New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-01-26

DEBATE OPENED IN THE HOUSE.
SPEECHES BY MESSRs. M'CRARY, HUNiON, HQAR,
GOoDE, AND HEWITT IN ADVOCACY OF THE
BILI--MEs>Rs. HALE AND MONROB IN opp 81
TON.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 25.-Immediately after
the opening of the session of the House of Repre-
sentatiyes this morning Mr.. Payne Dem, Ohio
moved go to business the Speakers table, in order
refer the bin of the joint committee. which had
from the Senate TO the Committee Counting the Flee
toral Vote. Mr. Payne, in answer TO question, stated
that the committee had decided to report back the bill
Immediately, and to let the debate run all day to-day
with night session. that the House would ;hen adjourn
till III O'Clock tomorrow. and that ho would call the pre-
yious question at o'clock tomorrow , .
Mr.. Frye Qep. Me) suggested that during the last
four hours the debate speeches sbOud be limited to
10 minutes in order that members should have lime 10
Mr. Payne said that he would modify his request
have tomorrow's session begin at O'clock, the
speeches. aud members have the rigb to enlarge their
speeches for the Record This was agreed to 10y Gnan
mitce Electoral Votes and was immediately reported
back by Mr. Payne. chairman of the committee After
passed by the Senate precisely the bill reported
from the committee in the first place. He entered mo
tion TO rccOmmit the bill IN order to prevent amend
ments being offered 10 the bill.
GRAVE QUESTION TO BE MET.
Nj. Hunton Dem, VaJ advocated the measure. He
spoke of Presidential elections dangerous periods in
wreck the ship of state. He declared That
all preceding troubles of that character sank into ahso
Lutte insignifcauce compared with those that now
stared Congress and tie country In the face From at
least OF the Union two OF electoral
would be presented for counting. That the grave
question which had to be met not in spirit OF partisan
ship but Of craftsmanship He himself subscribei ear
nestly and heartily the doctrine that the power To
count the electoral votes belonged 10 TIE two Houses Of
Congress and moi TO lie President Of the senate bat the
la, Of flpso
the country. As nett her party WAS willing 20 yield ITS
conditions that point the time had arrived when Con
,rcss should rise above partisan feeling and adopt
mode Of settlement that world tide over tbs difficulties
and avert danger of He held thar inst tine Iccrs
provided for III the TwenySccond JOINT Euic were but
the organ of the two houses 30 the commission pro-
vided for the bin but their organ to for them
what they themselves might do IL, also held that
thc houses had the right com. Tie votes, they
had right BY concurrent action 10 agree to any node Of
counting that might best - ttcm. IL believed
that unless such plan as this bill adcp'ed, 40
earthly power could prevent war; confusion the dlsrn
o! the Government, and an end OF republican @i
uoES in America. lt.was th reioft nigh ana solemn
Goiy on the part OF Congress 70 bring anoUt peaceful
slion Of the difficulty ana de over this cNentful period
ADANGEH0Us CONSPIRACY.
Mr.. Goode (Dem. Va) said the IncnIbcrs OF the con
current committee which had reported th.s bill were
emncny entitled to the thanks Of Congress and of the
country for their patient selfSacrcmg and patriotic
labos and he had hestancy in declaring that he
prepared accept his share Of responsibility and
to accord the rlau proposed his and cordial
support. lie trum2red circumstances, iIclId NJ PrcSi
dent Grants T,iOn the Sth Of November that Mr.
Hayes was elected, the stItiOnng Of troops IN the
South The manipulation Of votes by Secictar Chandler
&C. c which hc said demonstrated The cyiSt1nce Of
wid spread and dangerous cons piracy 20 dtclnt She
imam 4nrution of Hayes lie convinced and he was
strengthened III that conviction bY tho dcoai" iii the seq
ate, hat u the earnest wish oi pOrJE ~ t"c EtpH-
lcan leaders lat tuce sHtnG he la agreement on any
plan for counting thc electoral votes II i hi were r.
icrlcd none would he agreed upon. .nd wa'n the Two
houses came together 10 connt the electoral vote there
would he a disagreement. In liat even; t' House al
Representatives would have II eject iac President, and
reader a f-ht. he asked whether the gentlemen on
the other side prepared for tie latter alternative.
| IA iudlstpct lnu1naF If "NtS't We're they uy Tho
nc1ple whom thay represented ready tc conflict of
arms! Were they prepared TO "cry havoc ana let sip
the dogs OF WJrE II theyNtTc nl thcn no appealed 10
thc, by all the memories Of IN" past ana al ne hopes
future, TO pause before they cnt1Icd On struggle
tho END Oi which no man could iur see.
EXTRAORDINARILY OBJECTIONS
Mr. Monroe rep, Ohio expressed deep regret that
he could not TO. the bill H. had given il careful
and candid considerations but there objections
to it which, to his mind, had proved msaperable He
stated the constitutional objections TO it, OF which
was that it irTeyOcably deprived tho VcePrcsdcnt Of
all power ascertain and decide the lawful electoral
votes. He denied that Congress had :ho light To give
away that power of the VoPcsdcnt to any other body.
He believed that the bill coufictcd with most Of the
,incipal theories held the subject. The practical
difficulty was that members asked To Yoic foT u
measure which cOnfcteI sharply with cherished cOnstl-
tutIOna theories NhOeytr was 10 be charged Win dS-
cc tany not bc made agaft those VINO, out or regard
for suc.i convictions, RETAINED nom avons the meas
ire He should prefer to have the electoral VOTES counted
the old way and trust 10 the good sense tho in0dcri-
ton and the patriotism OF Congress and Of The country
for q peaceful aud satisfactory result.