The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-03-23

lilDg dLlebt-Oh "hi hoi ~ ~
as 50 practicable, especially II the
elees5rs were to meet in a body at
Washington, without their positive
status being previously determined be
yond the possibility of contest
COUNTING THE KLKCToRAb VOTE.
Let me also discuss another defect
in our form as it were. of government.
or rather IN the form Of our Constifu-
ton. and that is ia the matter of count
ing the Electoral vote. Applause !
| believe it is of the greatest import
arce that the Executive should
be entirely independent Of the, ,Iegisla !
tive and judicial Gepartments OF This
country. | do not believe that Con
gress should have the right TO create a
vacancy which it can fill l do not
believe that the Senate of the United
States. or the lower House of Congress,
by simple objection should have the
right 70 deprive any State OF Its Elec-
toral vote. Our Constitution now pro
vides that the Electors chosen IN each
State shall meet in their respective
States upon a certain day and here
cast their votes for President and Vice
President Of the United States. They
sliali properly certify TO the yot' cast,
and shall transmit it. together with
the proper certificates, if they can get
them to the Vice President of the
United States. And it is then declar-
ed that upon certain day, III the
resence OF both houses Of Congress,
tie Vice President shall open tie Ger
tifcates. and the votes shall then be
counted. 1t does not exactly say Who
shall count those votes II does not IN
50 many word, say the Vice President
shall DO ii, or may don't or that either
/ house can prevent a count oil the
votes. It leaves us in the dark, and,
70 certain degree, in blindness. be-
lieve there is a way, and very easy
way. ont of this entire trouble, and it
is this: / don't care whether the elec
tors first meet in their respectatlve
States or not, but want the Consti'
tuition so amended that the Electors
of all the States shall meet On a Ger.
tain day in the City of Washington
and count the votes themselves; to al
low that body TO be the judge OF who
are Electors, to allow it to choose
chairman; and to allow the person sc
chosen to declare who is the President
and who is the Vice President of the
United States Applause. The Ex
; ecutive is then entirely free from th'
! judicial Department, and tell you
is a public calamity TO have the ermin'
of the Supreme Court of tine United
States touched or stained with polite
= al suspicion. Applause.
In this way, said before, the elec
, ton of President and Vice PresideD
would be purely political matter
The Executive would be to that ex
tent perfectly independent &c al
departments of this government. Tha
=, course will avoid future complications
that course may avoid future civl
war; that purse will give independ
eDce to one of the departments of thi
/ government, and it will prevent tn
r complications of 1876 II ever occuriDi
; again in the United States. The mod
have pointed out, in other words, vii
prevent the Mexicanization of GU
country. Something must be done, o
sometime the great ship will be dashe'
, to pieces upon the rocks of civil war
. Applause.
: The untenable character of the pre-
y position wouli have been apparen
i during the recent contest. The Col
lege had to be organized; TO
f before its organization there could b
= 10 authority to judge Of the claims
. electors. Hence the two delegation
from Oregon, South Carolina an
, Louisiana. and Hewitt's climant froIl
1 Vermont, would have had admittanc
: previous to the organization an
would have taken part in the work c
: organizing. Plainly, then, the ID,
0 lnocracy would have had so large
i majority present that the organization
u and Committees would have been cor
:, s;ructed with q view 10 maintain cox
{ troll Of the College and all conteste
= cases would have bee II decided in the
( favor That the present metho
a should be amended seems clear. br
If such amendment should require tht
is cases of contest must be settled in I'll
u State where they originate, and certi
: Gates OF election be given only to tho'
d lawfully empowered to cast the vo
Vi OF tie States from which they com
rs The work Of the National Elector
N College would then be simple al
,x short, and its decision be respected
e. one admitting of no doubt. EndOw
d; with power to enquire into the electit
- - and qualification of its members. al
m yoI at once create a Board whose S
of ting might be almost interninable al
III especially in close contests, like L
ss = one Just decided. No; let the Sta
~ seal be final, and be indubita BILE e.
is deuce of the right of those holding
a. TO make known the viii Of the peol
r of the State. If the State is entitl
TO u given representation Ill the C'
10 lege. lis ability and authority to col
al mission its representatives. must Il
/ be questioned. and the Commissio
.r it issues must be final.
he The peroration of this grand lectu
all is, however, the climax OF eloQuenc
%. | extend to you each and all t
We olive branch of peace. Fellow ci
y! zcns of the South, 1 beseech you
", take it, and By tie memory of tho
We who died for naught, 10y the charr
hy remains of your remembered homes,
e' a. the ashes of your statesmen dead, a
IN for the sake of your sons and go
&c, daughters and their fair children y
a a, l to be, | implore you to take it wi
''n ready and loyal hands. [Applaus
1t will cultivate your wasted fields;
,a' will rebuild your towns and cities !;
ne will fill your Golfers with gold; it "
en- educate your children; it will sw
e! the sails of your commerce.; it "
~ cause the roses of joy to Chamber a
Il! climb over the broken cannon of Wa
Oi it will flood the cabins of the freedm
10 with light, and clothe the weak
: Is more than coats of mail, and wrap [
io' poor and lowly in measureless cC
10 tent. Take it, The North will
'e'i give if the South will forget. Take
't'i The negro will wipe from the tab
i!s of memory the strokes and scars
ION 200 yeaIs, and blur with happy te
Gu the record OF his wrongs. Take it,
10 will unite our nation; it will make
hs' brother once again. Take il! a
!r'y Justice shall sit in your courts un'
ion the outspread white wings of Pea
aP Take it. and the brains and lips OF
III future will be free. Take il, ii '
lht bud and blossom in your hands and
U ytur land with fragrance and with
~ Take IL and we have passed the Il