Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1877-01-25

try is now in condition to begin period of
unexampled prosperity, founded upon cor
rect principles of business and proper STAN
dards of value, and all that is wanting is an
amicable and satisfactory settlement of the
Presidential question.
The Irs6une's Washington special, speak
ing of the committees plans, says: 1t is
curious fact that extreme partisans on both
sides in the House of Representatives express
the belief that this bill by its operation will
give the election to their opponent.
The Worlds Washington special on the COM
mittee's plans says: Banks opposes, Crit
tenden supports, and the Congressman from
New York City favor the bill almost with
unanimity, as do most if not all the Demo
cratic Congressman from that State. The
indications are from surface glance at the
opinions of Senators and such as has been
made in the House that the bill will probably
command in the Senate relatively larger
vote than in the House.
In the House, Hurd, Wallace, Southard,
Hale, Bell and others oppose the bill, saying
it is an outrage on the Democratic party.
Others say it is unconstitutional
Douglass, of Virginia, profanely says: II
will see it in - before will vote for it.
Watterson is not pleased with it, but won't
make fight.
Tarbox says: mo department of the gov
ernment can abrogate any of its proper func
tions in favor of anybody. l prefer Hayes
should be counted in, and let the Republican
party take the responsibility of their fraudu-
lent count, than that Congress should stultify
itself by delegating any of its powers to any
one.
Cox elegantly says: Il want to let the
matter soak till morning before express a
decided opinion, for would like to consider
whether we can give any of our powers to
any other fellows, and who these other fellows
are.
New YORK, January 19.-The Times says:
1t does not appear to have occurred to the
House of Representatives that the powers
which majority of the House claim to ex-
ercise over the choice of States, finds no
warrant in the Constitution, and that the
trainers of that instrument took every pre-
caution to guard against any interference by
Congress with the legally declared verdict of
the electoral colleges. Nor do they appear to
have grasped the fact that the only powers
delegated by the plan are those of the Vice
President of the United States, and that the
only fatal objections which can be urged
against it, are that it places the functions OF
that officer in the hands of q commission whose
origin is unconstitutional as its composition is
unwise. After little reflection it will pro-
badly be discovered that the tribunal, consti-
tuted on strict party basis, can only reach
decision either by aid of chance selection
of fifth Judge of the Supreme Court or by
what will be called treachery of some of the
Senators or Representatives composing the
court. In any case the next President must
owe his election under the proposed plan to
an influence which will be strongly tainted
by personal caprice or selt-interest, and will
by the disappointed party probably be asso-
ciated with corrupt intrigue. The gross folly
of exposing the Judges of the Supreme Court
to any such imputations will certainly not be
redeemed by any temporary lull which the
bill will interpose to the strife OF opposing
factions. 1t is not compromise, as Ed
muds says, so far as the Republicans are con-
cerned. 1t is more than compromised is
an abandonment OF position they were en-
titled to hold, surrender OF a method sane
toned by usage and which protects the right
of States to determine the regularity OF their
respective votes. 1t is moreover surrender
which, instead of quietly settling the points
in dispute, lays the foundation for much Bit
terness and discomfort, and drags into the
mire of partisanship the Judges OF the Su-
preme Court at a time when they of all men
should be protected from taint of the two
great parties whose interests are involved.
The Democrats alone have reason to re-
ioice. The world will now believe that the
Federal Constitution cannot endure the strain
of closely contested Presidential election,
and that to meet an emergency which the ad-
herence to the letter of the instrument might
readily have overcome, it is considered neces-
sary to construct rickety piece of machin-
ery which will neither harmonic with other
parts of the system nor contribute to the faith
of the people in the sagacity of their rulers.
The worst feature of the plan is that which
constitutes five of the Supreme Court Judges
as arbiters between the two branches OF Con-
gress. Under no possible circumstances can
they reach conclusion that will be accept