The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-01-26
THE OPPOSITION TO THE ELECTORAL
BILL.

THE OPPOSITION TO THE ELECTORAL
ELL.
By the terms of the electoral hill, the
tTiers on the part Of the senate and house
are to tic chosen on Tuesday next. And
herein lies the dargcr of lis defeat. Its
opponents, afraid 20 allow the bill to come
10 a vote, will ~endeavor, by flibustering
and dslly, TO stavc off action until after
Tuesday or Thursday of next week. 1t is
to be feared that this may be only too easy
Of accomplishment. The action IN the
part of senators, Wednesday and Thurs
day, shows this desire. When 1t goes to
the house, all of the other bills of the
present congress will have precedence, and
II can only be called up out of its order, by
q two-thirds' vote; although it is in the
power Of a mere majority to take up the
bills which have precedence, Seriatim, and
lay them aside temporarily. but a minority
Of one-ilth can cause delay by demanding
the yeas and nays on each motion. But a
maj )rity Of less than two-thirds can make
no progress in the face Of q factious minor
ity having the power to debate the bill, pro-
pose absurd amendments, ana interpose
votes thereon with motions to adjourn,
calls of the house, calling the yeasand nays,
etc. etc.
The present outlook is that such q ALI
-L--s-A- ~---.Uuus pai iI-aus ia tuv uvm-
ocratic side have struck hands With the ex-
tremists on the republican side to defeat
the bill by factious opposition. These men
are opposed to the bill because they d ire
MT trust the decision of the question to q
fair and Impartial tribunal sworn to decide
oil matters according to the law and facts.
The republican extremists can buster and
proclaim their belief that Hayes in elected
beyond question the democratic parti-
sans can meet it with a game of Drag and
with the assertion that Tilden's election is
beyond controversy but neither of them
are sure of the ground or which they pre-.
tend to stand both are narrowed with
doubts as to what the result actually is;
and 80 both are afraid to have the matter
fairly Investigated and legally and honestly
decided.
Both know that the question is still in
volved 10 doubt, and arc therefore more
than viii NJ to resort to questionable expe.
dents to ave their candidate counted in at
all hiz lrds. The republicans hope thai,
this bi | failing, the president of the senate
wi assum' that, 10 the absence of legisla-
ton, the duty of counting the votes will
devolve on him, and that, under the power
so assumed, he will count in Governor
Hayes. We believe that, in the absence of
all legislation, that duty would devolve on
the president of the senate, but we have
never believed that the trainers of the con.
stitut Oh intended TO confer this power on
that officer, Moreover, there is enough of
a doubt about his right to exercise such
power to make the attempt to exercise it of
more thar doubtful expediency. Further,
with Senators Elmunds, Conkling and
Others of the ablest of republican states
men on record against his tight to exercise
thisp power, it is extremely doubtful if, in
any event, the president of the senate will,
be permittc1 to undertake tho counting of
the vote. The president of the senate Is
the mere creature Of the senate, and can BE-
appointed or removed at will and with
the majority OF the senate opposed to bis
right to count the vote, does any sane msn
believe that he will ever undertake it2 Ii
not, these republicans will lose the stake
for which they are playing.
The democrats hope, by defeating this
bill, that they will have the opportunity OF
asserting the power of tho house to accep,
or reject such votes as the majority of the
members may determine. BY this course,
they propose to count in Governor Tilden
without inquiry, and regardless of honesty,
legality or justice. The claim of this pow
er is more than Of questionable expediency.
IL Is utterly without foundation, is uncon-
siiIutional and revolutionary. The senate
will never consent to it, and i. cannot be
exercised. Samuel j. Tllden can never be-
come president by such meang.
1t IS to compel a resort to one or the
other of those schemes, TO avoid having a
far, honest decision of a disputed question, |
that opposition is made to this electoral
bill. Honest, sensible men will not iustify
such a course by saying, as is raid, that it
is better to have Hayes counted in with
democrats denounciDg the result as a fraud,
than for Tilden to be counted in with re-
publicans making the charge, or oico uersa.
There is no necessity for giving occasion
for the cry of fraud. The bill is framed
TO proven, just such charges, and to settle
this whole controversy 10 such a manner
that neither republican or democrat can
gainsay the result. The people demand the
passage of the bill. The extreme partisans
oppose II.
The claim that the measure Is ~unconstl-