Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-05-29
MIR. Edmunds' Electoral Bill.

june 18th; Q) The electors shall be APP
pointed in each state on the first Tuesday
in October-instead of in November as here
tofore--every fourth year after Presiden-
tial election; and on the same day Of Oc-
tober whenever there shall be duly declared
vacancy in both the Offices of President and
| Vice President. The same restriction as
now is made against the election Of any of
fee holder as an elector (2) Whenever a
vacancy shall exist in both offices, occurring
more than two months next preceding the
| first Tuesday in any October other than that
of the regular quarternial Presidential cleo
| ton, the secretary of state will notify the
executives of every state that Presidential
electors will be appointed in the several
states on the first Tuesday in the next Oc-
tober (3) The electors Of each state will
meet and give their votes on the second
Monday of January-instead of the first
| Wednesday in December, as now-at such
place in each state as the legislature shall
direct. (4) Each state may provide by law
for the decision of any controversy concern
ing the appointment of electors before the
time fixed for the meeting of the electors,
and such decision shall be conclusive and
shall govern in the counting of the electoral
votes. (5) Three lists of the names of the
electors of each state must be forwarded,
the same as under the old law. (9) Provides
for the assembly of the houses of Congress
in joint convention in the Representatives
| Hall, on the second Monday in February
succeeding the meeting of the directors.
The President of the Senate shall preside
two tellers shall be appointed by each house,
to whom shall be handed as they are opened
| by the President of the Senate in the order
of states alphabetically, all the certificates
of the electoral votes; the tcllers shall read
them and make a list of the votes as they
appear upon said certificates; and the votes
having been counted, the result will be given
TO the President of the Senate who will
thereupon give the name of the persons, if
any, elected, which announcement shall be
deemed a sufficient declaration of the per-
sons elected President and Vice President of
the United States, and together with list
of the votes be entered on the journals of
such certificate or paper the President of the
Senate shall call for objections, if any.
Every objection shall be made in writing,
and shall state clearly and concisely and with
out argument the ground thereof, and shall be
signed by at least one Senator and one mem
Der of the House of Representatives before the
same shall be received. When all objections
so made to any vote or paper from state
shall have been received and read, the Sen.
ate shall thereupon withdraw and such OBJ
| jections shall be submitted to the Senate for
its decision, and the Speaker of the House
Of Representatives shall in like manner sub.
init such objections to the House of Repre-
sentatives for its decision, and no electoral
vote or votes from any state from which but
jected except by the Affirmative votes of both
houses. If more than one return or paper
purporting to b. return from a state shall
have been received by the President Of the
Senate those votes and those only shall be
counted which shall have been given by the
electors who are sho gn by the evidence men
toned in section four of this act to have
been appointed; but in case there shall
arise the question which of two or more OF
such state tribunals determining what elect
ors have been appointed as mentioned il
section four of this act, is the lawful tribu
nal OF such state, the votes of those elector
and those only from such state. shall be
counted whose title as electors the two
houses, acting separately, shall concurrently
decide is supported by the decision of the
lawful tribunal of such state, so provided
for by its legislature. And in such case o.
more than one return or paper purporting t.
be return from state, if there shall have
been no such determination of the question
in the state as aforesaid, then those vote.
and those only shall be counted which tn,
two houses acting separately shall concur
rently decide to be the lawful votes of tn,
legally appointed electors of such state
When the two houses have voted, they shall
Immediately again meet, and the presiding
officer shall then announce the decision o
the questions submitted. No votes or paper
from any other state shall be acted upoi
until the objections previously made to tn
votes or papers from any state shall hav
| haap finally 1iunnuaI IF (TA Will, ba t,.,
houses are in joint meeting no debate shall
be allowed and no question by the presiding
officer except a motion TO Withdraw. Is
When the two houses separate TO decide
mooted point each member of either hous
may speak on the question not more tina
five minutes and not oftener than once 60
Specifies the arrangement of seats at tn
joint convention, and provides that the join
meeting shall not be dissolved until tn
count of electoral votes have been complete
and the result announced, and that no reces
shall be taken except for the settlement of
disputed question, and no recess shall el
tend beyond ten o'clock Of the followin
morning. Sundays excepted. If the cour
has not been completed before the fifth ca
endar day next after the first meeting
Joint convention no further recess shall |
taken by either house.
The bill seems to provide for every col
p, tngency, and after such amendments
discussion shall show to be desirable shou
be adopted without party division. III
subject is not partisan one. All GOO
: citizens desire to have speedy action take
to prevent the possibility of the nation aga
drifting so near the dangers of anarch
The bill authorizes each state TO decide +
itself who are it, electors and then compt
: such duly authorized votes to be counte
=, Ii, however, any state neglects to exerci
= this right and allows case of dispute
arise, the bill provides a reasonable and a
parently equitable method of settlemel
Where only one return is presented from
state it must be counted except by &C
current action of both houses in rejecting
When there are disputed and doubtful
1, turns none can be counted except by su
concurrent action. Certainly the bin is
: most important of the session, and 1t is to
y hoped it will not meet the fate of its pre-
cessors in former Congresses and be talk
to death. To fail to heed the warning
| ha tha.a fNll