The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-01-22
f0RTY-F0URTH CONGRESS
WARRINGTON, January 20.
SENATE.

States Senator from louisiana, and asked
that they be read and laid on the table,
which was so ordered. The credentials
are signed by Stephen B. Packard, Gov
ernOr of Louisiana.
Petitions ;avoring woman suffrage
were presented by half the Senate.
Mr.. Dorsey submitted resolution in
structing the Committee on Indian
Affairs to inquire whether there Is any
reason to believe that any portion OF the
school fund OF the FIVE tribes inhabit-
ing the Indian Territory has been di.
rected to other uses; whether any debt
has been incurred by said tribes, and
what legislation is necessary on the SUBJ
ject. Agreed to.
During the morning hour the message
of the President in regard to the occu-
patton of Petersburg by the military on
election day was discussed. Messrs.
Withers and Morton participated.
At the expiration of the morning
hour, on motion of Mr.. Edmunds, the bill
reported b. the special committee IN re.
! gard TO the count Of the electoral vote
was taken up.
| r..
| commencement TO the consideration of
this bill. he would have read the 18th
article of the Constitution of the United
States, which the bill proposed TO exc
cute.
That article having been read, Mr..
Edmunds said that under this article OF
the Constitution, some eight or ten mill
liJns of citizens, authorized by the laws
to elect the chief magistrate in the way
described in this article, had endeavored
to discharge that duty. They had
expressed their preference, and
the contest had been SO close that
| it became matter of serious
dispute between five million people on
one side and five million people on
! the othe. as to which OF their candidates
had been elected. Congress was now
brought lace to face with the question as
TO what means were left for deciding the
dispute. a large part OF the people on
either side believed their candidate
10 have been honestly elected, and if
kept out of Office a great constitutional
wrong would be committed. If there
was any duty greater than another
devolving upon Congress, 1t
was that OF providing some
means by which, no matter
what TIE result might be, all men
might see that the due course of law
had been taken. 1t had appeared to the
committee charged with the onerous and
unpleasant duty of framing this bill,
tina. if the Constitution authorized them
to lay down line of proceedings which
should lead TO any lesult through The calm
and orderly administration of law 1t
would be beniticent act for the Repgb-
lie. On the contrary, if Congress should
lail TO do this, our posterlty under this
or some other form of Government--no
one could szy-would feel that this Con =
gress mad failed in performing this great
duty.
Mr.. Edmunds then referred to the "a
! bors of the Committee aud said that op-
posing political opinion, opposing p,N!i-
cal education and partisan feeling have
subsidized on both sides, and the measure
on which they solemnly united is the bill
reported and recommended 10 the con-
sideration Of the Senate. He explained
the provisions of the bill IN regard to the
| first section He said his own individual
opinion was that where one return only
had been received from State, and it
was objected 10, 1t should be referred
TO the tribunal organized by the
| bl.l, instead Of requiring an affirm
alive vote Of the two houses 10 re-
iect 1t. The tribunal organized by the
| bill would be called on 10 determine
which of the two conflicting certit-
Gates coming from State, was in con.
formity with the Constitution, which the
voice of the people expressed IN manner
prescribed by the Constitution. The COM
mittee thought it best that this tribunal
should consist OF fifteen members, five
Senators, FIVE Representatives and five
Judges Of the Supreme Court,so as to have
It large enough ~ have every possible
opinion and view represented and at the
same time leave it so limited in mum nbers
that it could be capable of prompt action.
IL was = delicate question to Sc
lee: judges who shouli be members
O, the tribunal, SO the committee
thought to take four from various parts
of the Republic would be just. Then
there was the exact number, and 70
guard against prejudice IN the minds OF
these ten million people OF this country,
the committee said these four should
choose the fifth from among their asso
cIa.es. He had never observed any crlti-
cism of the absolute fairness OF this
psn. providing they cou get over the
constitutional objections 10 it, which
these newspaper writers had discovered
aua with which they were no doubt
familiar. The bill also provided that
the Oldest judge should be
president OF tie tribunal. which would
be the venerable Judge Clifford. When
the oath prescribed for the members oi
the tribunal should be taken there would
be no more partisan ship, DO more
enemies; Lo more friends, but the solemn
judgment of judge; that the obligation
when taken, would dismiss from the
minds of the Senators shd Reprosenta-
tiyes every consideration which cloudet
their in.ellects or warped their judg
what had taken plsce, and not Whist
should take piace- II Ihere
wss any value in our civil IL.
s.itutons this was the last and
faal hope. There vas nothing shor. oi
the works OF tie Almighty which furn'
i.hed s more just text Of human right.
than this bill Ii held slosI the sccles ot
Justice. /: gave nothing 10 either side
Il provides that tribunal might, in de.
termining how many and WIS. persons
were duly sPpoi;et electors in Stsie
.ske IN view the depositions and other
papers i. any shall be. BY the ConstI,u-
lion and now existing lsS, competen;
ard pertinent in such considers
,ion. The tribunal mus, decide
According - law This would
De $ strange republic Of aT, if after
according to one lsw the candidate ot
one party has been elec ed, Corgres.
should make suother Law which wonic
elec, candidate of the other party. Toe
right OF A or 10 tbs great office HIIsi
ha is.srrniued by the lac as II s,oO. 90