Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-02-02
Electoral Count Rule i'm the Senate.

THE DISCUSSION IN TIE SENATE TO-DAY.
The democratic resolutions in relation TO the
electoral count were called up in the Senate
this morning, and an amendment was agreed
TO providing for two tellerS on the part OF the
Senate instead Of one as was at first provided.
Mr.. Morgan called attention to the near ap-
preach of the time for counting the vote and
the necessity or adopting a RUE for it. He
spoke OF the irregularity In the vote OF the state
OF Georgia and thought the country was 10 be
congratulated upon The fact that that was the
only cause for any controversy. He WAS Will
ing 10 admit that Garfield and Arthur had been
elected. and he would not place the slightest
obstacle In the way Of peacefully and quietly
counting them in.
Mr.. EdmuDdS expressed his willingness to
accept the proposed method OF proceeding with
method after rejecting and denouncing all To-
fereDceS or implications for or against tue
power OF any body to decide any disputed ques-
tion that casuist ry might invent or discover in
the language OF the resolutions. II Was a plan
to proct ed with the count without settling any
disputed question. He moved 70 change the
meeting OF The joint assembly from the Hall OF
the House of Representatives TO the Senate
chamber. In carrying the votes OF the states
an eighth OF a mile, from the Senate to the
House. some accident might sometime occur or
some disturbance might be raised for the pur-
pose OF dispoiling the President OF the
Senate OF the votes, and such loss would
cause great trouble. He made this motion
without any reference to any point of law, but
as matter OF safety. He insisted that the
Senate chamber is large enough TO accommo-
date the members OF both houses. The only
argument ever advanced in favor OF the House
was one OF physical convenience. The ac-
ceptance OF the resolutions with the declaimer
or reservation, In effect that they shall not be
construed TO imply anything, one way or the
ol1er. as TO the power OF the President of the
Senate over the counts, was agreed upon at
meeting OF the republican caucus committee
this morning. The committee examined the
resolutions critically.
Senator Thurman said that for seventy years
the votes ha0 been counted In The hall OF the
House. aid he hoped that the precedent would
be followed. and that Mr. Edmund'S motion
would be voted down.
MIR. Hoar maintained that the plan proposed
does not contemplate count OF the vote: thai
IL simply means to declare an election without
count. The constitution Is mandatory In It's
requirement that 1.-The votes shall then be
counted Under this resolution there will be
no 10, Official ,; count and nobody VIII ever know,
officially, how many votes Garfield got
Mr.. Thurman said the plan proposed was the
one that had been almost invariably adopted.
Mr. HOar called the resolutions a ''make-
shit, but said 1t might do IN the existing state
OF the parties.
MessIs. Thurman Garland and others spoke
in support OF the resolutions.
MIR. Garland was not willing to say the vote
OF Georgia should not be counted He was not
willing TO declare that state should be dis
fTanch1sed because the vote was not cast on the
day prescribed by Congress, whether that delay
grew out OF negligence, ignorance or corrup-
tiOn.
Mir. Thurman thought the vote of Georgia
should not be counted.
Mr.. Ingalls, thought this was no time to settle
questions that had been cOntroverted for years.
He was grateful TO the committee for having
submitted resolutions that opened the way out
OF difficulty, and that coincided with his Un-
gails) views. Mr, Ingalls, favored Mr.. EdmundS'
motion tomake the Senate chamber The place
OF meeting. Instead OF the House. lie said he
was teller In 1917, and in connection with that
dark period, he would relate piece OF secret
history. He and others received notice that
While passing the corridor with the electoral
votes In 1877 The Sergeant ALARMS would be at
tackled and the votes taken from him. Precau-
tions were taken to prevent the scheme.
MIR. Hill, OF Georgia. said that no man tn the
United States disputed the election OF Garfield
and Arthur.