Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-06-03
The Electoral Counts.
Washington Post.

1t would not be an easy thing TO
name more important and imperative
duty now devolving on Congress than
that of establishing q joint rule for
counting the votes of electors of Presi.
dent and Vice.President. This is the
last session OF Congress before the Pres.
bitter, exciting struggle. The public
mind will be wrought up TO high state
of partisan feeling. The memory of
the crime Of 1867 will add to the AMI.
mosities that will be engendered. BE.
fore we start on this furious war of
words let us see to it that every possible
precaution is taken against ending in
another and more serious kind of war.
fare.
We take it, there is no party and no
sane man who wants to incur again the
awful risk which we took in 1877. We
were close upon the brink of civil war
war that would have ragged in every
city, town, village and hamlet in the
United States, war that would have
devastated the land and bankrupted the
Government. From this dread calamity
the country was saved by the patriotic
forbearance of the Democratic party.
The electoral commission declined TO
do the work for which it was ostensibly
created. 1t would not inquire into
fraud. 1t accepted returns stepped in
all manner of iniquities, including per-
jury and forgery, and stole the votes OF
two States. These are the facts, crys.
talized into history and known of
all men. No more electoral commits.
~ = zf
majority from whom that commission
stole the Presidency. Another such
crime would not, in all probability, find
a majority patriotic enough to endure
the wrong rather than assert the right
by force and arms.
The joint rule reported by Senator
Morgan is more fair to the opposition
than the repealed Twenty.second joint
rule. 1t is admitted by the New York
Times to be as near justice as could be
expected by any party. 1t provides for
an orderly, dignified and equitable
count of the votes. Where objections
are made to a return or alleged return
the two Houses are to separate, and one
hour is TO be allowed for the deterniin.
alton of each disputed case. If but one
list of votes OF electors from any State
has been submitted to each House for
its decision, and it shall appear that the
Houses have not concurred in rejecting
said list, the same shall be received.
But If both Houses shall have concurred
in rejecting any vote contained in such
list, such vote shall not be counted
otherwise, all the votes therein shall be
counted.
ts.A -F -
electors from any State, or paper pur
porting to be such list, has been submit.
ted to each House for its decision upon
objections made theteto, and ii shall
appear that the Houses have not con.
Cured in receiving either of said lists
as the authentic aud lawful list, they
shall each be declared by the President
Of the Senate, in the presence of the
Senate and House of Representatives
as being rejected; and no list Of votes
of electors so rejected shall be after
ward read in the presence of the two
Houses except for information.
The resolution provides in the most
careful ard circumspect manner for all
the details Of the joint convention and
its proceedings TO the final announce
ment of the result. We cannot see
wherein Republicans find cause for OBJ
lection. But their opposition ought not
to be of any avail. The majority should
discharge this solumn duty before there
Is so much as hint of bringing the
session to close. We have had suffi.
cient warning of the danger of an un.
regulated count. Let US be prepared
for every possible contingency.