The daily gazette., 1879-11-06
The Merit Presidential Count
III ON the N. Y. Sun.


The Nert Presidential Count.
II ON the N. Y. Sun.
Having secured the Presidency In 1876
by corruption aud force, the Republican
managers are now greatly troubled lest
tho Democrats should outwit them at
the next count. They dropped the joint
rule of Feb. d, 1865, uuder which Mr..
Lincoln had been declared President in
1865 aud Gen. Grant In 1869 and in 1873.
That rule was originally passed..by over
whelming Republican maJorities In both
Houses.of Congress, and had certainly
operated to the satisfaction of its au-
thors.
Thei ropping came to pass in this way
AT the hrst session of the Forty-fourth
Congress, when the Democrats had cap
tured the House in the tidal wave of
1874 and had swept out a Republican ma
jorlty of a hundred. the leaders in the
Senate, alarmed by that crushing ia
feat and by the popular verdict against
Grautism, and fearing that their own
weapon might be turned against them
selves, promptly sent the following mes
sage to the House:
"Resolved by the Senate the House
of Representatives cOncurring.) That
the joint rules of the Senate ami House
Ut Represent ative IN force at the close
OF the last session Of Congress, except
the twenty second joint rule providing
for the count OF the electoraD votes. -
ED be and the same are hereby adopt
Ell "a, the joint rules of the two Houses
for the present session.
This sudden Abandonment OF their
own rule by the Republican managers
excited suspicion in the House, aud the
resolution was referred to the Commit
tee on Rules, who took care to let II lie
by for full reflection. The House adop-
ted resolution, Aug. II, 1876, As fol-
lows;
"kesolved by the House of Repre-
sentatives the Seuate concurring,l That
the sixteenth and sevententh joint rules
be suspended for the remainder OF the
SESSION"
This resolution referred simply to the
general legislation then pending before
Congress, which was on the eve OF al
journment. 1t became necessary Il
suspend the rules FOL bidding bills tha
had passed one House to be sent to The
other for concurrence on the s last days
| of the session, anu also forbiddiug bill
that had passed both Houses from beiDl
sent to the President Oh the last day o.
| the session.
The only answer given TO that resolu
| ton by the Senate was in these words
| on the same day.
1.-The Senate has passed resolu lutior
| IN relation TO the suspensiou OF the six
Jeenth and seventeenth 10 rules, in re
| Spouse to a resolution of The House o
the same subject, Notifying the Hnus'
bad not notinrd the Senate OF the adoI
ton Of the JOINT rules for the presen
session as proposed by the resolution q
the Senate Gu the 20th day of January
~ fhnra "A n "A lni N rtia4 fprra -
The twenty-second rule was thu
killed in the House by It's friends. Th
men who invented the scheme and use
II for their own benefit were the exect
tIouers. They found II excellent as a
INSTRUMENT when doubtful votes were I
be counted, aud they bad controllin
maj aiorlties to admit or to reject electori
but they were afraid To trust n metho
which gave the Democrats equal powt
with themselves over the count. 1t wa
a partisan rule, intended to maintai
Republican a>cendancy by the exercis
of any arbitrary decision that might
necessary iof the object III view.
After the Senate Eoriiied the House
the intention To aboish the twenty sc
l oud joint rule, Mr.. NJ Morton proposed Ill
e ferent plans for counting the votes, 4
, based upon an advantage for his part
u which the Democrats OF the Hou
WOulI not accept, dUu iHt htpuDUCd
would tolerate no amendments that Il
prived them )f their superiority. Co
c sequently, when Congress met in IS
"a there was no form Of law obligatory
to the mode that should be adopte
u until the Electoral Commission W
Il concocted in the ingenious brain of NJ
, Edmunds.
a Triumphant fraud, which has rul
IS the country for nearly three years ,dra
:, towards its lgnomi NOUS end in the mai
1t raj ordor OF events. Another Preside
o tial election is impending, and the I
IA htical leaders who stabbed the TWEEN
second rule; who seized the votes
'e Louisiana, Florida, aud South Carolii
ID who employed the regular army agail
States aud Legi Liturrs; who have pc
T. stoned their c0niedcrates on the PUT
in Treasury; who have converted the Gd
ernment into "A creature of corporate
~ and rings; and who are now revealing
ly the spoiis thus acquired, are seriou
,u exercised for fear the Democrats II
follow in their footsteps and get L
rs power by daring lniqrlty. Conscious
er gun 10, they dread most of all retail. at
of their own invention. But there is
-e- cau,e for alarm. The experience of !
es cannot bo repeated, and the people ,
o settle the business next year, and
vi that their President is lnaugurated.