The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-06-20
TIRE PRESIDENTIAL TITLE.
Report of the Chairman of the judiciary
Committee ON the Kimmel Bill.

lNeW YORK H6rald.I
WASHINGTON, June 15.--In the House o.
Representatives Mr. Knott, of Kentucky
chairman Of the Judiciary Committee, pre-
| sented lunder the permission granted yester.
day his views in opposition to the report Of
the committee on the Kimmel bill and the
resolutions Of the Maryland Legislature on
the subject of the presidential election. He
said he would be content himself to have the
paper printed in the Record, but some gentle
men desired 1t read, and il there was no OBJ
lection he would read IL. He then stepped to
the clerks desk and was about to read his re-
port (quite yoluminous) when Mr.. Tucker, of
Virginia, objected to that consumption of time
until after the tobacco bill should be dis
posed Of.
:, Mr. Springer, of Illinois, moved to suspend
I9e rules In order to extend that privilege to
Mr.. Knott, and the motion was agreed to-
Mr.. Knott thereupon proceeded to read the
paper. Itopens with declaration of unfeigned
regret at his inability to concur In the resolu-
tion reported by, the committee, or In the
reasoning by which that conclusion had been
reached. The great underlying question to be
determined was not the one which the COM
mlttee seemed to consider paramount to all
others. 1t was not merely whether the pres
ent m3um6ents OF the presidential and
turbed,, but it had a wider range and
reached an infinitely profounder depth.
It was true that it might incidentally affect
the title OF couple OF citizens to the honors
6uu tLuOIuLuSubS Oh certain llgn and import
ant offices now claimed by them, but 1t also
involved the dignity and sovereignty of
thirty-eight Independent and coeuua1 States.
as well as the rights and liberties Of 10000 600
OF people. Its correct determination would
lead to satisfactory solution OF an existing
controversy most remarkable, perhaps.
that had challenged the attention Of CIVILIZED
men, and which extended far beyond the pres
ent hour, and affected the destinies of genera
tions yet unborn. He then proceeds to
argue, that the title to the Presidency
like the title to any other office, can
be passed upon and decided by the Judi
ciary, and he asked why, then, should the
people be told, through formal Congressional
pronunciamiento, that no legal method can
be contrived for cOntesting the title and GUST
ing from office one foisted into it by the de-
vices OF a handful of political freebooters
i ne conclusion OF the report is in these words
y Let the representatives OF the people teach
the people by solemn resolution that possess
sion is better than right and usurpation
stronger than law; that returning boards are
supreme, and that the law is voiceless, Then,
indeed, will the people realize that law has
aDdicated and that force has been enthroned,
and then will the country indeed become Mex
canized; force will be resOrted to to redress
wrong as well as to sustain it, and recourse
will be had to the sterner arbitrament of the
outlet, and after resumption shall have sue |
3eeded usurpatiOn, anarchy will come like
night and seal the fate of the great republic
forever"