The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1880-12-18

from any state'is not simply q
wrong against which that State
highland ought 10 have protected
itself, uttalwrong to every other
Statein the Union, whose choice
may be nullificd or defeated by the
counting Of tho fraudulent votes,
against which those States must
DO entitled to protect themselves.
The question has always been rec
ognized as fraught with difficulty,
Whichever construction prevailed.
While the decision Of the electoral
commission to count the votes as
certified, and to reject all evidence
aliualc the certificates, was arrived
at By a strict party vote, there have
not been wanting eminent Demo
Gratis who have agreed in the gem.
eral view TINT neither Congress nor
any other tribunal had power 10 60
behind the certificates Of the
States. Anyother view, lis ar
gued, would tend 10 transfer the
power Of making the President,
from the States to Congress, and
convert the latter body5into q sort
Irrational returning board. The
proposed joint rule, knownas the
Morgan resolution and adopted BY.
the Senate atthe Inst session, and
which now comes before the House
as the Bicknell resolution, embod=
les the prevailing Democratic and
popular viewthat the counting Of
Ihcyotcsis the business Of the two
Houses, and not simply Of the
President Of the Senate. 1t pro-
vides that where there is but one
list Of electors certified from any
State, theyote Of that State shall
be counteda as certified, unless ho'h
houses shall concur to reject; that
where thereis more than one list,
that list only shall be accepted
which beth Houses shall concur 10
accept. This plan the Republicans
oppose, not only bccauseit.is ineon-
sisient with their favorite theorySof
the Vice. Presidents power, but be-
cause, they. say,it would putt in
the power Of either House of Con-
gress, in case Of double returns, to
deprive a State Of itsvote, and so
possibly control the result Of the
election. Rather than yield to- the
passage Of this rule, the Republic
cans have signified their willing.
ness to tilibuster to the end of the
session, and to take the response
bility;if,necessary, Of compelling
the calling ofian extra session Of
the new Congress. Practically
speaking, it is hard to sec why any
issueio ftheikind should be pressed
at the present session. The result
Of the election is not-in doubt,
The Republicans themselves do
not for one moment suspect the
Democrats ofgany intention to de;
feat the popularIwill. They simp,
" object, they say, to setting q
false precedent. But, and thistle
Democrats will sdowellz toremem:
Der Also no action of5the present
Congress, throughithe mediumIofia
Ijoint.rule, can setlle#thef principle
or establish n precedent Which
Congress fourEyears hence would
feel obliged to follow. Inasmuch
as nothing short Of a constitutional
amendment can put M end to all
further controversy upon the sub.
jeet, itswould seem tLat.the short.
est and best plan to pursue would
be to follow the precedentof1 1856.
No question is anticipated in re-
gard TO the vote Of any State cx.
cept Georgia, and whether counted
or not, the vote Of Georgia cannot
affect the result. In 1856 n similar
question arose in regard 10 the
vote Of Wisconsin, which did not
and could not affect the result.
The result was declared without
deciding the question. There is
enough work Impractical legisla,
ton to occupy the whole Of the
present session without wasting
any OF it in what, under the cir
cumstances, must be regarded as
Improbable discussion, leading to
no permanent or practical results.
| -But more Sun.