The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-12-09
Last Nights Dispatches.
XIV CONGRESS.
SENATE.

| w ASHINGTON. Dec S.-Mr. Morgan
introduced joint resolution tor a consti
tational amendment authorizing Congress,
to established rules for all matters con
cerning the electoral vote. and DECLARING
the result OF elections for President anG
Tor the government of Congress, such
laws not to be changed or repealed within
year before the election occurs in any
| state,
| Bills were introduced and referred:
| BY Mr.. Davis of Illinois. for the erection
| OF public building at Quincy ILL.,
The Vice Presiden. submitted a com
municatlon from the secretory OF War
| recon ending the action of Congress upon
the estimate of the Mississippi River
Improvement Commission of S9,l33. .OOO
for certain initial works.
MIR. Davis of West Virginia, offered a
| resolution recelting the constitutional re-
quiremeut that new appointment be made
after each census, and instructing the
Secretary of the Interior to comm unicate to
the Senate the return of the population
OF the respective states of the Union. as
acertained by the census. Agreed to.
On the motion OF Mr.. Plumb, the Senate
bill for the sale as public land of the Fort
Larned military reservation was passed.
Private bills were considered and then
| an executive session.
HOUSE
WASHINGTON, Dec, 8 Mr.. Wood
agreed to postpone the funding bill until
the pending debate on the electoral aues-
tion is concluded.
Mr.. Conger sarcastically said Mr. Wood
should not allow i'm portant public business
to be interierred with by political dis
cussion.
Mr. Wood moved to dispense with the
morning hour. Defeated, and committee
reports were called for, but nothing i'm
portant was reported,
Mr.. McCook introduced joint rssolu :
ton authorizing the President to place u.
s. Grant on the retired army list with the
rank and pay of General, as q recognition
of his services. Referred
The bill relieving j. NJ. Horskell, of
Maryland, from political disability. passed
but Mr., CoDger said he understood it had
another object and asked that it be re-
tanned on the Speakers table. So ordered.
Mr.. Buckner. from the Banking Con :
mittee, introduced the following substi-
tute for the funding bill, and it was referr-
ed to the Ways and Means Committee:
Be it enacted. etc, First in lieu of the
bonds authorized to be issued by the act
of Congress of July IA. 1870, entitled IAN
act to authorize the refunding of the na-
tional debt, and the acts amendatory
thereof" the Secretary is hereby author
lied to issue treasury notes of the United
States in an amount of not more than
$500, 900, 600, in denominations of not less
than $40 and bearing an interest rate not
exceeding per cent per annum, of which
said notes pot more than ST, 600, 900 shall
mature each year from tie date of their
issue, and said notes shall be disposed of
by the Secretary at not less than par, aud
proceeds thereof shall be applied to the
payment Of five and six per cent bonds OF
United States maturing during the year
1881, or the Secretary may exchange said
treasury notes for said bonds on such
terms as he may deem most advantageous
to the United States.
2. That the Secretary of the Treasury
is authorized to make suitable regulations
for disposiDg of said treasury notes to the
best advantage to the government, and all
expenses attending the same shal! not
exceed / of one per cent of the notes so
disposed of or exchanged,
8, That the sum of 100000 of coin in
the treasury Of the United States be set
apart as fund for the redemption of the
notes known as legal tender notes. and any
surplus of coin over and above said sum
and belonging to the United States re-
maiuing in the treasury shall be used by
the Secretary of the Treasury in the pur-
chase or redemption on account OF the
sinking fund OF any of said issue OF per
cents maturing IN the year 1881.
The House then resumed consideration
of the Senate concurrent resolution rela-
tive to the electoral count.
MIR, Willis was the first speaker. He
argued in opposition to the theory that the
right to count the electoral vote was vested
in Congress.
Mr.. Robson said the present resolution
involved the question whether the election
OF President should be made by the elec
;ois appointed by the states Or whether it
should be practically left to the irrespon
sible will Of the Legislative asssem bly,.
Mir. Warner-Or Vice President
MIR. Robson replied that the gentleman
assumed loo much. He assured tho
gentleman that until he laid down his pro-
positions the gentleman could no; guess
what they were. nEe present resolution
| DECLARED ssGat Congress sad right
to deoida jud:cislly on the qualify,
character and effect OF the electoral votes.
| Congress had power to do nothing except
what the constitution gave it the power to
| do and what was that? A legislative
power2 1t was legislature orgapiz I'd to
u AXE laws, not a court organized to pro
uounce or the operations Of the laws. His
objection TO the present resolution wss
that Congress had no poWer 10 act judi
eially ppoQ 80 REJECT or to receive the vote
of any state. II was violent assumption
that their resided in Congress under the
constitution. whicn loudly omitted to say
that Congress should have power to count
votes, any latent power in convention
which excluded even the inherent legisla
tive power of Congress, He did not in
tend that the Wee President, in The dis
eharge OF his ministerial function OF open
ing all the certificates had any power to
act iudiaiaiiy. He limited the power 0!
Vice President by the written words of toe
constitution itself. just as be limited the
power OF Congress Every argument 10
favor OF the power OF Coogress to count
the votes was equally strong 10 favor of the
rip ht of the Vice President
MIR. Hunton said that if he understood
the proposition of the gentleman from
New Jersey ;. he held that neither the
two Houses OF Congress nor, the Vice
President had any power oyer the subisc
of the electoral vote except merely to
enumerate and declare The result. Be
wished to ask the gentleman 20 state how
he would meet difficulty of this sort.
Suppose that committee of the House
: should report that the electoral certificate
a OF any state was fo.r :. certificate. Ii
: that event who would have power TO pssl
: on the question of forgery2