlon. While the history of our country in its
earlier periods shows that the President OF the
Senate has counted the votes and declared them
standing. our whble history shows that in no in
stance of doubtor dispute has he exercised the
power of deciding, and that the two houses of
Congress have disposed of all such doubts and dis
putes, although in no instance hitherto have they
been such that their decision could essentially
have affected the result.
a
United States is now brought to meet tie cues
ton as one vital 10 the result. and this under con
ditions not the best calculated to produce an
agreement or to induce calm feeling in the sew
eral branches of the government or among the
people OF the country. In IL case where as now
the result is involved, it is the highest duty of
she law-maaing power to provide in advance a
constitutional, orderly and Just method of execu-
ting the constitution i'll this most interesting and
critical OF its provisions. The doing so, far from
being a compromise OF right is an enforcement
of right, and all execution OF powers conferred by
the constitution on Congress.
think that this orderly method has been Sc
cured by the bill, which, appealing to the const.
tuition and the law, as the guide in ascertaining
rights, provides means of deciding questions of
single returns through the direct action of Con-
gress, and in respect to double returns by tribu-
nal of inquiry whose decisions stand, unless both
houses of Congress shall concur in determining
otherwise, thus securing definite disposition of
all questions OF dispute in whatever aspect they
may arise. With or without this law. all of the
States have voted, and as tie vote is impossible
it must be that one of the two candidates has
been elected and it would be deplorable to wit
ness an irregular controversy as to which of the
two should receive or which should continue to
hold the office.
IN all periods of history controversies we arts
en-, as to the succession choice OF the chiefs of
States and no party citizens loving their coun-
try and its FREQ institutions sacrifice too much
OF mere feeling i'll preserving through the up-
right course of law their country from the small
est danger to its peace on such an occasion and
1t cannot be impressed too firmly in the heart OF
all the people that true liberty and real progress
can exist only through a cheerful adherence to !
constitutional law.
The bill purports to proyids only for the settle
ment of questions arising from the recent cleo
lions. The fact that such questions can arise
demonstrates the necessity, which cannot doubt
will before long be supplied, OF permanent gem
eral legislation to meet cases which have not
been contemplated in the constitution or laws of
the country. The bill may not be perfect and its
provisions may not be such would be best ap-
plcable to all future occasions, but it is calcula-
ted to meet the present condition of the questions
OF the country. The country is agitated IL needs
and it deserves peace and quiet and harmony be-
tween all parties and all sections its industries
are arrested, labor unemployed, capital idle and
enterprise paralyzed by reason Of the doubt and
anxiety attending the uncertainty of double
claim to the chief magistracy Of the nation. 1t
wants to be assured that the result OF the election
will be accepted without resistance from the sup
porters of the disappointed candidate, and that |
ito o1,oI nt bold
questionable title of right Believing that the |
bin will secure these ends give it my signature |
U. s. GRANT. |
Executive Mansion Jan'y % 1877