Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1877-01-25
THURSDAY. JANUARY IS. 1877.
The COMPROMISE Bill.

The compromise Dill
Relieving that the proposed Bill will be |
of general interest 20 our readers. we hsve
elsewhere given it in full ,togethe, with the
report OF the Committee who have 50 unan-
. nously given it their sanction. I
The attention OF the whole country has
been turned to their la5ors and now that
the result has been reached and published.
the opinions of the Al4est men in either
party differ both as TO the wisdom of its
provisions. and the decision which will be
reached by the commission. il the bill be-
comes i law.
This paper has thus FAR been among those
wh.s believed that Hayes and Wheeler
were fairly and honestly elected President
and Vice President of the United States
that the Constitution provided in = clear
and unmlsiakable manner through the
President Of the Senate for the counting
and PRONUNCIATION Of the votes of'the cleo
toral colleges a returned by the several
states and that therefore. in spite Of the
buster and threats OF Democratic partizans
the case of the Republican party stood
well enough as it was. The substitution
OF new tribunal for tLat which beyond
the memory Of any living man. has safely
ordered and guided the onward march of
the nation is To say the least 4 hazardous
experiment. II is an immense departure
from the scrupulous watchfulness with
which the Fathers guarded the sovereignty
ofthe States in The election of the Execu-
tive and has thrown down all barriers
heretofore existing between the Legislative
Department aud independent states max
ing the election Of President dependent
solely upon the will of the former. Ii gives
in substance, electoral powers to Congress.
which the Constitution expressly Denies
makes Of Congress, a the Tribune well
saws "a Returning Board"
No fault can rea- ouahly be found with
the fairness OF the selection of the members
OF thi> commission. and il is this feature OF
The bill. which. more than anything else.
viii divert the attention Of the masses from
the dangerous innovation which it intro
duces into the old Time theory of onr GOV
eminent.
We're this question simply, as 10 wheth-
er HAYES or Tilden should be President for
the next four years. the passage of the bill
would be Of comparatively little moment.
but the Constitution once oyer-ridden, can
never after have the same authority. On
one pretext or another. It NAV aud will
hereafter be set aside.
viii tho bin pass:
The general opinion among those best
informed. is, that il will. Republicans in
Senate aud House. having assented to the
raising OF the Committee and all the Re
publican members with one exception hav-
ihg agreed TO report the Bill. II is too late
now 10 oppose il passage. The same is
true Of the Democratic portion ofCongress.
Undoubtedly il both parties. will be
found those. who VIII vote against it.
some viii be extreme or radical men, who
object on account of the fear that the Pres
llen;lll decision may be against them, aud
others, and we think they will be found
among the ablest men. who will not con-
sent in this indirect manner 10 override
the Constitution and thus establish dan
-erous precedent.
should either party take the responsible
ITS to defeat it, the probability is That the
haze and cry which would be raised against
t4cm by the country suffering from stasna-
ZION in every department Of business, would
al the doom of that party The people
everywhere are sick OF the strife and tur-
mon and torturing uncertainty attendant
on the pressnt political status and will I'M
doubtedly force their Representative to &C
cede to their demands.
Some timid Republicans have been fright
ened at the senseless threats of more sense
less Democratic extremists, others are
weary OF a contest which has proved ruin
ous 10 business Interests. and still others
will take ike pill the shortest way out
of the mudde. 50 a Republican majority
will Undoubtedly accept the measure. sA
for the Democrats, the more knowing ones
save here and there Ben Hills foois",
. Will gracefully descend from the high horse
they have been riding, thankful for an op-
portunity to BE- LEI down so easy while the
rank aud fle will follow az biindly as they
voted, add thus Democratic majority will
be secured.
II the bill is brought TO q vote in both
Houses. without prolonged discussion, and
there is no attempt to obtain party advan-
tage by the lacking on Of amendments,
there is at present writing, strong prob
ability of its passage aud if the President
is correctly reported he will undoubtedly
sign it and it win become law.
Another question has beentbroaehed
which mag prove fatal TO the scheme. 1t
is this. The members of the Supreme
Court. who compose the commission, may
not consent, as it has been intimated, TO
act thereon. and ii so, the whole thing
must fall to the ground
What will be the decision of the Com
mission with regard to dfs election of
President? The Republicans having a
good case nor will necessarily have good
ease Before the Board. II, as we believe.
the Commissioners are composed of hon
est, fair minded men, free from undue par
" bias. there is no fear Of the resuf. The
Republicans are indeed yielding the GER
fainty which they now have for an uncer- !
fainty. which must necessarily enter into all
human calculations for the future. Ii is al
WAYS well. and generally safe to intrust
good case, about which a dispute may
have arisen, TO the determination OF fair
and honest men. If this was the sole dan
ger, Republicans would give to the bill q
cheerful assent.