Morning journal and courier., 1880-03-18
THE ELECTORAL COUNT,

VI dA tAc biIS OA H1uAuA OulhSIOu OI WHICH
 the Democrats in Congress have been guilty
 none is more heinous than their failure to
 pass a law so regulating the counting of the
 votes for President and Vice President as to
 avoid some, at least, of the difficulties and
 dangers that were made so apparent at the
 last count. They have had plenty of time,
 the matter and its immense importance have
 been often and forcibly urged upon their at
 tention, but here we are, with another presi-
 dential election close at hand, and nothing has
 been done to correct the obvious defects of
 the old way of counting the Electoral vote
 It is depressing state of affairs, although
 nothing more than was to be expected.
 Senator Edmunds, who has got tired of
 waiting for any action by the Democrats, has
 introduced and had referred to the proper
 committee bill which seems to be admirably calculated to provide for the settlement of such differences concerning the Electoral vote as may occur. This bill is modification of the one which passed the Senate in the Forty fifth Congress. As there is no time now for the creation of special tribunals by the States to settle disputes-as was contemplated by HAAA' sideration simply provides that the decisions which may be obtained in any State In ac- cordance with the laws shall be respected by Congress. It also extends the time for taking the vote in the Electoral College from the second Wednesday in December to the second Monday in January, which will givs greater opportunity for the adjustment of any dispute f6oG Gfofo I1rkc A6o oF counting the Electoral votes, both houses of Congress are required to meet in joint session on the second Wednesday in February suc- ceeding the meeting of the Electors, with .he President of the Senate as the presiding officer. Tellers are to be appointed to present all the certificates and papers purporting to be certificates of Electoral votes. Upon the reading of such certificates the President of the Senate shall call for objections. Every objection shall be made in writing, and when any or all objections to any vote or paper from State shall have been received and read the objections are to be submitted to the two houses separately for decision, and no Electoral vote from any State from which one return has been received shall be rejected ex- cept by the affirmative votes of both houses If more than one return from a State shall have been received, only those votes given by Electors appointed in conformity with the pro- visions of this bill shall be counted In case the question arises which of two or more re- turns from any State is the legal one, only those Electoral votes shall be counted which the two houses, acting separately, shall con currently decide is supported by the decision of the proper State tribunal. In cases where a State not supported by ths dscision of a State tribunal, those votes only shall be counted which the two houses, acting sspa- rately, shall concurrently decide to be the law ful votes of the legally appointed Electors of such State. The President of the Senate is to preserve order in the joint ses- sion, allow no debate, and entertain no motion from members of either house except to with draw. The bill further provides that the joint meeting of the two houses shall not dis solve until the count is completed and the re- suit declared. No recess shall be taken except to decide question that has arisen in regard to the counting of vote, and no recess to ex- tend beyond the next day. If the counting is not complsted before the fifth calendar day of the joint session, then no further recess shall be taken by either House. This bill seems simple, just and practical, and even If 1t does not reappear from the committee where it is at present inferred, Senator Edmunds is entitled to the credit of doing what he could to bring about the much needed change.
 We do not expect any favorable action upon this bill or upon any other that has the same purpose at this session. It is probable that the Democrats will wait until after the cleo tion, and then if there is any chance of suc- cess adopt a plan of counting the Electoral vote that will enable them to count in their candidate. Their political greed is such that
 they shrink from no yillainy, as Is shown by their action in the Kellogg Spofford case. But it will, nevertheless, be great misfortune if MT. Edmunds' bill, or one like it, is not passed.