Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-12-18
IN CONGRESS-.

The principal subjects before con-
gTess have been the presidents mes
sage, and the mode of counting the
electoral vote the rest is buncombe.
As we have said our say on the
message, we will confine our present
remarks to the other topic. The
mode of counting was introduced as
a question by Mr.. Bicknell, of Indi-
ana, who moved to take up the con-
current resolution of the senate
standing over from last session.
This resolution made provisions
very similar to those proposed by
Mr.. Morton, the great republican
leader of Indiana, in 1875. Mr.. NJ.
urged the adoption of his bill on the
ground that unless it or some other
were passed, the counting of the
electoral votes and adjudication of
all contested returns would fall upon
the vice-president. This position
was disputed by Mr.. Edmonds in
1877, also republican, and his refu-
tatiOn of it was so pointed that we
print it:
1t staggers human eredulity that, if that
body of men had designed to turn the presi-
dent of the senate into judge in the most
critical of all cases for the well-being of the
republic, and in a case where it was fOreSeen
and even known that he himself would be
at first, and perhaps afterward, as it hap
pened, the very man who was to profit or
lose by his deciSiOn-tt StaggerS human ere
dulity that, if they had intended to repose
such a deciding power in the chair, they
should not have said so. When the
republican party is called upon to stultify
its own record and to go back, as the phrase
is, upon the mission it has performed in this
very respect in every time of question and
dispute, and because we can gain the beg
carly prize of temporary victory, to dis
honor ourselves, L ask whether the prize is
worth the cost. Where have we stood ? /
will not go back over all Our history, where
i'm every dispute, as nobody denies, not the
president of the senate, Out somebody else,
rightfully or wrOngfully has always decided,
but / viii take republican action alone.
When in 1865, the first time in the republican
career that a question as to what was the
constitutional vote of q state arose, q repub-
ncan majority In both houses, almost COM
plete in its unanimity, having all the power
OF the two houses, declared by joint rule
that no vote from state, whether il were q
single vote or double vote or a paper pur-
upon the election of q president of the
United States unless both houses OF congress,
not the president Of the senate, not any
body under law even, but unless both houses
OF congress, in their constitutional character
and without law should admit it. That was
the twenty-secOnd joint rule.
We have purposely quoted repub-
lican statesmen only. 1t will be
seen that while they differ as to the
right of the vice-president to count
in the absence of congressional in
PREVENTION, they are agreed as to its
being mOnstrous idea that the
decision should be left to that officer.
Now, what are republicans in
congress doing? They are working
in every possible way to prevent
theconcurrent resolution beingacted
upon, and Mr.. Robson broadly
avows his purpose in doing so to be
that the vice-president alone may
act in the matter.
The explanation of this policy is
clear enough; it looks to the election
of 1884. The republicans know that
they have an utterly INSCRIPTIONS
man for vice-president; one who
knows no right or wrong where
party is concerned, except what is
declared so by the interests of his
party. 1t is understood that, who
ever may be elected, Garfield is to
be declared president by Mr.. Vice
President Arthur.