The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1877-01-27

constitutionalty Of the bill. II It was tc
be measure permanent In its character
he would vote against 1t. He believed
that the opening Of the certificates in the
presence Of the two houses Of congress-
was to enable each house to verify tn,
count made by the presiding officer.
Mr.. Burnside expressed the hope thai
the bill would pass.
EDMuNps SPEAKS.
MIR. Edmunds said that the time had
gene by now for debate. The measure
had been denounced a. sham, a mere
trick, although it appealed to five sena.
tors, five members of the house and five
justices Of the supreme court. lie begged
his honorable friend from Ohio (Sher
NAM to look at the history OF his own
party; look at their own attitude and
tell him some day, not now, whether he
thought the Republican party could
stand qualification and dishonor in or
der that it might gain temporary ad-
vantage. He knew the senator would
answer him no. Must the Republican
party stultify itself now for such
beggarly price. In 1865 a
Republican majority in the
two houses of congress passed the
Twenty-second joint rule, which declared
that no vote from the state should have
any effect upon the election of president
and vice-president of the United States.
unless both houses OF congress in their
constitutional capacity said so. And yet
in the face of this action the great party
leaders from the valley of the Mississippi,
as the senator from Ohio (Sherman)
termed it, sounded the cry of treacnery
against those of the Republican party
who supported this bill. Republicans
were accused Of treason to their party
because they would not stultify them
selves.
Mr.. Dawes withdrew the amendments
submitted by him In regard to defining
the power OF the tribunal to be created.
Mr.. Sherman said he felt hurt that the
senator from Vermont should have man
ifested such feelings towards the senator
from Indiana (Morton) and himself.
He then renewed his objections to the
pending bill and argued that it Is not GUS
tomary or lawful to impose other duties
on judges of courts.
MIR. Morton argued that more light had
been thrown upon this subject of count
ing the vote within the last thirty or
sixty days than had eyer been before.
He had been charged with inconsisten-
cies, but other senators had been incon.
sistent also. He then read from the pre-
vious remarks OF Messrs. Edmunds,
Conkling, Thurman and Bayard to show
they did not heretofore support the prin-
ciples involved in this bill.
He then submitted an amendment pro-
viding that nothing contained in the act
shall authorize the commission to 60 be-
hind the finding and determination OF
the eanvassing or returning board of a
state authorized by the laws of the state
to find and determine the result OF tn e
election Of electors.
Mr.. Edmunds opposed the amendment.
and moved to amend it by striking out
the negative words, SO as to provide that
the act should authorize the commission
to 60 behind the findings, etc. He said
he would vote against this amendment
and then against the amendment Of the
senator from Indiana. He has no idea
there was any necessity for amendments,
as the committee would ask under exist
ing law.
MIR. Thurman also announced that he
would vote against the endments, al.
though he was strongly Of the opinion
that the decision Of the returning board
might be inquired into.
Mr.. Sargent argued that the bill was
and evasive, and one side or the
other was to be cheated.
Mr.. Morton spoke in favor of his
and he feared the bill as it
low stood required the committee to 20
behind the returns from a state. The
Democratic party would not vote tor this
ill If it did not allow them to go behind !
he returns.
Mr.. Edmunds denied that the bill was
huftiing or eyasive. Ii only conferred
pom the committee such power as con-
ress had under the law.
The amendment OF Mr.. Edmunds to
nat OF Mr.. Morton was rejected yeas l,
avs 81, Mr.. Cooper being the only SEN
tor who voted in the affirmative.
The question then being on the amend
ent OF Mr.. Morton, it was rejected
res, IS; nays, AZ.
The vote rejecting MIR. MOrton's
nendment was as follows:
ieas-Messrs. Boutwell,, Bruce, Cam
on, OF Pennsylvania, Cameron, of Wis
nsin, Clayton, Dawes, Dorsey, Hamil-
n, Hamlin, ingalls,. Mitchell, Morton,
addock. Patterson, Sargent, Sherman,
eller and West.
Nays-Messrs. Alcorn, Allison, Bar
lm, Bayard, Blaine, Bogy, Booth,
urnside, Chaffee, Christianey, Cockrell,
onkling, Conover, Cooper, Cragin, Da-
Is, Dennis, Eaton, ,Edmunds, Freling-
uysen, Goidthwaite, Gordon, Howe,
ohnston, Jones, Florida; Jones, Ne
ada; Kelly, Herman. McCreery, Nc
Donald, Mcmillan, Maxey, Merrimon
iorrill, Price, Randolp, Ransom, Rob-
rtson, salisbury, Sharon. Stevenson,
thurman, Wallace, Whyte, Window,
yithers and Wright