The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1877-01-29
TIVE De RR1l2gRRI
McMAoN SoMWuvY 10



idcntial election, aGd the two Houses
united in the appointment Of n joint
committee to consider the subject and
report yomO measure by which these
conflicting returns might be decided.
and crisis fraught with so much peril
TO the country passed in safety. After
long elaboration this committee have
recommended the passage Of 4 bill in
which the entire committee of ten con-
cur, except Senator Morton. As to the
disputed States it provides, in short,
that their returns shall be referred to
commission Of fifteen, Eve to be selected
by the Senate, FIVE By tho House Of
Representatives, and FIVE judges Of The
Supreme Court. four Of thcss Judges
being specified by the bill, and being
four representing different sections Of
tho country, and these four ere to sc-
Ieet tho 9Th Judge This commission
is to consider the returns from the dis.
puted States. the points Of Objection flied
against them. and all evidence touching
them, and 10 decide which certificate is
tho true and lawful return tested by
the law as it Stood when the vote was
cast, and its decision shall stand as f.
nal and tho count DC governed thereby,
unless ovCr-ruled BY both Houses Of
Congress. Thus decision IN the dis
putcd cases must bo reached. The bill
further provides that nothing in it shall
impair the right of any person to qucs-
ton BY proceedings in tho Courts the
right or title Of any person declared
elected as President or ica.Prcsident.
We feel bound to give this mOusure
an earnest support. As political Or
gan, Tue DEMOcRAT yields to none
other in it, advocacy Of TiIdeu; it has
ever since the election advocated. and
yet advocates and eouGdes in the just
ness Of bis claim, aud hopes to sne his
claim vindicato itself; were the power
Of decision in its hands, it is needless
10 say that it would be for him. But
we are not now advocating a candidate
under the same circumstances US before
M election the election is over; and
We find ourselves called upon to speak
as an organ Of the country face to face
with the crisis that is upon us. What
is the state of things? One OF the
great parties claims that in the absence
Of legislation. the President Of the SEN
ate has the Constitutional right to dc.
eide between competing returns. count
the vote aud declare the result, thus
placing in bis hands the entire decision
Of the momentOus issue; tho ether
great party. denying this claim. asserts
the right Of Congress to decide and dc.
clare the result Of the returns. and that
if the two houses 10 not agree and
therefore make no declaration Of the re.
suit, "a contingency most likely to Oc-
cur, since the Senate is strongly Re-
publican, Tho House strongly Demo.
cratic, the House Of Representatives
should treat it as failure to elect and
thereupOn proceed 10 elect President;
and there are others Sho contend that
III such contingency. the President Of the
Senate would be the President. 1t is
plain that uuless some plan Ct solution
Of the vcxel question be adopted, We
shall find ourselves in one Of two con.
ditiors, either n President declared
elected and his title bitterly and vic.
leutly contested. and his every act be.
clcudcd with doubt, or what is more
probable, two Presidents, one claiming
under tho sctatc, the ether under the
House Of Representatives. Suppose
Two hostile Presidents, one supported
by Eve million voters. the other by
u5ou, the same nuubsr, one part Of the
nution recognizing one. tue other rec.
ogn;zirg The other. What n dreadful
G, ndilion this would be How full Of
financial and COMMERCIAL p'osIraiiOu
and ruiO. and general confusion. an
archy aud chaos! AID who would be
tho albitcr between them? Only that
most dread of all arbiters. CiM Var.
How could it DO avoided? Aud such
W. SUt Ike the. lite -GGsrc, Which,
though terrible in its blasting dcstruc.
ton, was 4 conflict between great sec.
tons divided by defined lines, and us.
sumcd the character of an international
war; but this would be an intestine
strife, repdipg the very bowels of ev.
cry State, every county, every hamlet,
md desolating every homo and iresilG.
No words can cxaegeratc its horrors.
All business would perish, property
would DO valueless, life plaything,
family ties would be sundercd. and al.
ter tho long and bloody struggle we
should have, what? Tho free Republic
Of the fathers gone, and on its ruins
military dcspOtism. Look at poor IN.
hspry Mexico SEQ ourselves pictured
in its mirror. This is just what things
arc tending 10. True, since tho cleo.
ton, time hus quoted the no. excite
,nent which Immediately followed it;
but wait for that critical day 10 Fcbru-
ary, when the vote Is to be count4d. and
see then whether the excitement is oil
dead. The great names Of the commit.
toes recommending this measure 90 q
grcatway with US. Certainly Democrats
can trust Senators Thurman, Rayard
and Ransom, and Republicans Gun trust
Senators Elnunds, FrClinghuyseu and
Coukling. And then there arc tLu
scarcely lesS able members Of tho .om.
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