New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-10
Ugo IRE THE 0BSTR UCTIoNISTsY

Are the Republicans in Congress justified
i'm resisting even to a resort TO dllatOry mo-
tions and extreme parliamentary tactics, the
pending resolution concerning the electoral
count 7 VIII the country sustain them in
the vote reached by them in caucus last
night Or do they lay themselves open to
the charge of unnecessarily and factlously OBJ
structing the public business by taking such
a course Into the decision upon this point
enters. first, the question whether there is such
an existing emergency as requires the passage OF
this or any resolution on the subject OF the cleo
toral count, justifies the party responsible for
legislation in blocking with this measure all
other business second, whether, there being
apparenty no such emergency, the Republic
cans lrlye reasonable cause for opposing with
such obstinacy an apparently harmless, though
unnecessary, resolution. The first question Is
easily answered. There is no question rs to
the result of the late election; none ms TO
how the electoral votes have been cast; none
10 TO how they should be counted; none
"a TO how, under existing laws and
rules. they Will be counted There is no
emergency whatever that calls for the
massage of the Joint resolution under
considerations No doubt exists in the mind
of any intelligent person that without the
passage of this resolution the electoral votes
will be honestly counted as cast and the
LEGALLY chosen candidates for President and
e-President declared elected For the pur-
noses OF this Presidential election it cannot be
claimed by any honest man that the slightest
necessity exists for the passage Of the resOiu-
tion. II the Democrats who urge it are in
Ia l,r- mi re nj
top and accent the verdict of the people,
there is no need of it, and little use for It,
1t cannot, as they themselves admit, change
the already recorded but not yet declared
result.
1t being then, not only unnecessary but APP
parently harmless, are Republicans justified In
resorting to extreme parliamentary tactics TO
prcvent its passagei Is theirs the response
bility of obstructing the public business by
factious opposition to o harmless resolution;
or does it belong to the Democrats for obsti-
nately insisting that, unnecessary as IL con-
fessedly is. it must be passed before any
other business is taken upf Both parties prac
ticallv agree that il is not essential. The Demo
Gratis insist upon their right to pass il to provide
against a possible contest. in 1884, and that
its passage now cannot possibly Affect the
neuding electoral count. The Republicans
saw. on the other hand, that between this
time and 1884 a new Congress, fresh from
and having the confidence of the people. will
undoubtedly adopt some measure for count
ing the electoral vote which will be better
and more wisely matured than this hasty and
in-considered partisan resolution; and they
saw further that, harmless as it looks on
oE
dim and vague perhaDs-stlll posi-
bility-for the invention OF some trick
or audible by which the present Democratic
Congress may undertake to create mischief
and defeat the recorded will of the people
So, then, the real question as to which OF the
two parties can be Justly charged with OH