The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-02-08
The President and the Plan.

The following is the text of the Presi.
dents message concerning the Electoral
bill:
To The Senate of The United &aies;
L follow the example heretofore occasion.
ally presented of communicating in this
mode my approval Of the act to provide fol-
and regulate the counting of the votes for
President and Vice-President, and the de.
cision of the questions arising thereon, be.
cause OF my appreciation of the imminent
peril to the institutions of the country, from
which, in my Judgment, the act affords a
wise and constitutional means of escape.
For the first time in the history of our
country, under the Constitution as it is
now, a dispute exists with regard to the
result of the election of the Chief Magis.
trate Of the Nation. It is understood that
upon the disposition of the disputes touch
ing the Electoral votes cast at the late
election by one or more of the States
depends the question whether one or
other of candidates for the Presidency is
the lawful Chief Magistrate. The impor.
lance of having clearly ascertained by pro.
cedure regulated by law which of two
citizens has been elected, and of having the
right to this high Office recognized and cheer
fully agreed in by all people of the Repub-
lie, can not be over.estimated, and leads
me to express to Congress and to the Nation
my great satisfaction at the adoption of the
measure that affords an orderly means of
decision of the gravely exciting questions.
While the history of our country in its early
periods shows that the President of the Sen.
ate has counted the votes and declared their
standing, our whole history shows that in no
instance of doubt or dispute has he exer.
cised the power of deciding, and that the
tive houses of Congress has disposed of all
such doubts and disputes although in no in
stance hitherto have they been such that
their decision could essentially have
effected the result. For the
first time, then, the Government of the
United States is now brought to meet
the question as one vital to the result, and
this under conditions not best calculated
to produce an agreement or to induce calm
feeling in the several branches of govern
In a case where, as now the result is in
volyed, it is the highest duty of the law
making power to provide in advance a
constitutional, orderly, and just method of
executing the Constitution in this most
interesting and critical clause of its pro-
The doing SO, so far from beng a
compromise of right, is an enforcement of
right and an execution of powers conferred
by the Constitution on Congress. l think
that this orderiymethod has been secured by
the bill which, appealing to the Constitution
and laws as a guide in ascertaining
rights, provides q means of deciding the
of single returns through the direct
action OF Congress, and. in respect to the
double returns by a tribunal 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. As all of the States have voted, and
as a tie vote is impossible, it must be that
one of two candidates has been elected, and
it would be d~eplerable to witness an 1rregu.
lar controversy as to which of the two should
receive. or which should continue to hold.
the office. In all records of history contro.
have arisen as to succession or
choice OF chiefs of States, and no party or
cltlzen, loving their country and its free in.
situations. can sacrifice too much of mere
in preserving, through the upright
of law, their country from the
smallest danger to its peace on such an occa.
sion, and it can not be impressed too firmly
in the hearts of all the people that true liberty
and real progress can exist only through
adherence to constitutional law,
The bill purports to provide only for the
settlement of the questions arising from the
recent elections. The fact that such cues.
can arise, demonstrates the necessity,
which | can not doubt will before long be
supplied, of permanent general legislation to
meet cases which have not been contem.
plated in the Constitution or laws of the
country: The bill may not be perfect, and
is provisions may not be such as would be
applicable to all future occasions. butitis
to meet the present condition of
he questions and of the country. The coun.
ryis agitated; it needs and it desires peace
md quiet and harmony between all
'arties and all sections. Its industries
re arrested, labor unemployed, capital idle
enterprise paralyzed by reason of the
loubt and anxiety attending the uncertainty
t a double claim to the Chief Magistracy Of
he Nation. 1t wants to be assured that the
esult of the election will be accepted with.
ut resistance from the supporters of the
candidate, and that its highest
fhcer shall not hold his place with a aues.
loned title of right. Believing that the
i'll will secure these ends, l give it my sig.
ature. u. s. RAN
EXECUTIVE MANSION, January %, 1877.
BROOKLYN Argus: Sealskin sacques for
1~1Iz-