Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1877-02-07
speech or Hon. e. 5. sampson,

speech Of Hon. e. 8. Sampson.
On the bill Is. No 1lss) 10 provide for aud reg.
ulate the counting Of votes for President and
Vice President, and the decision of questions
March Z, A. ID. ls1s.
MIR. SAMPSON. Mr.. Speaker, the
more / have thought on this ques-
tion Of the electoral count, and the
more carefully / have reflected on
events which have crowded them
selves upon our attention the last
few months, the deeper has become
the conviction in my mind, that
agreement by the two Houses on this
question, Is an absolute necessity.
Eighty-eight years, save a few
days, we have been moving on un.
der our Constitution. We have had
twenty-five Presidential elections
prior to the present. Seventeen
times have questions been raised In
the two Houses or at the joint meet
ings touching validity OF electoral
votes; seven times have the ques-
tions been evaded; three times de-
cided by or under joint resolutions,
signed by the President, which had
the force of law; seven under the
rule which provided no question
should be decided In the Affirmative
or vote be counted unless both
Houses concurred therein.
And through all these objections
and questions and through all this
time, three great facts stand out
prominently before US. First, tho
time has never been till now when .
disputed electoral vote would change
the result; second, the two Houses
have never failed TO agree on how
they would dispose OF disputed votes
except in cases where they have
skillfully evaded decision; third, re-
peated warnings have been uttered all
along down our history to beware Of
the day when the vast powers, pat
ronage, and political policies Of this
Government would depend on dis
puted electoral votes, and we should
be without law, constitutional pro-
vision, or tribunal TO say who should
decide. III II has been of such Inn
portance to agree before, and we
have never failed to do so, how
much more important Is 1t now.
Let us look calmly at the situation,
view things as they are. Party feel
ing and pride is sensitive element.
But yesterday, on The other side of
this Hall, a member and friend OF
this measure, too, used tho word war
In such O connection and manner
that could almost feel my strong
friendship for the bill slipping away
In spite of me. The situation de-
mands calmness and reflections.
Since the first day Of meeting OF this
Forty. fourth Congress tho lurid
flames of party strife have been burn
ing brighter and brighter In this
counrty--scheme and counter-scemes
10 the extent Of human ingenuity to
make and un-make Presidents, TO
drag down and build up parties
have been the general order OF the
day. The principal Of the equality
OF all men before the law, both white
and. black, and the sentiment that
Ia the Anglo-Saxon race Of the South
rests the Superior right to rule those
States have been writhing In mortal
strife for tho mastery; and after this
long, fierce, and exciting conflict,
and party passion has been wrought
up TO well-nigh white heat, crisp.
Ing and consuming trade and indust.
ry, and even patriotism, what do we
find? Almost q drawn battle; the
masses OF the people divided nearly
equally In political sentiment; eight.
cen States Republican; eighteen
States Democratic, dual governments
In two; South Carolina has her Re-
publican Governor and her Demo-
cratic Governor, her Republican leg-
islature and her Democratic legisla-
ture. Louisiana has her Republican
Governor and her Democratic Gov
eynor, her Republican legislature;
and her Democratic legislature;
parties there literally standing TO
arms with q handful OF United States
soldiers at each OF the two capitals,
watching 10 see who dare fire the
first shot; the sands Of the present
Administration almost run; In the
hands OF the officer the custodian OF
the electoral votes for the candidates
for the incoming Executive 39l votes
instead Of 86l as there ought only to
be-22 more than under the Consti-
tuition can be cast; double returns
from four states; the two houses OF
Congress divided politically, one
prepared to stand by the Republican
returns az expressing the true voice
OF the people, the other by the Dem
ocratic returns a. being based on the
actual vote--these votes to be count
ed In q few days; the ~ spurious
electoral votes that now corrupt the
national ballot-box TO be rejected;
the Constitution falling TO provide
expressly who shall say which is
the true vote and which Is false; no
law fixing this power or regulating
II; an irreconcilable difference; in
the absence Of law who shall exer-
else this most delicate and important
duty? Shall we hesitate to enact q