Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-12-09
The urangie i'm the House,

The republicans and democrats In the House
have pitched upon the most interminaOle sub.
ieet for discussion that could have bee found
in all the wide range OF politics. Differences IF
opinion as 10 the proper construction of the
constitution have arisen almost ever since its
adoption. but OF ali the indefinite clauses In
that Instrument that relating to the count OF
the electoral vote Is about The most uncertain.
It provides distinctly enough that the votes OF
the states shall be transmitted to the president
OF the Senate IL Is equally as plain that ''the
president Of the Senate SHALL IN the presence of
the senate anG House OF Representatives
open all the certificates and"-here comes
the doubtful clause and the one over
which so many differ they shall
then be counted" Counted by whom? That Is
the question This duty OF counting it is
commended involves the higher and more i'm
portant function OF determining which vote
shall be counted in case OF a dispute over the
return of a state. This Is a judicial function
that must be performed by somebody. bit
whether this great power was intended to be
vested In the president OF the Senate, or 10 Con-
gTesS is the matter in dispute IL IS this subject
that has been opened up In the House at the
beginning OF a session et Congress which must
terminate en- the 4th OF next March. II Is
generally admitted that there is no room for
votes cast last month. that could In the least.
interfere with or throw doubt upon the ac-
cepted result A question will PROBABLY arise
as TO the counting OF GeOrgta's vote, bur
whether IL be accepted or rejected can have no
effect upon the result OF the election. Even IL the
democrats were now deSirOus or entering upon
4 scheme having for It's object the reversal of
the expressed will of the people, IT is too late
for them 10 construct any sort OF basis for
such action In none OF the states that voted
the republican ticket did the democratic electors
make any preteDse OF meeting and casting the
vote for Hancock; therefore there is no pretexJ
By which they could get up contest from any
OF those states It would be possible for them
TO reject the votes OF states enough Is Is said to
throw the election into the House. but that
would not help the democratic plot, {supposing
one existed,) as there are 10 states that would
vote republican, Is democratic and one
QIdlanal which would De controlled By the
gTeenback member. Consequently. should
the gTeenbacker unite with the dem.
ocratS, that would not give them a
majority Of all the states, but should he cast
MS vote with the republicans Il would elect the
latterS candidate The present status OF the
debate In the House Is one CT stubbornness
Each side fe ls that 1t must not give In, lest 1t
he said they were whipped" while In fact
both sides really feel that there Is nothing sDe-
cial 10 be gained, but, On the contrary, much to
be lost 10 the public interests by a continuance
OF the dispute II being admitted that Garfield
and Arthur have been elected, and should De In
sugurated, that removes ali chance for dispute
In the count next February, and after that Con-
gTess viii have four years In which 10 fully
discuss the subjecs OF counting the electoral
votes. and &c enact Definite legislation on the
subject. Whether the pending measure over
which the discussion is being had be called a
dill TO regulate the count or a rule TO govern
that proceeding, really makes no difference, as
It's purpose really Is to prescribe how the count
shall be made, hoT objections to a vote shall
be entered, and how such controversies shall
he determined.