The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1877-01-25


was counted, and no objection was
made. How could it have been counted
save by the decision of the person in
whose custody it was, Jefferson, who
was then president Of the Senate and
president over the joint convention.
Edmunds said that if the Senator
from Maine would read the contem-
poraneous history of that event, he
would find it stated that jefferson
opened that paper and handed it down
to the tellers, who examined it, entered
the number Of votes of Georgia and
passed it back to Jefferson, who de-
clared that the state of Georgia had
given so many votes SO and so. There
was no objection, no debate.
Sargent then resumed his remarks
and further opposed the bill because it
degraded the Supreme court by bring
ing the judges into the muddy pool of
politics and compelling them to wade
through it.
Edmunds asked whether bill did
not pass the Senate ten months ago
with Sargent's vote, which provided
that in case of double returns from a
state neither should be counted unless
both houses concurred.
Sargent replied that he did vote for
the Morton bill, but he argued at the
same time that the power to count the
electoral vote resided in the President
of the Senate, where it belonged.
Edmunds said that when the senator
from California asserted that this bill
was Republican surrender he was in
error. He did not SO consider it. 1t
was more like Republican victory.
Sargent then concluded his remarks,
and said he would do all in his power
to avert war. He did not believe civil
disturbance would take place, but war
was not the greatest calamity which
could befall the nation; it was prefer
able to dishonor. . II
Conkling then resumed his remarks
from the point where he suspended yes
terday. He alluded to the return from
Georgia presented by Hamlin, and de-
MED that Jefferson ever directed the
count of vote which he thought to
be wrong. He then referred to the
difficulties which occurred in the Pres
idential election in 1901, and read from
the records of Congress to show that
bill similar to the one now before the
Senate was then considered in the
House of Representatives. The debate
on it was led and the bill managed by
John Marshall, just one year before he
took his seat in that high judgment seat,
whence all over the world he became
renowned as an exponent of constitu-
tional law. He presented a petition
numerously signed by merchants and
business men of New York, in favor
of the passage of the pending bill. Laid
on the table. Conkling answered at
great length many objections made to
the bill, and cited authorities in sup
port of its constitutionality.
HOUSE.
Washington, Jan. 24.-The resolu-
tions reported by the committee on
privileges were considered and McDIl
favored the minority report of the COM
mittee. He said that if the proposition
of the majority were true, no vote could
be counted without the consent of both
Houses, and this would give the House
a practical veto power over every popu-
lar election. The President of theSen-
ate alone could count, but whether he
alone, or with the House and Senate, or
the House, or Senate alone, the duty
was purely ministerial, that decree was
the sovereign will of the people, and
any attempt to reverse it was unconsti-
tutional, a usurpation, sitting of the
rights of the people, and if persisted in
was revolution.
Lamar reported back favorably the
Senate bill extending for eight years
the time for the completion of the
Northern Pacific railroad. Referred to
committee of the whole.
Lamar reported bill supplementary
to and amendatory of the Texas Pacific
oiii VI nhaASh oiu, 1OIl. hdSSou ludue
a minority report and Landers offered
a substitute. All ordered printed and
referred to committee of the whole.
Throckmorton reported bill for fixing
the rate of charges for freight and pas
sengers across the Omaha railroad
bridge. Same reference.
The House then proceeded to busi-
ness on the speakers table, and the
speaker again presented the message of
the President about the use of troops
during the election.
Wood offered a resolution providing
for the appointment of committee of
eleven to inquire into and report upon
the Presidents action in sending troops
south during the late election. Adopted.
Adjourned. M 7F4s.45. laEiE
FOREIGN.