The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-01-25

foot; and section > provided
Each house shall proceed choose by ballot
cs'e The ceticass OF the electors from the rresidnn OF
Each member OF the committee vas to take and
subscribe an oath, and to that oath, tor purpose
ask attention. The oath Was
win mpar,i.y anime The votes by the electors
pether with ali the exceptions aud petitions against them
and true Judgment give thereon TO the
Section 4 provides
The President OF Senate shall then deliver to the
chairman Of the Grand Committee ali the eerthcat
mted by them or by the executive authority any
and all ,he petitions exceptions aud the
voted. together with the testimony accompanying the
same.
A COMMISSION IN SUCCESSION
The Senator from ONO observed enormously, ycster
day, that the pending oil provides for succession OF
the commission. Not SO. This DILL OF 1900 made that
provision. will read It,
They shall sit with closed doors and majority OF tho
me mbers may proceed to act Provided the hummer from
But for an unwiilingness TO iako the time of the
Senate would remind the Senator from California
how our fathers argued that impartality was gained
by countcrposing against each other bias
One house at that time was largely federal, tho
other was largely republican,, divided as the houses
are now, and thus scheme provided that
this committee DO OF both should proceed
10 only when each house represented exact
equality. Section provided that The Grand Committee
shall have power to send Tor persons, papers and
records TO compel the attendance OF witnesses; to
administer tho oaths TO all pers examined before
them and To punish contcmpts OF witnesses refusing
TO answer aud who shall be convicted Tor wu and
rupt perjury. Section ask attention to II. That the
Grand Committee shall have power inquire examine
decide ami report upon the constitutional qualifications
OF tho persons voted Tor President anu Vice pres
dent OF the United States. pom tho constl utional
qualifications OF the electors appointed by tho
different states, ana whether tAeir uppo nment was
authorized by the state Legislature upon NIL Pc
uons aud exceptions against corrupt, illegal conduct
OF The electors. or io'cc, mcnaces or improper
used to influence their votes against the truth ut
their returns or the time place or manner OF giving
Their votes Section 10 demanded OF the grand COM
mlttcc IN these words
The OF aiory of tho said committee shall be
maj no s1ncuye denomination OF the ndmissiby
den, aud Vice the United states ana where
votes ere rejected by the grai eommitsec their
SHAH De stated In writing for such exclusion
This bill bong AIDED several particulars but
In no particular changing scintilIa those which have
President or President 10 be drawn by lot passed the
Senate by IA large majority
MIR. SARGENr-By majority OF four.
Mr.. CONKLiN-Wnat was il--l0 to L.. was Il not. I
do not withdraw my remark, but continue aud com.
plctc II. II passed the Senate alter a vigorous aud
pertinaciors opposition never for one moment
grounded upon the idea, in any instance sug-
costing the iantest hint that the power did not re-
side the houses that no power did reside in
the President OF tho senate beyond the nor
ormancc, not Of that paltry duty described
by tho Senator IRON California, when ho spoke OF
being common carrier OF the papers but that OF
honor and soIcmnity which consisted in receiving IN
trust, and IN high trust. tho secret certificates OF
what had been done by bodies vi in great matters
and preserving them nvIOate UNTIL IN the presence
OF the representatives OF States the representa-
sometimes feel when 'the Will is opcned.n borrowing
homev phrase, these representatives, aud their con.
stituens might for the fret time know what had bcen
summed aud consummatcd, ana the avcrage aggrc:
gated Judgment OF all the Electoral College / say
that tho Wee President could over more
than that was never hunted IN this debate The
bill went to the House. Now | beg 10
Gull attention to an amendment offered by Mr..
Nicholas distinguished Tor no other reason tn.n be-
cause II commanded not only he preference but tho
appreciation OF Thomas Jefferson Those who read his
letters written at the timc will that he says,
vntfn lN
the customary majority OF two To one, but In u few
days an amendment WIN be offered which viii express
the republican view" There that offered
W Nicholas am not going TO read Tho
whole Of IT, It's relgning feature, which
commanded The approval OF Mr.. Jefferson,
was that when objection was made 10 vote that
lection was 10 be passed by the Two houses sitting IN
joint meeting ana voting and per capita,
Senator by Senator ana member by member That
was the theory TINT Mr.. Jefferson had. The theory
found expression IN this amendment. and 10 tho pre-
ambc OF tho amendment beg the Senate 10 hear
ask the Secretary Of the Senate whose cocution Is SO
good, 10 Go me the favor 10 road II.
Tho Secretary read US foIlows:--
Amendments to the bill complementary to the act) pre-
President The United Sta :" strike ea.
Of rresarn and Wee fssasS, Of ~. ." states ses.o
the :. lis sps or so.
S Sas or Which the h time xs MAS chosen aps s
determined BY CONGRESS, wheeler be were not at time
Office 81 rua profit under the United states: whether
one at iea. OF the per'ons he has voted for nhaL
voted by aot and have sgned certified and
voted for and the number Of for each whether the
persons Voted lof ARE naara, born citizens or mere eli
OF the constitution we're thiryve old aud had
the ." he une% , .ns An; And
the President OF the United states snail
Mr.. CONKLfNG-Now beg the Senate 10 listen 10 the
words ABOUT to he read.
The Secretary continued to read as follows:--
having directed that the President of the senae shall in
the presence Of the senate and House OF
open n the certificates. and that
counted from VIII CHI the reasonable nnd practice
posing the said houses aud that office no
sny as the con.iisutiona rrht 81 sars H.
the election hose high officers exactly in tho
Senators and Representatives from each state imposing
the said tribunal being eSaty that ot the
SECTION BE il ENACTED. &C. that wlensoevcr the nsm
scmced Tor toe purpose OF having the certificates
OF the several states shall written dscnt and
similar ,e s i PAPER ANA pat into ballot box out of
no IDoLATRY CHANCE.
MIR. CoNKLING--That Is enough. 1 do not want to
shock any members OF the Senate by having them hear
that their fathers proposed 10 toss pcuuy draw
anything out oi ballot box. They did, however pro-
vide That the President oil tho Senate should not
even determine for himself tho order in which IA.
would pick up anu break tho seals ot these
packets. They provided that putting In box paper
containing the name OF eacn State "A member OF uns
house should shake the box, aud a member Of the
other house should draw OUT and thea The President
OF The Senate should open that certificate other
uutli every eAccptiOH Gu 10 votes
adiudgcd aud acted upon. no other certificates should
be opened then, a. say, that involved doctrine OF
cliance and nobody wants to be u dark idolalcr Of
chance. On tho contrary, we are endowed with scru.
pies and virtues IA that regard when our fathers
had not. Thus Amendment offered IN tho Senate Jailed
II iaed IL failed, not because at IT'S preamble winch
the Secretary mas read OF It's sutsta
the latter part OF which Will rcad:--
The packet aiming the certificates of that State shall
be vpencd ny the President OF the senate tnen e
read And then shall be read also the petus dispositions
other papers and docnme nts the
IL no exception Is taacn til The
certificates snail be counted but II the any then,
shall be objected the members present the cues
ton propoundcd by the President OF the Senate. deci
without debate. by yea nay whether such
constitutional ana ths OF
thus counted another ticket shall be from tho ballot
box.
roll IN the joint moct0g III which every Senator az
unit and every member as unit should respond yea
or nay. Naturally enough tho states would not sur
render the prepondcrance Of power that they
have by having their representatives fused aud