The New York herald., 1877-01-21
THE GREAT DEBATE.
Senator Edmunds on the
Electoral Bill.
THE COMMISSION JUSTIFIED.
"The Scale of Justice in Ab-
solute Equipoise."
WILLIS AND TARBOX OBJECT.
Chittenden and the Daybreak OF
Better Times
sROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT.
THE COMMISSION JUSTIFIED.
WILLIS AND TARBOX OBJECT.
Chittenden and the Daybreak Of
Better Times
sRoM OUR MouLsa CORRESPONDENT.

sROM OUR REGULAR RssPoND:NT.
wAsaIxGroS, Jan. 2o, 1874
bxxAxoE zpxUNDS SPEECH ON THE BILL FOR
COUNTING THE vorE-Irs CHARACTER AND
sEPEcT-DEBArE IN THE HoUsE--MR CHIT
TESDEN IN FAVOR, rARsox AND WILLIS
AGAINST.
The opening gun Of The great debate the bill FOR
counting the electoral nred by Senator Ed
munds this afternoon The galleries hod Every
Senator in his seal, and chairs In the
space beyond the Senator'S desks for shs numerous
members Of Congress and ex-Senators, who wore a.
traeIed 10 the scene.
The assembags grashed by what Senator
Conklng defines tho ablest address Of Mr. Ednunds
and Of the finest delivered In the Senate.
N. Thurman regards 1t unanswcrable. The spcocn.
though OCCASIONALLY embroidered with delicate irony
in which the Senator from Vermont Is skilled, was
lofty IN tone, clear In statement and logical form,
beginning with stately and fervd compliment 10 the
democratic members Of. 1t from both The
Senator then entered upon an explanation Of tho
several provisions 0. the bill. and proceeded with
his argument HIS onset against the allegation
ri the right OF the President OF the Senate
10 exercise Judicial power in the counting Of the vote
was not only herce and destructive II regarded
as knghtiy because OF the chivarous eengs OF that
officer which the Senator contrived TO maintain
when the speech at It's utmost heat
The strong point Of his argument which Senator Ed.
Eunds defended tor half hour with mastery In
clcveness was this:-rhat in response to the
sertion or the foes of tho bill shat 1t ns,itu
nona, the fact appears that there is not y single
'ection OF the constitution, save one, which has en-.
orced itself without Congressional legislation. The
excepted section IS the one which recognized saves as
property, and in notable case, cited by the speaker.
thls constitutional provision decided by the
Supreme Court to allow a slave
property wherever he could ind him.
THIS was the exception to tho rule by which Mr.
Edmunds next agcended TO the height OF his appeal
for the passage Of the present bill.
Eirst-Rsciting the language Of the constitution,
which provides that the electoral shall be opened
by the President OF the Senate and shall then be
counted. He called attention to the fact that the
words "by him" wers NO: added. IL II hai been the
intention. said Judge Edmunds, TO confer tho
President Of the Sena:c the right TO she votes,
two words. and two short Ones too. would have
been appended to that sentence. The right OF Con-.
gress TO decide the clucdation or the problem now
presented, he contended, just plain as
ts right 70 legsaic upon any other constitutional
question 1t had the power TO specify the method
pf counting the electoral vote had to decide upon
thousand other details covered but left obscure by
Ihe necessarily restricted phraseology Of tho constu
zion.
AS to the matter Of precedent the Senator declared
that In point OF TACT tho votes had been by tel
ers at tho Clerks desk after each Presidential election
tor period OF forty years No Az this mad
ever arisen to necessate the action Congress the
matter and the Congress called exercise
. right which had merely lain dormant
The only ornament with which Senator Edmunds
chose to adorn what conceded everywhere here
tonight 10 have been vire aud strenuous prcscn-
ta,ion OF the oil the Joint was pendant
10 his voroaton He Urged neither 70 stimu
late doubts in their minds TO let their wishes
outrun their deliberate judgments, and exhorted The
chamber, ~ behalf oi the country, not to leave IL
danger OF tossing anarchy, resembling mountains
iumblins evcrmore into seas without shore.
In the House Messrs. Willis and Tarbox expressed
their hostility to the Electoral BILL and Mr. Chitten.
den, OF New York. followed with iorc,be speech In
It's defence. In the OF his remarks he
he had ascertalned that shc House contained only
he SAID, Que OF the ninety layman--and while
be bad great respect Tor the constsuton and listened
usually with great interest the discussion OF very
nice and hne points Dy the legal
talent Of the House, in this he mere lay
man, having the interests ami prosperity Of the
y At heart wishing 10 SEQ confidence aud prosperity
restored aud great caamities avertcd begged them
not 70 dwell Too long those recondite nicetes Of
law In which they naturally delighted, ous to the
country at case by passing the Electoral bi. Mr..
Chittendens speech received with evident favor
SENATOR EDMCNDS' SPEECH.
WAsH:NGro Jan. 20, 1877.
The Senate on motion Nr. EDxuSDs. ,rcpj
ofvI, took UP the bill TO provide for and regulate
the counting OF the votes Tor President and VICE
President and tho decision OF the questions arising
thereon the term commencing March !. A. d. 1871
Nr. EpNrxDs sad-Mr. PgEsipxyr-As q fitting
o! the s.deration ui this buI asa
Tho read the twelfth OF the