The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1878-03-07
The SUPREME COUNCIL OF InRGI.

The proposition 10 substitute trlum'
yirate for single president Is ooeupy'
Ing ils full share Of space In the newS'
papers, The proposed amendment pros
yides that tho members Of this supreme
council are 10 be chosen by tho qualified
electors in each and all the slatea, but
one Of the three are 10 be chosen lola
the eastern and middle states, another
from the western states, and tho lhlrd
from tho southern alAloa, Tie llsl
members are 10 be ch0nen Tor hhcs
tonOl terms, no that new man may
be elected every two years The olllee
Of yiceprcaident In 10 be abolished altos
gelher the senate being empowered 10
elect u presiding officer who IL not a
member Of that body, The fact lbal
this bill wna introduced Ia the lower
house Of congress by Mr. Southland, oil
Ohio, chairman Of tho committee on
revision Of the laws regulating the
counting of the electoral vote Tor prebl'
dent aud yioeSpresidcnt has caused "
TO assume through the omission Of the
words 'by request" in the report OF tho
ssoolated press, an Importance mat "
would not otherwise have, the presahay'
| ing been lead thus lOlho conclusion that
the measure was the deliberate result OF
that important committee, In his perN
sonal explanation on tho floor OF tho
house, Mr. Southland says
The resolution was introduced "by
request, IN stated by mo at the time,
and feel il due 10 myself aud 10 the
committee TO now further state that the
resolution ~ offered was not Intended
TO express either my personal views or
the views of the committee. The guess
ton, in the form presented, had never
been considered before the committee,
nor 40 far M ! know, by any member
Of the committee The resolution was
prepared by one whose high character
and Nttalmncnts enlitlo his opinions to
most respectful confederation aud, IN
has been the custom in the house, ! ins
PRODUCED IL by request and referred IL 10
the committee for the purpose of per-
hitting the committee to consider IL, !
do not desire TO deprive tho author of
merit II may possess and take pleasure
in absolving myself and tho committee
from nll claim 10 il,
II is quite needless TO dwell upon the
details Of the scheme. The fatal ohjoc'
ton TO the supreme council of three
IL that il raises seclionallsm which
has been the curse of the country from
tho beginning Of It's history and which
happily is now nearly dead. The war,
at II cost Of half million of lives and
three thousand millions of treasure,
was fought Tor national unity aud
struck death blow to GcctionaIisn.
The country is one, and cannot be di-
yided. The south reaches TO the Cana.
dN line, the north 10 the Gulf of Mexico,
and the west from Alaska to Yer,
mont, and from Florida to Cali,
Ionia--thcy belong together, and
arc essential TO each other mud
to the prosperity of the whole
country. Everything that tends to
raise sectional isBuea, 10 revive scctionnl
jealousca and passions 10 remind the
people Of sectional boundaries is bad,
and ought 10 he discouraged A coune
cll of sectional presidents would make
u chronic disorder in nation that
would be ONE The aim Of the demo,
cratic party has been since the war to
abolish sections as quantities in our
politics, President Hayes has adopted
this aa u policy, and by restorng self.
government 10 the southern states, has
taken long step towards this result.
The country Is in the midst of a most
important process of indignation and
consolidation. lts various interests are
becoming every day more identified
it's states are bound more closely To-.
gether by commercial interests and 90,
cial ties; ila people intermingle with
each other moro and more. IL IL in
this direction towarda national unity
that our interests and welfare and
hopes as a people lie, and everything
should be done to strengthen the ten
dency and direct it to be the best IN
sues Political preferences which are
TO stir the people most, and of ne,
cessity be OF the greatest national i'm
portance, should not be tainted with
sectlonnlism, The bill should be killed
in pountiiian