The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-01-30
WASHINGTON.
MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT.
He Signs the Compromise Bill.
THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION.
Davis Not the Fifth Judge.
Sargent's Report of the Florida
Investigation.
He Signs the Compromise Bill.
THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION
Davis Not the Fifth Judge.
Of the President ApprOy.
Ing the Electoral Bill.


WASHINGTON, January 2O.-The fol.
lowing is the text OF the Presidents mes.
sage concerning the Electoral bill, to the
Senate Of the United States:
| follow the example heretofore oCca.
sionally presented Of communicating in
this mode my approval Of the act 10 pro.
vide for and regulate the counting OF the
votes for President and Vice President,
and the decision Of questions arising
thereon, because Of my appreciation OF
the imminent peril TO the Constitution OF
the country, from which, in my judg.
ment, the act affords wise and constitu.
tional means Of escape. For the first
time in the history Of the country, under
the Constitution as il now is, \ dispute
exists with regard to the result Of
the election Of Chief Magistrate Of
the Nation. II is understood that
upon the disposition Of the disputes
touching the electoral vOtes cast at the
late election by one or more Of the States
depends the question whether the one or
the other ofthe candidates for the Presi-
dency ia the lawful Chief Magistrate.
The importance Of having clearly ascer-
tained, by procedure, regulated by law,
which OF the two citizens has been elect.
ed, and, il having the right TO this high
office, recognized and Cheerfully agreed in
by all the people Of the Republic, cannot
be oVer.estimated, and leads me to ex-
press to Congress, and to the nation, my
great satisfaction at the adoption
OF u measure that affords an orderly
means Of decision Of gravely exciting
questions. While the history Of our
country i'll its earlier periods shows that
the President Of the Senate has counted
the votes and declared their standing,
our whole history shows that in no in
stance Of doubt or dispute has he exer-
cised the power Of deciding, and that the
the two houses Of Congress have disposed
Of all such doubts and disputes, although
in no instance 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 condi.
tions not best calculated TO produce
agreement or TO induce calm feeling in
the several branches OF the Government
or among the people OF the country. In
case where, rs now, the result il involved
it is the highest duty Of the law makers
TO provide in advance constitutional,
orderly and Just method OF executing the
constitution in this most interesting and
critical clause OF its provisions. The
doing so, 80 far from being n compromise
Of right, is an enforcement Of right and
m execution Of the powers conferred
by the Constitution on Congress. think
this orderly method has been secured by
this bill, which, appealing to the Consti.
tuition and law as guide in ascertaining
rights, provides means OF deciding ques-
tions Of single returns through the direct
action Of Congress, and in respect to
double returns, by q tribunal Of inquiry
whose decisions stand unless both Houses
OF Congress shall concur in determining
otherwise, thus securing definite dispo.
sition OF all questions OF dispute in what
ever aspect they may arise. With or
without this law, as all OF the States have
voted, and as tie vote is impossible, il
must be that one Of the two candidates has
been elected, and it would be deplorable
to witness an irregular controversy rs to
which oil the two should receive or which
should continue TO hold the office. In
all periods OF history, controversies
have arisen as to the succession or the
choice Of the Chiefs OF the State, and no
party or citizen loving their country and
its free institutions, can sacrifice too
much Of mere feeling in preserving
through the upright course OF law, their
country from the smallest danger to its
peace. Onsuch an occasion, and tcannot
be impressed too firmly in the heart Of all
people that true liberty and real progress
can exist, only through cheerful adherence
to the Constitutional law. The bill pur-
ports to provide only for the settlement
OF the questions arising from the recent
elections. The fact that such questions
can arise demonstrates the necessity
which cannot doubt, will, before long,
be supplied Of a permanent general leg
islation, 10 meet the cases which have not
been contemplated in the Constitution or
laws Of the country. The bill may not
be perfect and its provisions may not be
such as would be best applicable 10 all fu.
ture occasions, but il is calculated
TO meet the present condition OF the
question and OF the country. The coun.
try is agitated; it needs and desires peace
and quiet aud harmony between ali par
ties and all sections. Its industries are
arrested, labor unemployed, capital idle,
and enterprise paralized by reason OF
doubt and anxiety attending the uncer.
tainty Of double claim to the Chief
MaSistraCy Of the nation. It wants to
be assured that the result Of the election
will be accepted without resistance from
supporters Of the disappointed candidate,
and that its highest officer shall not hold
his place with a questioned title Of right.
Believing that the bill will secure these
ends, give it my signature,
u GRANT.
Ereeutire Mansion, January %, 1877.
Dn,,Y,I,IK.n,, H,ou..,a