The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1877-02-02

Louisiana as member OF the House. he having
accepted the appointment OF Judge 81 The SUI
In the Senate, on the 18th, Mr.. Ed
munds, from the special committee appointed 10
devise means for counting the Electoral vote.
submitted n report in writing. accompanied by a
bill. lie said the report. he was happy 70 say.
WAS signed by all the members OF both commit
tees with ono exception. The committee would
desire % take the bill up az the earliest possible
day, probably SATURDAY, but certainly Monday
next, and would press Il To a hnal consideration.
Tho committee was OF the opinion that the
measure they recommended was not what
could be called compromise. but Il was meas
ure OF justice IN aid Of constitutional govern
msni. No one would have the right 70 say that
respect. MIR. Jones. OF Florida, presented the
petition Of Williamson call. Robert n. Hilton,
2. r. Young and Robert Bullock, Democratic
ing 70 have been legally elected. and
asking that the Electoral vote cast hy
them for President and Vice President be
counted instead OF that cast by the Electors on
the other side. On mot on OF Mr.. Jones the pc-
tition was laid on the table, and he gave notice
that he would cal, Il up next week. After the
report and bill concerning the Electoral count
were read. the Senate took up the resolution
recently submitted by Mr.. Wallace on the same
subject, and Mr.. Bogy spoke At length in reply
70 the recent argument Of AIR sherman In re-
gard 70 Louisiana matters ... The House spent
some time in consi lering the report OF the House
COMMITTEES on rrivli. ges and duties Of the House
Ing the door minority report
was offered hy the Republicans
Of the committee, which declares that. in the
absence Of any legislative ar other provision the
President OF the senate opens and declares the
votes. Mr.. Payne. Chairman Of the Committee
on counting the Electoral votes. made concur
rent report OF the two committees of the House
and senate. which he said had been signed by
the seven members OF the House Committee and
by six out OF seven members OF the Senate Com.
mlttce. The report was then read. and IL was,
on motion Of Mr.. Payne, recommitted and or
dered printed. Mr.. Payne stated he would soon
move TO make Il special order.
In the Senate, on the 10Th, Mr.. Cameron,
OF Penn. presented resolution adopted by the
Pennsylvania Legislature in reference to count
ing the Electoral vote. The resolution declares
that the cert Gates Of Electors from various
States are constitutional evidence OF votes cast
for President and Vice President and must be
counted. Ordered printed and 10 lie on the Ia
amended and then passed. Ir Bosy continued Sa, si
his remarks IN regard TO Louisiana affairs. in
the course Of which ne severely denounced Mr..
Packard. His remarks were loudly APP
plauded by the gallery on the right OF the
Chair. and on motion Of Mr.. Edmnnds that gal
lery was Immediately cleared BY the Sergeant
at Arms. Messrs. sherman and Morton replied
TO Mr.. Bogy. defending the character Of Gov
ernor Packard. An executive session was then
held. .... he House adopted resolution dis
charging VIM. Orion from custody, the tele-
grams called for having been produced by the
officers OF the company. Messrs Wells and
Anderson. OF the Louisiana Returning Board.
we're brought before the bar Of the House, but
requested that their examination be deferred un-
III the arrival o. the other members OF the Board.
Referred - the Judiciary Committee.
In the Senate, on the Goth. Mr.. Morton
presented the credentials OF william Pitt KEEL
logg. as Uritsd states Senator from Louisiana,
and asked that they be read and laid on the Ia
bic. SO ordered The credentials arc signed
b. stephen Is. Packard Governor Of louisiana.
AZ the expiration q the morning hour, on mo-
ton Of Mr.. Edmunds. the bill reported by the
special com mittee N regard - the count Of the
Electoral vote was taken up and Mr. Eimunds
made lengthy argument in favor Of its passage,
which was listened 20 atteniively lie said that
the tribunal 70 be appointed under the bill was
y decide the questions brought before
them strictly IN accordance with the
"a law e. \ existed Al. "a, on the ,-i ~
q method and ascertain what was law and fact
az that time. II had been said this tribunal
might go behind the returns from state. II the
two houses OF Congress had power 20 do that
thing the tribunal would also have such power,
but II the two houses Of oLgress had no right
p overhaul the action Of a sovereign state, then
this tribunal would have no such rights. The
committee agreed that this Presidential contest
murt be settled upon the principles and law that
existed when i took place. Nothing could be
more fair than leaving neutrality-suspicious. 10 such
a tribunal. II had been cntended by some gen
tlenen that the Constitution committed the right
ofdecidng who should be President q the United
states 70 one or more persons or boiles. II that
was uue, IL was fatal 70 this bill. The C0nstitu-
ton carefully enumerated every power OF the
judicial and executive authorities 81 the Govern
ment. II the trainers ~ Il dcsignci 10 confer
sucn puw~r upon the President Of the senate.
how ~ fortunate twas they did not say 40 which
migi nave been done By two more words. II
stAgkrr,s human crcdnlity 20 believe the trainers
Of the constitution had thus designed 20 fura the
President Of the senate into judge on the most
critical case which could beiall the public. and
should not have said 80 IL power TO
open the certin ate from state implied power
g decide 90 rs contents when opened, then the
was the President but h. fEdmundsj denied
that power 70 ITO one thing implied power % %
do another. The Constitution desared Congress
should have power 70 pass any law 70 carry into
execution any power ve-tet in any department
Of the Government; the Constitution LETT IL 10 the
law making power 70 carry AL these great forces
is'o execution. He then read from me decisions
constitutional. The right 70 dec tie who was
President did not rest with the President 81
the senate, neither did II rest with Congress cx-
effect He denied emphaticaily that the Presi-
dent OF the Senate had always opened and count
ell the Electoral votes. For Just forty years of
Government there never was an instance
where the Electoral certificate was drawn into
question. The bill did not take from the Presi-
dent Of the senate or from the House Of Repre-
sentativcs any power which the Constitution had
vestcf In them, and therefore was not uncon
stitutisnal. In conclusion he hoped senator's
would carefully consider whether II was
wise by stimulating doubts in their own minds
" send this republic like the mountains which
the poet spoke o., ''tumbling Ia the sea witaout
shore" or whether In fair course OF equal law
the dispute should he justly settled. .....In the
House the Indian appropriation bill was taken
up and discussed at length.
In the Senate, on the ed, consideration
was resumed Of the bill In regard % counting the
Electoral vote. and Dir. Morton took the floor.
He said the bill was the product Of a monstrous
plan. The shadow o. intimidation had cnt red
tie senate chamber. lie believed Rutherford u.
u ala fs44a
law, and he should be counted In. az eighteen
other Presidents had BEN. and inaugurated.
There would lie no revolution. The Constitu-
u, n provides that the Precedent ~ the senatn
shall, in the presence a. the two honees. open all
the certificates aud the vote shall then be count