National Republican., 1877-01-20
The Attempt to Establish q Danger
Gus Precedent.

On the last day of the convention which
framed the Constitution a resolution was
passed providing for the initiation Of the new
Government in accordance with the Constitu-
tion which it had just perfected. The resolu-
tion expressed it as the opinion of the conVen-
tion, which was the combined opinions of the
very men who made the Constitution and knew
how to interpret its meaning, that the Sens-
tors should appoint President of the Senate,
for the purpose of receiving, opening and
COUNTING the votes for President. The Sen
ate proceeded to act upon the suggestion of
the convention, the record of the proceedings
being as follows:
read q nd ordered he filed. the Senate proceeded
rnose Of oneninS and counting the votes for Pres
ident Of the United States.
ordered, that Mr.. Ellsworth inform the House
of R. presentatiyes that quorum Of the senate is
pose OF opening the certificates and counting the
vote of The electors of the several States in The
United States and that the Senate is now ready, in
The I to and that e
Senate have appointed one of their members to cit
Ihev shall be declared: submitting 1t the wisdom
of the House TO appoint one or more OF thar mem-
MI i Eisgorth Peported that he had delivered the
message: Mr.. Boudiuot. from the House OF Repre-
ycsdy forthwith TO meet them to attend the OPEN
ing and counting OF the votes OF the electors OF
States.
The record of the proceedings continues
thus:
The Speaker and members of the House of Repre-
sentatives attended in the Senate Chamber: and the
Ssa the RDd Repre-
sentaiv had met and that HE, ia their presence,
for President and Vice President Of the United
States which were as follows;
Here follows the tabulation of the electoral
vote
Whereby, it appeared that George Washington,
esq.. WAS e'ected President, and John Adams, esq
Vice President of the United States Of America.
After the above proceedings the President
of the Senate made the following certificate of
election:
Be knotcn, That the Senate and House Of Repre-
Convened in the city and State Of New York. kDIfl
g. in the year OF our Lord, Tss, the underwritten,
pose Of receiTins opening and Counting the Votes Of
the electors the presence OF the said Senate
Snd
President and vice President; by which ii appears
elected, aEreeably y The Gonsttution. . the ONCE
OF President Of the United States Of America.
hand and seal. JOHN LANGpoN.
Here it will be seen that the trainers of the
Constitution interpreted that document to the
effect that the President of the Senate should
make the count, and that both Houses wisely
concurred in the matter, thus establishing
precedent which was followed closely through
all the years of the Republic up to the adop-
ton of the Objectionable and unconstitutional
twenty second joint rule.
But it now appears that the members Of the
joint committee doubt the wisdom and states
manship of the trainers of the Constitution,
and deny that the Interpretation which they
placed on the document they created is cor
rect or just.
They have ventured to throw this interpre-
tation aside, and are willing to wander into
the maize of uncertainty, and establish pre-
cedent which will make of the Constitution a
mere plaything to be toyed with by time-ser
ing politicians as their interests may require.
Should their dice -box-turn up penny plan ba
adopted, the world will hereafter believe that
the Constitution of the United States cannot
stand the strain of closely-contested Presideu-
tial elections, and that ever after this or some
other clap-trap system will have to be adopted
by which to settle the important question OF
who has been elected President.