The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-14
TOPICS BEFORE CONGRESS.
,uE SENITE TOrING 30 TO 20 TO Al
qrR 4IfE ELECTORAL SYSTEM.

,.,t,, Ordered In the House AnswrrInu
,tn,ars or Drunkenness Army Increase.
w.sulVGroY. Dee 10. Mr. Herman dem,
W. pr,scutcd in the Senate resolutions Of
m,city Council Of Brooklyn. favorng the pas
ecof the hill granting n pension to the widow
n Rnar-Admiral raulding.
bu WINS intoduccd by Mr.. Coke Dem
rov ITO authorize the Secretary OF War to con-
tenet with the Galveston and Camargo Railroad
Tor the immediate construction Of it's limo Of
road 10 RIO Orandc City, opposite Camnrgo.
Mexico. re n coast defence. and to establish
commo cial and military rail highway to tho
RoGraudc.
Th, Committee on Finance reported favor
allyon the senate bill TO authorize the issue ot
certain duplicate registered bonds to the Man
haitian Savings Institution Of New York City.
md i, WIS passed. II authorizes the Secretary
oftho Treasury a. ISSUE duplcat, OF the bonds
amounting In the aggregate 10 $1,000 600 al
rcel ti have been stolen from the Manhattan
SAVING Institution On the 9th Of October. 1878.
Mr. rdmundss Electoral bill being taken up.
Mr. Bi,arl Dem. Dcl) said the man who
would serve his country best would seek to give
her rest to allay confusion and compose strife.
The counirys worst foe was the fomcntcr Of
new d.-rntl- lie viewed this bill as meas
ret,udtrs t1 peace and quict-tcnding TO re-
s,orotDnh lNucc to the public mind. II rcaf-
nrmcI iu clear and explicit terms the power ot
the Stat" over this subject Of appointing cloct-
ors II wiped ont all preteXt Of Federal super
vision over the selection Of electors and con-
nlcl everything o. the state itself. Tho state
had the solo power to execute that act and
movoao ot the state should be conclusive.
Mr Eaton Dom. Conn., opposed the bill or
any other on this subject. IN his judgment.
there conli n". const'tutionallv no Legislation
upon ili- subject There ought not to be- any
inirrto- ton U.s. Congress between the States
and the Constitution In regard 10 choosing
electors. II tho Constitution is defective in this
respect. lct ii h" amended. He argued that this
Congress could make mo law in regard to count
iug tAo electoral vote that would bind the next
Congress. upon which the counting II tho vote
would d.yoly" Mr.. Eaton then referred 10 the
Electoral Commission 81 last year. and said ihe
choice 81 the people of the United States was
dc'raudod Nv the Illegal act Of an unconsttu-
lonal com mission
ST. Xii Dom. Gal said the country and our
institutions w"rc In great peril In the Prcsiden-
tll count az 1871 We were not far from con-
dion 20 anarchy. from which no escape had
ca nTfS5 d oS on aw Iec psrr whSG then
confusion 81 law or the power Of the two Houses
oi Consr'ss; The troubles arose then. not be-
was disposition to disobcy the law
The very frame OF that Electoral hill was one
o. the most remarkable confessions Of the
domiuatnu OF party spirit that he ever saw, II
WIS framed upon the idea that seven members
would vote for the Republicans and seven for
thn Democrats. The great effort was To- find
the fifteenth member who would vote Impair
tally. One ot the highest tributes ever paid to
any man on this continent was then paid 10 a
gentleman now q member Ot this body. but
then Justice 81 tho United States Supreme
Court Davis ~ Illinoisl The belief thai he
wou 10 the NTH Judge secured many votes
rthe bili because II was believed that he ap-
Preached tbs standard of non partlsanship
more IMAM any other gentleman who could hnve
been selected. Congress could not settle this
nntee Of counting the electoral vote. and
Eond finally have To appeal 10 the people. but.
unfortunately. the people were almost as badly
party ridden MS their leaders. Another obiec-
ton which he had TO the bill was that il allowed
ninety days between the election Of electors and
wee irosideni. That would give rise to more
perl than nll that now existed. Party spirit not
gniTcdncnty dominated all parties, in this
country to an alarming, extent. and he was
AFRAID 70 allow ninety days for partisans to
change the results Of elections
H9ar Rep Mase.l. Cockrell Dem. Mol. and
hdmunds Rep VT. the bill was read a third
Ina pSs7 S toY 3d. nays 26-"s follows
ls1'-s,-s' Aala'y. Rayara hlriae B.as Bg,-'s
IT, G, "a c'I,,o, VS. c'',sr'Tg. nsi''.g DAVIS
WV k.,, K'l%; is u ii''. M: ,il mf' W. w.
San' >,,a.i,. T,r,,, W,ig, W%ia,-s5 ,''.''' ''''
~ Armstrong. haley b,es Butler. coke. DAVIS
HHeTsiori ~; J"nss dla heInan Lamar. NeCrcery
hccs Wallace and WMcrs-2d -'''"" '0''
Mss.rs Chan,e, Merncr.on, and conover who would
Barnum Johnston and Garland who would have voted
IN the negative.
The bill rs passed provides that the electors
OF President and Nire-Presdcnt shall Ice ap-
pointed In each State on the first Tuesday In
0,to3er IN every fourth year. and on the same
Jay IN O0oDor whenever there shall be n
vacancy in both q the offices Of President and
vice President The electors are 10 meet and
give their votes for President and Vice Presi-
dent on the second Monday in January next
following NJ such place in each State ms the
legislature Of such State shnIi dir.rt in cnse
NJ AZ MT "A
Nice-Prcsldent occurring. more than two months
next preceding. the first Tuesday in October
NE secretary OF state shall cause notification
ihcreoi 10 be made TO the Executive Of every
state. II further provides that each State may
provide by law lenacted prior to the day named
loT ue appointment OF electOrsl Tor the ap-
lointment OF such electors for tho trial and de-
termnaion Of any controversy concerning
lhelr appointment before the time fixed for
lnelr meeting. the second Monday in january.
Inc electoral vote shall be counted by the two
iQlse- Of Congress on the second Monday OF
inpluily succeeding every meeting of the cleo
.rs livery objection shall Ice made in writing
stating INC reasons. and be signed by at least
enc senator and one member OF the House. Ii
tgtlhrr provides for the separation OF the two
houses, and the action upon all objections after
fSo hour, debate in each House under the
hNr-mlu M" rule No vote objected TO shall be
counted except By the affirmative voice OF both
nou,' ~ debate is 10 be- allowed when the
W. Houses arc in Joint session
hr' llump rep, han.l, Introduced a bill To
t'o,'". '"r IN" t,MIornry Increase Of the army
W. ah emcrs"noy Il authorizes the President
I.hv'f service requires H. 10 cause 2 300 en-
Hs.'l men io bee added 10 the army. 10 serve
1Iu,ihs such eNigrncy.
Mr NHrion Dcin.. GA. introduced nm
anenlm"ut % the National Railroad bill. Ii
provides iNr the appointment II board Of six
Zen 'oiii. s-iunrrs. To- be called the National
SoLIl ni l4mnlssloners Of Interstate Trans
trAll 3d., TO decide upon the route and the
wtAllhl ol the proposed National Railway Com
lauy ~ as the first board Of directors Of said
"mIHIy and generally 10 carry out the pur-
- ol u" blll. viz: TO purchase locate CON
~, "ti operate railway from Boston
WIIush Massachusetts,, Connecticut and New
VIZ % lhr port u New YORK, and through
INV Jersey Pennsylvania. West Virginia
HH@ lpllana, Illinois. and Iowa to Council
i'm. wa, with sundry branches Of the main
~ ~ uc several States enumerated. Ii also
tHu'7 mat tho said company shall have the
ts sl lo acquire By purchase. giit. or condem-
ws az Necessary real estate and rights Of
ugG aul INIT It's capital stock shall not exceed
49, luli9 on each mile Of single track rail-
w 20 bought or constructed
SUI N.Y., hltiiie moved 10 take up the resolution
IN y Tae4 ~ nun IN the first day OF the session
e5ps,ta.H 70 cltlZon5 being deprived Of their
h 'uuohdl rights. Objected 10. and motion
Nesll.4tn whs agreed tO-ycas. "a nays 20 ;
a,is' s' 10Th. Davis (IlLL ingalls,, and Wad.
tive wa" ''o democrats III the aiilrIna-
N, Z fhpcEkDINds IL THE HOUSE.
t6nsi h'hua Dem. W. Val rising TO n per
cha sn "a llanhtion. referred 10 tie sweeping
t@psS's lnaie In the public press against mem
Jrn5 nl tlo Committee on Enrolled Bills for
Hnuh hness at the close Of the last session
iaIsc " Louh'ed such charges unoualiaedly