Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-12-08

at lA:OO the SonaG0 W0uG 1uUO oAeCu-
tive session. The doors reopened at
1850 and the senate adjourned.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 7.
Mr.. Ward, of Pennsylvania, intro
duced bill for the appointment of
an assistant secretary of war. Re-
ferred.
Mr.. Belford, ef Colorado, offered
resolution directing the secretary
of the interior to inform the house
under what law or warrant of au-
thority Douglass, sub-chief of the
Ute tribe of Indians, is confined in
the military prison at Fort LeavenA
worth, and what steps, if any, have
been taken by the United States
authorities to bring. him to trial for
alleged completely in the murder Of
Indian Agent Meeker. Adopted.
The speaker proceeded to call the
committees for reports.
The call having been concluded
without the presentation of any re-
ports Mr.. Bicknell called up, as a
question of privilege, the senate
resolution relative to the counting OF
the electoral vote.
Mr.. Keifer raised to a point OF
order that the resolution did
not present question of privilege.
A debate ensued. in which
Messrs. Bicknell and Springer
maintained that whatever related to
the constitutional right of the two
houses to declare the electoral vote
was a question of privilege. The
house had certain powers relative tc
the election of President. It, and il
alone, must determine when the con-
tingency arises what was contemplat
ed in the constitution and when il
must act in the matter and choose 6
president.
Messrs. Keifer and Robson con.
tended that a concurrent resolution
proposing a joint rule to the pres
ent mode of counting the electoral
vote was not a question of privilege
The president of the senate alone
had the right to count the electora.
vote. The house could not make 6
contingency and then declare that il
had arisen and proceed to elect 6
president. The house, they main
tanned, had nothing to do with the
making of the contingency.
The speaker replied that the house
was the sole judge of the question
of the fact whether or not contin-
gency has arisen. It must determine
when, under the constitution, it must
choose president, and a president
so chosen will be the president OF
the United States.
Mr.. Reagan (Texas) argued that
the matter presented was question
OF privilege and that the president OF
the senate was merely a vehicle OF
medium between the electors and the
two houses of congress.
After some further debate, in
which Messrs. Conger, of Michigan
Hooker, of Mississippi, Updegraff
of Iowa, and Whitthorne, of Tennes
see, participated.
The speakers said the uniform
practice, certainlya recent practice,
goes to the extent of showing that
the two houses do count, and have
counted the electoral vote. II
the chair were to refuse on tech
nicalities to allow an adjournment
between the two houses as to the
government of the houses when in
joint session, it might lead to con
fusion, chaos, and perhaps commo-
ton. In the opinion of the chair il
makes no difference by whom the
votes are counted. If done by the
two houses it is the highest duty
they have to perform. If done by
any other person it must be done in
Inc presence of the two houses; Sc
that any rule relating to the joint
meeGlng l Is question of the very
nghest privilege, and he must Sc
rule. "
Mr.. Bicknell then demanded the
previous question, and the democrats
refusing to allow the republicans IN.
limited time for debate, the latter
fllibustered to prevent action. For
a time it seemed as if the house
would come to dead lock
but Mr.. Keifer finally Withdrew his
demand for the previous queition,
and Mr.. Keifer delivered a written
argument against the pending meas.