Morning journal and courier., 1880-12-13
Dropping the Electoral Discussion.

Secretary Thompson's Resig- nation From the Cabinet.
 THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
 vate Bills Already Passed-The Morgan
 Resolution to be Laid Aside-Democrats
 Anxious to Pass the ApprOpria dons -
 Resignation of Secretary 9hompsOn-
 Other Matters.
 WAsH1NGroN, Dec. 12.-The first week of
 Congress has passed without the accomplish
 ment of any public business. A few private
 bills have been passed in the Senate, and in the House the representative body has devo- ted the greater part of the time to talk. The two political parties in the House have
 succeeded in creating practical deadlock
 over the Morgan resolution proposing joint
 rule for limiting the electoral votes. The Appropriation committee has reported two of
 the minor appropriation bills. So much for
 the first week of the session. It may be that the House will succeed, during the legislative
 week which begins tomorrow, in escaping
 from the tangle caused by the action of the Republican joint caucus on the Morgan reso- | lution. To fight not to fight is the ques- | tion presented to the Democrats, and at pres | ent it looks very much as though no battle 1 would occur. It is probable that caucus
 will be necessary to ascertain the sentiment of the Democratic members regarding the Morgan resolution, if they are to insist up- | on their rights as a majority to decide what | | I ! ! | nious action is necessary. If they yield to the demand of the Republicans that the Mor- gan resolution shall be thrown into the waste | paper basket, they will undoubtedly desire to | back down in good form and without unneces- l sary debate. If it were not for the fact that ! the present session is such a short~one, and | the last one in which the Democrats will be | in majority for at least two years, dssper- ate fight would be made on the issue raised | by the Republicans. The fear of an extra
 session, for some inexplicable reason, also 1 seems to be strong upon the Democrats. An l other argument which many Democrats are | using an excuse for avoiding political contest now is the amount of important pub | lie business, which is of greater moment to the Democratic interests than fight upon | question which possesses no immediate i'm portance MT. Atkins will endeavor to-mor- row to call up the Notifications appropriation bill and pass it. The military academy and pension bills will be ready for action as soon as the fertilization bill is disposed of. The re- ! funding bill then came up to contest prece- dence with the Morgan resolution, which Judge Bicknell desires to press for immediate ac- l tion. As the resolution has been decided to be question of privilege it will take prece- l,s1I debate or tedious spell of fihbustering may 1 be anticipated. Not few of the Democrats are highly indignant over the policy adopted | by the Republicans. MT. Springer has opin- l ions which he does not hesitate to express. EsWhat are the Democrats going to do ! about it ?" asked 8 National Associated Press representative of the gentleman from Illinois. C don't know" was the reply. T can only speak for myself. see no other way for our people to do but to take the resolution in hand, compel an attendance of our members and pass it. don't think the Re- publicens will flibuster against the action of Democratic quorum If they do they will find it is game which two can play. The Republicans will absent themselves to defeat the Morgan resolution, for one am willing to absent myself next February to prevent the counting of the electoral votes. They
 maintain that the Vice President has the right to count the votes and declare the re- suit. I should like to see that theory carried out when quorum of one of the houses was absent' The reporter asked if the mandate of the constitution requiring the votes to be counted in the presence of the two houses did not imply that a quorum of the two houses must be present to witness the count. He was also asked if to remain away from l session of Congress at such time would be in direct violation of the command of the l constitution 'FSo far as that is concerned, |" l said Mir Springer, 'I required by the | constitution to attend the sessions of the | House every day. Whenever I absent my self without leave, fail in my constitutional d1ty. To absent myself by refusing to vote i when there was a question of quorum | would be unlawful Now there is the case of Georgia. I will not say whether I would vote to reject the electoral vote of that State because it not cast on the day prescribed by law or not I should be pleased, how ever, to see the Vice President decide in the absence of quorum of house that the vote should be rejected I doubt if Mir. Wheeler dare take such responsibility. It manifestly belongs to the two houses of Con-
 gross. There is no doubt of Garfelds elec- ton. Every one comedies that the rule we propose to enact does not apply to the pres ent case. for one, however, shall not will ingly consent to allow the Republicans to put an interpretation upon the constitution which will enable Vice President Arthur to elect President in 1884.
 Mir. Atkins, Mir. Blount and other mem
  to-day that they are not disposed to debate the Morgan resolution much longer. They say the Republicans are determined andthere
 is no use in fighting over it. They will there fore this week demand that some of the ap- propriation bills be taken up. They have no | doubt that they can carry their point because | the Republicans will vote with them in | body to take up public business. The mo- | tion to adjourn over from Friday last until Monday was made by MT. Blount, member A--.. .s,41~ 4410 o,,d has sisted all appeals for Saturdays session for debate only. la this resistance he voiced | the sentiments of not only his committee, but of other members who take no stock in the pending debate and who would like to | have it stopped because they regard it's con- | tinuance as a waste of time which might be better employed. Taking the past week as criterion the outlook is not promising for business session. Members of both parties doubt whether much will be accomplished other than the passage of the appropriation | bills
 | census committee will bring up the l apportionment bill as soon as he can get the l necessary returns from the census office. l Some of the Republicans thought they could
 make point by delaying the apportionment until after they could investigate alleged in
 limitation and bulldozing in the South, but l good lawyers in their party like MT. Robin | son, of Massachusetts, and MT. Frye, of l Maine, have convinced their political brethren that individual intimidation amounts to noth- ing in the matter of representation and that i to reduce the number of representatives in a State they must show that the free will of the people was affected by the State law and not by the individual action. The only point will
 be whether the Democratic Congress shall I make the apportionment. If the Republicans
 choose to obstruct the measures they can de- lay action until they get possession of the
 House in the next Congress. The members
 who will oppose the apportionment at
 this session are those who want an extra ses-
 sion of Congress Tomorrow the States and