The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-12-14
Last NIGHTS Dispatches.
XIV CONGRESS.
SENATE.

SENATE,
WASHINGTON Dec. 13, Mr.. Bayard
speaking upon the bill reg arding the cleo
torial count said there was urgent need now
to settle this question, and he held that
the present time was especially propitious,
because the two houses of congress were
controlled by different political parties,
and measure which would receive the as
sent of both houses would be such an one
on this subject as should be non-partisan
measure. This nation needed rest and
peace, and not further agitation. The
man who would serve his country best
would seek 10 allay confusion and compose
strife. The country's worst foe was the
fomenter of new discords. He viewed
this bill as measure tending to peace and
quiet, tending to restore confidence to the
public mind; and any man who could vote
for it should do so unless some serious
constitutional difficulty stood in the way.
he argued that the bill vested no new
power IN the two houses of congress, and
next referred to the constitutional powers
vested 10 congress and In the States. TIE
bill met his favor because it reaffirmed in
| clear and explicit terms the power of the
state over this subject of appointing elec-
| tors. 1t wiped out all pretext OF Federal
| supervision over the selection Of electors
and confded everything to the state itself
! The state had sole power to execute that act
and the voice of the state should be con-
elusive. He then referred to duplicate
returns fron States and said we had ir
the unhappy past bitter experience in re-
gard to duplicate returns Nothing of The
kind was known until 1879. Previous Il
| that time there had been a spirit of hon
esty which would stamp out with infamy
the effort of any minority attempting to
overturn the will.of majority in state.
Those who committed or permitted tht
commission of fraud would sooner or latel
perish by fraud. This bill ought to be il
the political interests of all parties. Grad
ually this country was coming back to act
of reason aud justice and people wert
weighing the acts Of men and parties
Partnership might seek to stay this err
of good feeling but it would fail. 10 con
clusion Mr. Bayard referred to the lat
pestilence III the south and said the smal
rivulets of private benifceuce on one side
aud Of gratitude on the other, had grow
into mighty river of good feeling.
/, Mr.. Eaton opposed the bill.
u4i. H1GIIitlldu OSiEGNEN lUS HdSeaEG
this will be satisfactory to the people. Il
believed it to be his high patriotic duty t
, vote for it without regard to party consiC
= Grafton.
Mr. Garland opposed the bill upon cor
t stitutional grounds.
: MIR. Hill said the troubles which aros
t during the Presidential count Of II wer
Z not because we had no law, but becaus
: where was disposition to disobey th
e law. Congress could not settle this ma
] ter of counting the electoral vote at
5 could finally have 10 appea al to the people
but unfortunately the people vel
o were almost as badly party ridden
. their leaders. Another objection which
n had to the bill was that it allowed nine
/ days between the election of electors al
r the time for them to vote for Preside
9 and Vice President. That would give ri
: to mere peril than all that now existe
e Party spirit is not unfrequently DONNA
in all parties IN this country to an alarmi
4 extent, and he was afraid to allow nine
!. days for partisans to change the result
election.
Mr., Thurman said he would not discu
the bill at this late hour He would &C
j, tent himself by voting against it, and
\ hoped vote would be taken soon
After some further discussion betwe
- Messrs. Hoar Cockrel and Edmunds t
II bill was read the third time and passed
of yeas 35, nays 26. Messrs. Chaffee, \
= Pherson and Couover, who would hs
~ voted in the affirmative, were paired W
e. Messrs. Barnum, Johnston and Garlal
~ = who would haye voted in the negative.
Mr.. Blaine moved to take up the res
;,o ution submitted by him on the first day
no the session in regard to citizens being
! prived of their constitutional rights, SO
Dd would be unfinished business Monday,
Mr.. Wadleigh objected and said Il
senate bill to revise. consolidate q
amend the statues relating to patents b
precedence, and he would press its cons
~ GRAFTON.
1iy MIR. Blaine SAID ii his resolution was
u pass, it was important that it be passed
w W fore the holidays.
ne MIR. Wadlpiqh said the resolution wo
u lead to discussion. while the patent
ly would not
'er Mr.. Blaine said senator Wadleigh
not know that the resolution would |
." woke discussion.
Mr.. Wadleigh moved to adjourn.
~ Messrs Blaine. Edmunds and others
~ ~ the Republican side objected aud ca
oD oD for the yeas aud nays. The motion TO
81 iourned was agreed to-yeas 81, nays
-, Messrs. Booth, Davis, of Illinois. Ing
os % and WadIeigh voting with the democl
ao 10 the affirmative.
~ Adjourned till Monday.
HOUSE.
Mr.. Shelley, from the Committee
rn- Railways and Canals. reported bill
list authorize the Washington, Cincinnal
ter St. Louis Railroad Company to constr
Ike a narrow guage railroad from tide wa
ng to St. Louis and Chicago. Recommit
ed. Mr.. Kenna, rising TO a personal
planation, referred to the sweeping cl
.ow ges made in public press against meml
of the committee on enrolled bills
the drunkenness atthe close of the last sess
ing He denounced such charges as unqualii
,rm ly false and fled statements of the spet
and and other officers of the House in sup
Ter. OF his remarks.
me. Bills on the speakers table since