Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-12-31
FRIDAY MORNING, DEC. 81, 1880.
COUNTING THE ELECTORAL
VOTE


COUNTING THE ELECTORAL
VOTE.
This seems to be favOrite subject and
opportunity for the politicians to raise a
smoke, or. as Blaine phrases it ga good
chance to attract the attention Of the
country 1t is an old hobby. In 1921 it
was ridden when James Monroe had re-
ceived 22s electoral votes and John Quincy
Adams /. Missouri then had three cleo
toral votes and though their rejection or
admission would in no wise affect the re-
suit there was stormy session over the
matter on the day for counting. They
compromised by directing the Presi-
dent of the Senate to announce that "if
the votes Of Missouri were counted the
number Of votes for A B would be so
many, and if the votes Of Missouri were
not counted the number Of votes for A B
would be SO many, and that in either case
A B was elected" In 1887 there was SIM
liar trouble about Michigan7s electoral
vote. In 1857 Wisconsin cast her vote on
the day after that required by law and
though 1t could in no wise affect the cleo
tion of Buchanan over Fremont debate
over it was only silenced by the presiding
officer declaring all debate out of order.
These occasions are used to advertise pol
iticians to their constituents. We sup
pose that no sane man ever inferred from
the language Of the Constitution that the
President of the Senate, who might him
self be a candidate for the Presidency, was
empowered to count the vote for that office
and announce the result without interfer-
ence by either house of congress. In the
language Of Senator Edmunds, the Repub-
lican Senator from Yer mont, in the de-
bate on the electoral count in 1876:
ut staggers human credulity that, if that
''body of men had designed to turn the
president Of the Senate into Judge in
s'the most critical of all cases for the
''well-being of the republic, and in case
''where it was foreseen and even known
''that he himself would be at first, and
perhaps afterward, as it happened, the
VERY man who was to profit or lose by
''his decision staggers human credulity
''that if they had intended to repose such
ia deciding power in the Chair, they
'sshould not have said so. < X
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 be-
''cause we can gain the beggarly prize of
ia temporary victory, to dishonor our
tsselves, I ask whether the prize is worth
s'the cost. Where have we stood? 1 will
''not go back over all our history, where
Tin every dispute, as nobody denies, not
''the President of the Senate, but some
''body else, rightfully or wrongfully has
''always decided, but I will take Republic
lean action alone. When in 1865, the first
s'time in the Republican career that a
"question as to what was the constitution
cal vote of State arose, a Republican
majority in both houses, almost complete
sin its unanimity, having all the power OF
''the two houses, declared by a joint rule
Esthat no vote from State, whether it was
s'a single vote or double vote or a paper
spurporting to be either, should have any
s'effect upon the election of President of
1.-THE United States unless both houses of
Congress, not the President of the Sens
safe, not any body under law even, but
''unless both houses OF Congress, in thu il
constitutional character and witt I'm
1'law should admit it. That was the twen
& 3ty-second joint rule.'
The Democrats OF the present. CONGRESS-
have'had before the House for soue watAl
joint resolution to forever end oronosi.
tion which ''staggers human credulitv
and the Republicans have, on che pretens4
Of seeing Democratic plot, Though Gar.
field is elected beyond all doubt) been sat.
tracing the attention of the country, nv
their fillibustering to defeat it. Truly this
Republican party is the veriest fraud that
ever undertook to manage the affairs of a
mighty Republic and its pretensions to
statecraft bear about the same relation to
craftsmanship that mock auction does
TO a respectable business house.