Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-01-27


of Congress to go behind the face of /
State certificate.
After March 4th, then this legisla- 2
ton leaves the nation, not IN the POSI- a
tion II occupied before November 1876, .
but exactly where it stood when the
constitution was first enacted, before
the experience of single election had
been acquired as guide to the mode
of carrying the constitution into effect.
Unless therefore important modiica-
tions of the Constitution are carried
out before November 1880, all the diff
ficulties and controversies of 1877 will |
recur in February and March 1881.
And now with all these difficulties
and objections to. the measure of the
recent conference committees, our
readers will certainly think that we
have set ourselves no easy task in JUS
tifying our avowed purpose of advo-
eating its adoption. 1t is obvious that
it is only as a choice of evils that we
can do so.
We believe it true as we have said,
that the constitution with the prece-
dents of former congresses carrying it
out, was a sufficient glide for the pres
ent congress and sufficient refutation
of the assumptions of those who de-
sire to count in a defeated candidate
by the exclusive action of the Presi-
dent of the Senate. But the desper-
ate gang of political gamblers now
surrounding the presidential chair,
, including the arch traitor who sits on
5 it, had announced their assumption OF
an opposite view and their intention of
carrying out the purpose we spoke OF
r above, with the forcible intervention
of military and naval power to back
r them, and we saw no prospect of re-
0 sistance to that purpose.
1t is true that the West spoke out
: manfully about it, but the East was
: trembling for its stocks and bonds,
# those who spoke for the South spoke
: for her in a most uncertain tone, and
resistance was madness if only a Sec
J. ton of the people were likely to join
= init.
y And when the vacillation of the OPP
o position gave evident strength and
: courage to the conspiratOrs, who push
ed their avowed purposes with more
If unblushing effrontry than ever, it be-
l. came manifest that some such action
l. of Congress as this, committing the
h more moderate portion of the Repub'
i lican party to a condemnation of the
ID purposesssof the Presidential Junta
= seemed the only alternative of those
t. who desired to interpose some obstacle
g. to these high handed proceedings.
I'd The present bill therefore maugrt
OF all objections seemed the least Objec
OF tionable method for checking the con
re spirators; it sets aside the preposter
n Gus claim for the President of thu
ne Senate to decide the election, it leave
N. it to the discretion of the COMMITTEE
IS, whether they shall or shall not go be
IS hind the face of a States certificate
dy and it declares that, if with the help o
he this committee the two Houses can
n not agree, the House of Representative
se must proceed to an election; cuttin
an off either the accession of the Presl
: a dent of the Senate or the holding o.
lat of the existing President.
III That it effectually disposes of tn
Ill executive conspiracy is confirmed b
we the fact that Messrs. Morton and SheI
10 man have already declared their unre
re- lenting hostility to it. On the othe
TO- hand it seems to be fully settled tina
it will have in the Senate the supper
'en of all the Democrats and majority
lis the Republicans, the extreme parti
an sans of the Republican party formin
Id there the only opposition. In tn
:. House of Representatives, thong
i!S Democrats have raised serious demul
III to it. it is believed that the grei
~ body of the party will vote for 1t an
SeS that these together with the conservi
'ne tive republicans will form "a large mi
- jority in its favor.
Great pressure is said to be exerte
upon the President by the extreu
to Radicals who surround him to Undue
anu him to veto the bill whenever 1T COM
es. ND from Congress and objections
for it's constitutionality which will
ties raised on both sides will furnish hi
onJ the excuse for it, but in this event
in would doubtless be passed over h
SEES, head by more than the required tV
re; thirds majority.
icb We are free to admit that the arg
ar ment of Mr.. Edmunds (rep) whic
ow- we expect to print next week hi
me satisfied us that it is not unconstlt'
ar tional; the great objection unremove
ees, is the unsatisfactory position in whiC
sed it leaves matters for future election
SUI these, as it seems to US, must neeess
!, he rily be met by alterations in the Co
. of stitution which cannot be altered
ity we pass from one election to anothe
9en if the Congressional action at one ele
ton is to be no precedent for the pr
cedure of the next, then all this al
eA- tation will have to be renewed at eve
by future election, and Congress W
mel again be called upon to legislate at
the period when the excitement OF par
the e -. / 800, Il loco,oa lauiSl n tiOn .