The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-12-10
WHEELING. WEST FRIDAY MORNING DECEMBER TO- 1880.
ESTABLISHED AUGUST a. 1852

eration Of which count had been made
which would forever stand monument
OF disgrace and dlshonor to the country
because that count had counted in man
who had not received msjority OF the
electoral votes.
The twelfth article gave the House pow.
er to elect the President under certain
contingency. II the Jurisdiction was con.
ierred on the tribunal on certain contin-
gency, that tribunal was certainly TO Judge
when that contingency had occurred. The
House must Judge when the contingency
in which It might elect the President had
occurred, and the House would not judge
OF that contingency unless 1t verified every
vote. The twelfth article imposed on the
House the actual necessity Of counting
and verifying the reports. .-...-..
That was 0 power that could not be
delegated. Knowing that the gentlemen
on the other side meant to set the Consti.
tuition at defiance, It was his hope thst he
would yet live to see his party again in
the msjority in the House. II the gentle.
men on the other side choose to obstsuct
business until the day should come for
counting the electoral vote let them have
the responsibility, let the Democrats
await that day and when IL comes let
them take their seats aud see that the
votes opened by TIE Vice President were
genuine votes. Let them see that every
elector was qualified, and let
them take any other step they
may. feel pleased to in the way
Of inquiry and investigation to know
whether the elector who had cast their
votes were qualified electors. II, per.
chance, they should find, as was the
case In II, that electors had voted who
were not qualified, let them have the
courage to refuse to certify or count such
votes, or II they found that the Vice Pres.
ident had opened certificates where the
votes alleged to have been cast were for.
geries, let them have the courage now and
forever TO refuse such votes. Let them do
as their fathers had done. Take their
votes, appoint tellers to count the votes
and as honorable representatives
Of the.people certify to the genuipeness Of
votes, or refuse to certify to 1t. He had
never met man who had not regretted
the necessity for an Electoral Commits.
sion, but now he looked back with salts.
faction upon the fact that the Democratic
party had, both in ~ and 80, their can.
didates who believed that It was the duty
OF the House to count the votee. Every
person felt that in the delegation OF that
power to another tribunal the RESPONSE.
oiity had been with Congress, and II
there had been any shame or dishonor in
,ts action 1t rested here. He had for that
reason felt at liberty to denounce that
tribunal. He would, however, never
cast a vote to create another. He hoped
the Democrats would not be influenced
either by fillibustering or by offensive
insinuations that they were hatch.
ing mischief. Except in the case oi
the States which had voted for Hancock;
there was no question in any State. There
was q question and very serious question
as to the vote OF the State OF Georgia. he
could not conceive moreldetestib!ethiug
than rejecting the vote OF State, except
votinga State against its will. That was
the crime OF the Republican party. 1t had
accepted perjury and forgery as means
Of certifying votes. In the face OF this
fact the gentleman on the other side stood
here and endeaved to give the Vice Presi.
attempt at usurpation that looked to the
future, and there was no legitimate action
that was not justifable to defeat that pur.
pose.
A joint running debate then ensued,
participstedin by McLane, Calkins, Hun.
ton, Cox, IN. Y and Mills, during the
course Of which Mills intimaied his oppo.
sition 10 the pending resolution on the
ground tha. under It's provisions the Sen.
ate might declare who was President.
Mr.. Lapham said that at the last session
he had looked upon the pending measure
as an attempt to debauch the electoral
vote. Why were the wheels Of legislation
now blocked TO consider question
when It wag admitted that there
was no necessity whatever for the opera.
tion Of the extraordinary provisions oil
the resolution? That there was lying be.
hind it some purpose, he was bound TO as.
sumo from the tenacity with which |
the matter was pressed. Under its
%end S1sT'i0n' Justify questioning m.arty return in
rejecting the vote Of State. 1t provided
that II more votes than are on the list oi
electoral votes "or papers purporting to be
such list," were received from State,
either House may refuse to receive the
vote. What was This paper? An offiial
paper2 Not at all, hut paper certified
by the Chairman OF Democratic State |
would answer the requirements |
OF that provision. The Republicans were
willing to justify themselves in resorting
to every expedient known to parliament. |
ary usage to resist the purpose OF this res.
olution.
Mr.. Herbert argued in opposition TO the
theory that the Vice. President bad right
10 count the vote. He denied that there
was any political motive which induced
the Democrats TO press the matter, unless
the desire to prevent tho theory that the
Vice President had the power 10 declare
who was bis successor from passing into a
precedent, were political motive.
Mr.. Newberry made On elaborate argu,
ment In support Of the proposition that
the power to count the votes was vested
in the Vice President. The proposed rule
was unconstitutional in that 1t attempted
to take from the President OF the Senate
certain poweru and rights and vest them
in the two Houses.
Pending further debate, the House ad.
journed.