The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1880-12-09
CONGRESSIONAL.
THE FOHrH-sEyENTM CONGRESS
SENATE.

tional amendment, authorizing congress
to establish rules for all matters con-
cerning the electoral vote and declaring
the result of the election for president
and vice president, and for the govern
ment Of congress, such laws not to be
changed or repealed within a year be-
fore the election occurs in any state.
Private bills were considered, and the
senate then went into executive ses-
sion.
When the doors were reopened, Ran
dolph gave notice of the following
amendment, in the nature of substi-
tute, to the bill for the relief Of Fitz
John Porter.
BE ii enacted, ETC., that the president
is hereby authorized in his discretion to
reinstate TO the army Fitz John Porte.,
who was dismissed by sentence Of n
court martial, Jan. 10. 1868; provided.
however, that such reinstatement shall
give no higher rank than colonel on the
retired list, and provided further, that
the said Porter shall receive no pay,
compensation or allowance for the time
intervening between his dismissal and
his restoration.
Teller introduced bill providing for
certain regulations concerning the man
ner OF conducting congressional cleo
tions and public violation thereof.
Davis, Of West Virginia, offered n
resolution, reciting the constitutional
requirements, that new apportion-
ment be made after each census, and
instructing the secretary of the interior
to communicate TO the senate the re-
turns OF the population of the respective
states Of the--union us ascertained by the
tenth census. Agreed to.
Paddock introduced bill for the ad-
mission OF Dakota into the union.
Adjourned.
HOUSE.
Washington, c.S.-F. Wood agreed
to postpone the funding bill until the
pending debate on the electoral ques-
tion was concluded. Congressman Carr
sarcastically said, Wood should not
allow important public business to be
interfered with by a political discus
sion. Wood moved 10 dispense with
the morning hour, defeated, and COM
mittee reports were called for, but
nothing Of Importance was reported.
Crook introduced joint resolution
authorizing the president to place U.
S. Grant on the retired list with The
rank and pay of general, as recogni-
tion of his services. Referred.
A bill for relieving j. NJ. IIerskill, of
Maryland, from political disability,
passed, but Conger said he understood
that it had another object. and asked it
to be retained on the speakers table.
So ordered.
Buckner, from the banking commit
tee, introduced substitute for the
funding bill. Referred to the commit
tee on ways and means.
The house then resumed the consid-
Grafton of the senate concurrent reso-
luton relative to the electoral count.
Willitts and Robson discussed the
electoral resolutions. The latter made
constitutional argument of some
length on the same line as yesterday,
answering Hunton. He said the vice
president had no authority to decide
judicially whether any set of certificates
presented were forged or not, nor had
the two houses of congress that right;
Trey might, perhaps, create tribunal
for such cases.
Hunton then made a brief speech.
Cox asked il the houses would be
powerless in case the electoral votes of
New York should DO changed from
Garfield and Arthur to Hancock and
English. some time while in transit be-
tween Albany and Washington. How
would the question of forgery be deter
minedp
Robeson said that this question was
whether the vice president had the
power to count the votes. II they were
in legal form, it was the duty of the
vice president to open them ministeri-
ally, according to law, and his action
was subject to judicial revision there
after. Congress had the right to pro-
vide the revisoIy power beforehand, but
if they failed, then the ministerial act
must stand unquestioned.
After being sharply interrogated by
various members, and brushing aside
most of the queries as being puerile,
Robeson gave notice that he would offer
the following rs substitute for the
concurrent resolution:
Rcsolrcd, That the two houses shall
assemble in the chamber Of the house of
representatives on the second Wednes-
day of February, 1881, at IL O'Clock;
that the president Of the senate shall he
the presiding officer; that two persons
| shall be apI ointed tellcrs on the part of
the senate and two on the part of the
house of representatives, to make list
of the votes rs they shall be declared
that the result shall be declared by the
president Of the senate, who shall an
nounce the state of the vote, and the
persons elected, to tho two houses as
sembled as aforesaid, which announce