The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1877-02-15
MESSAGE or THE PRESIDENT.
President Cruut'~ Views at the Electoral
mn "a. LNrrr..ra go the ~rnnIr.

President CrHnt'- Views at the Electoral
HtiI "a ENPrr--rd 10 the senate.
70 M, Senate uf the j-HjtrH States .
follow the example heretofore occa-
sionally presented ot communicating IN
( thus mode my approval ot the act Ca prh-
vide for AMI regulate the counting of the
. vote for President and Vice President
and the docisiuu of questions arising
. thereon, because ut my appreciation al
/ the imminent peril o. the institutions Of
/ tho c1mtN, from which, in my ludg
mcnt. the act provides wise aud conatl-
tutinal means of escape For the first
I time in the history oi uur country under
( the Constitution us 1t nov rs. dispute
1 exists with rrsurd t1 the result ut the
. election of the Chief Magistra,, 1T the
nation /, ls understood tlnt upon the
+ disposition ui dispute, touching the
electoral votes east az the late rlvv,iun 10y
one or muua uf the States depends the
question whether uur ur the other al
4 the candidate, for the Presidency Is the
luW lll Chief Magistrate tn, lmpur-
tau,,, nt having clyul, .srgrtaiuci hy "a
puRoy,lure regulated 10y law which ut
the two citiEgu- hns hHyu elected Bui ul
having the ryht uf TINS high office r,,-
oteun-rd aud chcvrtullN agreed u 10y all
thc people of thr republic, cannot he
ovgry,tmAt,,l. Uul leads me o. express
% Congress and to tho nation my great
satisfaction ut the adoption uf "a measure
shat atlbNis au urjrrly means pl decision
ut "a gIaVyN exciting question:.
Nhilc the history at uur country IN
~ H4
dent oi the Senate has counted the votes
aud declared their standing. uur whole
history shows that Ia uu instance of
doubt or dispute has he exercised the
power al deciding. and that the two
houses oi Congress have disposed ut all
such ,iou Is ami disputes, although IA
mo- instance hitherto have they been
such that their discussion could essen
TALLY have affected thN result For the
first tnuc tAru the governmental of the Uni
ted States IS nov brought 20 meet the
question us one vital o. the result, and
thls under conditions not the best
calculated tr pro>lucr an agreement
or % induce calm feeling IN the several
branches ul the government ur among
the people Of the country. In ease
whore ns nov the result Is involved, II Is
the highest duty Of the Aw-makmg
power TO provide I'm advance cpl,tltu-
tsonal. orderly, aud just method of exc
cutting the Constitution IN tins most IN
terrsting ami critical ul lts provisions,
The doing pa, iar from being a cumpr'-
mise ot right, is an Enforcement ut right
and an execution Of power. conferred 10y
the Constitution m Congress / think
that tins orderly method has been Sc
currd by the bll which, appealing 10
the Constitution and the law as the
guide In ,usccrtMuiug right, provides q
means OF deciding questions uf single
returns through the direct action OF
Congress. and in respect 10 double
returns by tribunal of inquiry,
whose decision shall stand unless
both houses of Congress shall concur
in determining otherwise, thus securing a
definite disposition of all questions ot
dispute in whatever aspect they may
arise With ur without this law, as al
0f the States have voted, and as "a tie vote
is impossible, II must be that one uf the
two candidates has been elected and Il
would be deplorable to witness an lrregu-
lar controversy as b. which ~ the two
should receive or which should continue
Ia hold the Office.
In M periods of history controversies
have arisen as-o the succession uF chuice
of the chiefs ~ States. and u1 party ur
citizen loving the country and It's free iu-
stitutluus can sacrifice TOO much ut mere
feeling in preserving through The upright
course of law their country from the
smallest danger 20 it, peace on such au
occasion. And 10 cannot be impressed
roo firmly IN the hearts ~ all the people
that true liberty and real progress can
exist ouly through "a cheerful adherence
10 constitutional law. The bin purpurts
Ia provide only for the settlement Of quts-
G1us arising from the recent election.
The fact that such questions can arise
theuecessltv. which cannot
doubt VIII before long he supplied, OF
permanent general legislation % meet
c4lses which have not been contemplated
IN the Constitution or laws uf the country.
The bill may not be perfect and its
provisions may uut hc such as would be
best applicable 90 all future uccasiuus.
but j, is calculated 60 meet the present
condition uf the questions and Of the
country. The country is ag.tAt.L Il
needs aid, il desires peace and quict and
harmony between an parties a,.d all scc-
tons. Its industries are arrested. labor
unemployed, capital idle, and enterprise
parulyzed by reason of the doubt aul
anxiety attending the uncertainty OF "a
double claim 10 the Chief Magissucy If
the nation. 10 wants 90 bc assured that
the result of the election viii be accepted
without resistance from the supporters
Of the disappointed candidates. and that
It's highest officer shall not hold his place
with questioned title Of right
Believing that the bill VIII secure these
ends, / give il my signature.
L. = GEANr.
Executive Mansion. JAN -, 1877.