National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1877-01-05
FORT Y-F0URTH CONGRESS.
SECOND SESSION.

THURSDAY, January 4, 1877.
Senate.
The Senate was called to order at IL m. by
PRESIDENT pro fempore FERRY and prayer
was offered by the chaplain.
The CHAIR laid before the Senate q letter
from the Secretary of the Interior, transmitting
the last annual report Of the Central Pacific
Railroad Committee in compliance with the reso-
luton adopted yesterday.
PETITIONS FROM NEW YORK CITIZENS.
Mr.. CONKLlNG presented = petition from
large number Of distinguished citizens CT New
York. Mr.. q. said: have been requested 20
present this petition, weghty by reason of the
subject to which 1t relates, and by reason also Of
the number and character of those who sign it.
The petitioners are citizens of New York, distin-
guished not only for their prominence as men,
bers of society," but for the large and varied inter-
ests they represent They are men prominent in
each of the great political parties of the country
1 observe among the signatures names which at
the recent Presidential election were found on
the opposing electoral tickets 1 observe the
names OF eminent bankers, merchants, manufac-
turers, shippers, scholars, professional men and
other names long and honorably associated with
leading enterprises and Industries. 1t would be
difficult to select in any State In the Union one
hundred and fifty individuals and friends who
represent a greater sum Of proper intelligence
and character, or who, as petitioners, deserve
more consideration. The petition is brief, and
will read 1t.
He then read the petition of New York me--
of their pleasure at the appointment of q special
committee by each House to devise means for the
pressing the hope that all party considerations
would be thrown aside, and pure, unselfish pa
tri0tism control the action Of Congress.
Resuming his remarks, Mr.. CoNKLING said !:
In laying this petition before the Senate, 1t may
not be amiss to add an avowal Of my sympathy
with its appeal for orderly, lawful and patriotic
instance, and especially in an instance SO grave
as the one referred to- partisan feeling as q guide
Obedience to law, the observance Of the Constitu-
tion and the maintenance of truth is not a party
question or proceeding. 1t is beyond party and
believe 1t is wholesome in a free government that
parties should contend-over measures and can
didates: But when the contest has been submit
ted to the allotbox-the final arbitrament of
popular contests known in our systematic only
duty, the only lawful proceeding connected
with 1t which remains, is to ind the honest, true
That is
THE DUTY OF THE HOUR.
It rests on the two Houses of Congress; it rest
the nations 1t rests every citizen Of the Repub-
lie. That 1t will be done, and done peacefully,
decently and in order these petitioners do not,
may derive confidence from the fact that Interest
and expediency, not less than patriotism and
honor, point in all directions to teach lesson.
Whoever stands on right and truth will not fall;
whoever attempts to stand on wrong and false
hood will be over thrown. move the reference
Of the petition to the committee to which 1t prop
Mr.. CONKLING also presented fourteen me-
MORALS Of ship owners and others, demonstrating
against the passage Of the House bill to amend
the shipping act. Commerce.
Mr.: DAVIS, Of W. Va, presented petition Of
merchants, bankers and others, in favor of an
amicable settlement Of the Presidential contest.
Referred to the special committee appointed to
consider that subject.
Mr.. WALLACE, Of Pa, presented O similar
petition Of bankers, merchants and others Of Co
lumbia, Pa. Same reference.
Mr.. CRAG1N, Of N. H. presented petition of
citizens of New Hampshire, in favor OF the pass
pended balance Of the Geneva award. Referred
to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr.. CHAFFEE, of Col, introduced a bill to
districts. Referred to the same committee.
Mr.: BOUTWELL,. Of Mass, introduced bill
for the relief Of F. r. Clark, late captain 10th
Mr.. WRIGHT, OF Iowa, introduced a bill for
the relief of Thomas E. Maley; both of which
were referred to the Committee on Military At
fairs.
Mr.. MORTON, of Ind, moved to take up the
resolution reported by the Committee on Privi-
lsges and Eleetions yesterday requiring Mr., M.
graph office at Jacksonville, Oregon, to answer
questions propounded to him by the committee in
Dental elector, Sc, but he subsequently with
drew his motion At the request Of Mr.. W RIGHT,
who desired to address the Senate upon the bill
recently introduced by him to establish . court
PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES.
Mr.. WRIGHT then called up the bill for the
purpose of having It referred, and explained the
different sections Of his Dill, which provides:
vote. for the once may contest the ' ~
hce Of President and Vice President.
2 The contestant shall give notice within ten
election to the Secretary Of State.
5. The Secretary, Of State shall immediately
cause copies Of all accompanying papers to be
Of the supreme Court, and tn. Chief Justice
shall notify the person who has 5es1 declared
same within three days after the meeting Of the
court
l. The court for trial Of these contested cleo
Judges Of the Circuit or District Courts of the
United States, to be selected by the said Chief
Justice from those of different political parties
contest, nor in any manner relsted thereto. The
court shall meet in Warrington, and the Chief
Justice shall preside.
oath for the occasion.
9. Judges shall be paid so per day.
:. The court shall have power to make and en-
force all regulations not contrary to law.
8. The court shall have power to allow amend
ments to pleadings, but there shall be no un-
necessary delay in the hearings.
9. Each of the judges shall have power to ad.
minister oaths, and the court shall have power to
send for persons and papers and enforce attend
all questions, and shall keep record.
10. That any party to such contest feeling ag-
grieved by the Judgment of the court may appeal
Mr.. WRIGHT said he aimed to prepare his bill
80 as to meet every question that might arise,
and while he did not claim It to be perfect, he
4 ha Tn0h n faaN arxfu IaNNA
could make it. He reviewed some of the disturb
ances which have arisen pending the decision of
ehs IN to the
Cronin in setting up and organizing himself into
a whole electoral college, and said for audacity he
could not but help admire Cronin. for If he had
acted in this case on his own responsibility he GER
tainly was genius; but If he had only been an
agent for carrying out what some one else designed
then he had contempt for parties who had not
the courage to carry out their schemes of fraud
and also for the person who was willing to be the
tool Of others.
He spoke at great length as to the constitu-
tional powers of Congress, and the advantage of
having such q tribunal as proposed by his bill,
one effect Of which he argued would be to pre-
vent fraud and violence in our national cleo
tons.
LOUISIANA.
Mr. BOGY, of NO., presented portion of the
evidence taken by the Democratic committee
which recently witnessed the count by the Re-
that the usual number of copies be printed for
the use Of the Senate.
motion Of Mr.. BoGY to have 10000 extra
copies printed was referred to the Committee on
Printing.
Mr.. HERMAN, Of N. Y, in reply to the argu-
ment Of Mr.. WRIGHT, said the duty Of counting
the votes for President and. Vice President was
an important one. He did not expect that Con-
gress would now, by legislation or by constitu.
tiOnal amendment, relieve any of the difficulties
which might arise from the counting Of the cleo
tOral vote, He could not agree with some of the
views expressed by the Senator from Iowa, [Mr.
WRIGHT and desired to express his dissent now
The Senator from Iowa had argued that it was
the right and duty of the presiding officer of the
Senate to count the vote; that the duty was i'm
posed upon him. He (Mr. KEENAN, could not
agree to that construction OF the Constitution.
He did not think 1t was the intention OF the
trainers of the Constitution to impose any such
duty on that officer. The two Houses Of Congress
had the right, and had imposed upon them by the
Constitution the duty of counting the vote. He
then quoted from the Constitution, and said the
duty devolved upon the two Houses Of Congress,
representing the States and the people, to see
that no improper or fraudulent vote was counted.
He did not desire to argue this question
at length to-day, but submitted that the
two Houses of Congress were not to sit dumb
like statues and see wrong go on. The practice
Of counting the vote had not been in accordance
with any such construction of the Constitution.
On every occasion each House had appointed
tellers to count the votes, and, as he read the
precedents, on every occasion when any question
had arisen in regard to counting certificate tho
two Houses had separated to decide the matter.