The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-01-19

/ IN such consfd erstt2n yhich decision shall
fbs made ifs q ftsfng stating briefly tie
ground thereof rand signsdsby the members
/ OF said commission agreeing therein where
upon the two houses shail again meet, and
such decision shall be read and entered In
the iournaIof each house, and the counting
of the votes shall proceed In conformity
therewitIl, unless upon objection made
thereto in writing by at least five senators
and FIVE members Of the House OF Repre-
| sentatiyesf the two houses shall separately
concur In ordering otherH Use, IN which case
such concurrent order shall govern. NO
votes or papers from. any other State shall
| be acted upon until the objections previously
made to the votes or papers from any State
shall have been finally disposed OF.
Section 3. That while the two houses
i shall be in meeting, as provided in this act,
no debate shall be allowed, and no question
shall be put by the presiding officer except
to either house on motion to withdraw; and
he shall have power to preserve order.
Section 4. That when the two houses sep
arate to decide upon an objection that may
have been made to. the counting Of any
electoral vote or votes from any State, or upon
! objection to report'of said commission,
or other questions arising under this act,
each senator and representative may speak
to- such objection or question ten minutes
: and not oftener than once; but after such
debate shall have lasted two hours it shall
l be the duty OF each house to put the main
question without further debate.
/. Section 5. That at such joint meeting OF
the two houses seats shall be provided as
follows: For. the president OF the Senate,
the Speakers chair; for the Speaker, imme-
diately upon his left; the senators, in the
body of the hall upon the right OF the pre-
siding officer; for the representatives, in
1.-the body OF the hall not provided for the
senator's; for the tellers, secretary OF the
Senate, and clerk of the House Of Repre-
1 sentatiYes, at the clerks desk; for the
other, officers OF the two houses, IN
front of. the clerks desk and upon each
side of the Speakers platform. Such joint
Injecting shall not be dissolved until the
count OF electoral votes shall be completed
and the result declared; and no recess Shall
! be taken unless question shall have arisen
: in regard to counting any such votes, or
otherwise under this act, in which case 1t
shall be competent for either house, acting
separately in the manner hereinbefore pro-
vided, to direct recess OF such house not
beyond the next day, Sunday excepted, at
the hour Of 10 o'clock in the forenoon. And
=: while any question is being considered by
:. with it's legis atiye or other business.
Section s. That nothing in this act shall
4 be held to impair or affect any right now
4 existing under the Constitution and laws to
i question, by proceeding in the Judicial
courts OF the United States, the right OF
title OF the person who shall be declared
J elected, or who shall claim to be President
1 or yice-President of the United States, il
Eauy such right exists. .-.f-..'.....
i Section 7. That said commission shall
make its own rules, keep record OF its
proceedings, and shall have power to en-
ploy such persons as may be necessary FOL
The transaction of it's business and the exc.
cution Of its powers. ~ .s". q. '>'.
j: THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE.
In their report submitted with the bill
the committee say they have applied
the utmost practicable study and de-
libertion to the subject, and believe
that the bill reported is the best at
tainable disposition OF the difficult pro
blems and disputed theories arising out Of
the late election. They speak Of the diff
Guilty of reaching conclusion, and they
dealt with abstract questions save so. faI
as they are necessarily involved in the legis'
Iation proposed. The report implies that
legislation may be bad on the subject in &C.
cordance with the Constitution; but the
committee think that the law proposed is
inconsistent with few principal theories
upon the subject, The bill is only di.
Lrected to 'ascertalning, for the purpose
and in aid OF the counting, what are the
constitutional votes Of the respective States;
and, whatever jurisdiction exists for such
, purposes, the bill only regulates the method
Of exercising it. For this the Constitution
gives warrant, and therefore the law pro
posed is not inconsistent with that instru.
ment. 80 ,.-- -. :...- g.. i.......
The committee regard it as OF far greater
moment that the will OF the people should
be legally carried out than the question OF
who shall be President for prescribed
term. They therefore endeayored, to frame
fair and impartial measure. -.... ..,.......f
The legislature and Judiciary are repre-
sented in the tribunal in equal proportions
!. THE composition of the judicial part Of the
commission looks to selection from differ
emit parts OF the republic, while it is
Thought to be free from any preponderance
or slipposabbe bias; and the addition Of the
necessary constituent part Of the whole in or.
der to obtain an uneven number Of the COM
: mission is left to an agency the furthest re-
moved from prejudice Of any existing at.
tainable one. 1t would be difficult, if not
impossible, the committee think, to estab.
Iish a tribunal that could be less the subject
of party criticism than such one. The
committee felt bound by the highest duty
to let no bias of party feelings stand in the
way OF q just, equal, and peaceful measure
for extricating the question from the EN-
barrassments that at present surround it.
|. The committee conclude as follows: In
conclusion, we respectfully beg leave to I'M
press upon Congress the necessity Of 8
speedy determination: upon this subject.
| It is impossible to estimate the material loss
the country daily sustains from the existing
state of uncertainty. It directly and pow
erfully tends to unsettle and paralyze bust.
ness, to weaken public and private credit,
and to create apprehension in the minds OF
the people that disturb the peaceful tenor Of
} their ways and mar their happiness. It does
far more: It tends to bring republican insti.
tutions into discredit and to create doubts
OF the success of our form OF government
and Of the perpetuity Of the republic. Al
; considerations of interest, Of patriotism, and
Of Justice, unite in demanding Of the law
making power in making measure to bring
peace and prosperity to the country, and
; show that our republican institutions are
equal to any emergency; and in this coz
: nection we cannot refrain from the expires
sion OF our satisfaction that your committee
J composed OF equal members OF both parties
have fortunately been able to do what has
: been attempted in vain heretofore-almos
unanimously agree upon a, plan considered
by them all to be Just, wise, and efficient
We accordingly recommend the proposed
act to the patriotic and Just Judgment o.
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