The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1877-01-27
THE ELECTORAL VOTE. "a PLAN
AGREED UPON.


electoral votes, this morning agreed upon
report which will be signed tomorrow
by all the members of both committees
except Senator Morton and possibly one
Democratic Representative. The tri-
bunal for the decision of the controvsrted
questions will be tripartite, one branch
Of which will be composed of five JUS
tees OF the United States Supreme
Court. How these Judges are to be Sc
lected. or how the Senate and House
branches Of the tribunal will be consti-
tuted, il not known, but it can be posi-
lively stated the element of chance will
not enter in any way into the formation
of the tribunal Its members are to take
special oath to decide the questions &C.
cording to the Constitution OF the United
States and the law made in pursuance
thereof, and from ascertained facts. The
Judiciary branch of the tribunal will be
composed of five members. 1t is inferred
that the two branches of Congress will
each be represented by five of their re-
spective members, but this is only mat
ter OF inference. On inquiry Of the
members OF the two committees tonight,
it is learned that all ofthem have pledged
themselves not to speak of the details Of
the proposed plan for counting the cleo,
toral vote. This caution has been taken
in order that the public might not be
mised by verbal statements apart from
the exact phraseology of the official re.
port.
They say that for the last two weeks,
the committees of the two Houses, act
ing either separately or in joint meeting.
have devoted their best energies and
Judgment, and nearly all their time, to
efforts to arrive at accommodation. The
proceedings have uniformly been marked
by courtesy and patriotic spirit, all
striving to allay whatever partisan feel
ing existed, and the country at large will
be satisfied with the result of their la
bors. bill embodying the plan agreed
upon will be accompanied by brief re-
port setting forth the principles upon
which it is based, and will be presented
to both Houses tomorrow, though it will
not probably be acted upon Immediately.
The intelligence that the report has been
agreed upon is circulated to satisfy both
parties, and will occasion very general
satisfaction.
New York, Jan. 1S.-The Times thus
epitomizes the result reached by the
joint committee for counting the cleo
toral vote: The plan makes the functions
of the President of the Senate purely
ministerial, and two kinds OF objections
will be likely to be raised when the GER
| titicates are opened. They are to be set.
tied as follows: First-When any one
set of returns is presented from State,
| any objection to their reception must be
sustained by the concurrent vote OF both
| Houses. Failing in this, such returns
must be counted as the vote of the State.
| When two sets are presented, they are to
be immediately referred to commission
composed of five Senators, five members
of the House. four of the Associate JUS
tees of the Supreme Court, whose names
are given, and one other Justice seects
by those four. The decision of this tri.
bunal OF fifteen is to be submitted al
some time. not fixed, TO the two Houses
assembled in joint session, and is to be
tinal. unless both Houses agree to reject
it. Excepting The single element OF de-
Gliding ty lot. the composition OF the
counting court plan is open to all the
objections which have been frequently
SET forth in these columns. 1t impose.
on the Judges Of the Supreme Court
functions which they were never intend
cd to perform, and it relieves the Presi
dent of the Senate of. duties which the
trainers of the Constitution deliberately
and distinctly imposed on him. 1t is
merely device to stave off the settle.
ment OF the questions which can and
ought to be settled at once. and it renders
possible occurrence of Presidential in
terregnum which would neither be credit
able nor profitable to the country
CHICAGO, Jan. Is. - The Tribune's
Washington special gives the following
limitations OF what is the plan agreed
on by the House AMI Senate electoral
committees: The Court will meet as
usual; the House tellers will! be APP
pointed; the Vice President will open
the returns, and those not objected to-
counted, and, il objected to, the returns
will be referred to the commission. /
is announced in tho press reports tina
the Justices of the Supreme Cour
named are Clifford, Strong, Miller ant
Field-two Republicans and two Demo
crats-with fifth chosen in some wa,
unknown. The Senate will have thre,
Republicans and two Democrats, ant
tho House three Democrats and two Re
publicans No Ohio or New York Jus
tice will be chosen as fifth one. Brad
ley or Davis will doubtless be the maj
chosen. This plan gives the creates
satisfaction to both parties tonight
and yet the ultra Democrats regard it Il
surrender to the Republicans. Tn
plan thus unanimously presented will b.
without doubt readily adopted by boil
Houses.
New YORK, Jan. 1.-THE World
Washington correspondent says it ca
be authoritatively stated that the confer
ence committee OF the two Houses on
plan to verify and count the eleotora
vote, have virtually agreed. At yestel
days meeting the main feature wa
adopted by decided majority, Thi
feature proposes tribunal OF arbitratio