Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1881-01-27
The Morgan Joint Rule.

1t Is rumored in Washington ChaC the
Democrats are making "still hunt" to
secure the attendance of q sufficient
number of their own members in the
House of Representatives to constitute
quorum and then push through the
Morgan Joint rule for counting the Elec-
tOral vote which passed the Senate at
the last session. AS the proposition is
in tho shape of a joint rule of Congress,
il will not come under the Executive
supervision and will escape the review
of the Judiciary branch OF the Govern
ment. Thus partisan majority OF one
of the three coordinate branches of the
Government, to the exclusion of the
other two, proposes to determine the
most important and vexed question of
the day. What does this meanP
The joint rule in question proposes in
effect that the objection Of either House
shall operate to defeat the counting of
the vote of any State There is no ne
cessity for this or any other rule. The
election OF General Garfield is conceded
by all parties 1t would be supreme
folly for anybody to deny this fact,
There Is nothing to do but TO count the
votes that have been properly certified
under the law. All that remains to be
done is q simple matter of computation.
The counting may proceed as it did
during three-quarters Of century,
There will be no party nor individual to
dispute the result. Then why do the
Democrats insist that rule shall be
adopted under these circumstances
which shall enable either House to re-
iect any votes that have been castP
Congress has its hands full of busl-
ness Of nm urgent nature. II is stated
that the passage of all the necessary APP
preparation bills will require four Of the
seven weeks which remain in tho pres
ent session. The Reiunding measure is
scarcely second in importance to the
Appropriation bills, aud there is now
so wide difference of opinion in both
Houses as 10 the terms and conditions
under which refunding should be under
taken that the discussion OF the meas
ure win probably consume considerable
time. The report Of the Census Bureau
is ready, and the necessary information
will be furnished to Congress for pro
ceeding with the new app0rtiOnment,
which ought TO be made at the present
session in order to enable the various
Legislatures 10 redistrict in time for tho
elections 10 the first Congress under tho
new census. The friends OF National
railway supervision, who include the
great mass OF the American people
without regard 10 party are anxious
that some agreement upon this subject
shall be reached at once There are
numerous other measures which appeal
90 Congress with urgency, and il Is clear
that II will not be possible TO accom-
plish at the present session ala that
ought 10 be done, Then why do the
Democrats propose to consume time
and resort 10 Their partisan majority, |
which has already been repudiated by |
the people, 10 pass a joint rule which Is |
in no sense necessary If they intend to |
count the vote honestlyP
This state Of things leads up to an |
Inevitable inference that the Democrats |
contemplate misunderstanding, aud any |
desperate effort to force through the |
proposed rule will be 50 regarded by |
the people. They have no right 10 put |
this temptation before themselves, If |
they do not actually intend 20 make .
dishonest use Of the opportunity tho
proposed rule will give theu. The
vexatiOus question Of electlng the I
President and counting the Electoral |
vote ought 10 be settled deliberately |
and finally By Constitutional amend
ment, upon which not merely ali the
branches Of the Government, but the
people themselves through their local
should pass Judgment. |
The proposition 70 settled IL tenn
pOrarily By q mere rule Of Congress, /