Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-02-07
THE ELECTORAL COUNT.
PASSAGE OF THE MORGAN JOINT
RESOLUTION.
Hts DiscussiOn In the HOuse-The
Electoral Vote of Georgia and the
Loyalty of Her PeOple-mr. Ham
mOnd's Reply to DIR. FeitOn-Senate
Proceedings.

nal, Mr.. Bicknell, OF Indiana, as q privi-
legged question, called up from the Speakers
table the Senate concurrent resolution for
counting the electoral vote.
Mr.. Bicknell said It was alleged that the
electors of one State had cast their votes
on day not prescribed by law. The ques-
tion would be made whether or not the
vote of that State should be counted
That was a doubtful and difficult
question, and the Constitution had
not expressly declared by whom such ques-
tion should be decided. A like difficulty
had arisen several times heretofore, once In
1881, once in 1881, and once in 1857. In the
latter case the result had been an angry and
dangerous debate, ending in no practical
good. The object Of this reso-
luton was to avoid such q dlfi-
Guilty. Whether the vote of the
State In question (Georgia) be counted
or not counted would make no difference in
the result. Everybody admitted that Gen
eral Garfield had been duly elected President
OF the United States and would be so de-
clared, but in order to avoid any difficulty
this resolution was proposed, and he
hoped that 1t would be adopt
ed unanimously. Il provided for
the same hypothetical counting which
had already tlded the country over similar
difficulties on two occasions.
Mr.. Robeson, OF New jersey, demanded a
division Of the resolution. He should make
no objection to the resolution as prescribed
to-day. He was In favor OF the first branch
OF the resolution, because It was the identi-
cal resolution, If he mistook not, which
he had presented for acceptance to the
other side of the House before the holi-
days. With regard to the second branch, it
would not become him to make any moro
opposition to its passage than to record his
vote according to bis opinion. He begged
leave to congratulate the gentlemen on the
other side of the chamber on their return to
the old principles of Democracy.
Mr. Reagan, Of Texas, said though he was
not now able to congratulate the gentle
man from New jersey and the Republican
party, he expected when the vote was taken
TO be able to congratulate him and them.
That they had abandoned the methods Of
revolution and had decided to count the
votes for President.
Mr.. FELTON,, OF Georgia, said all parties
recognized tie election of General Garfield.
No man questioned his title to the highest
office in the gift Of the people. He believed
that the Morgan Bicknell resolution was
improper; that it was unconstitutional, and
hence he had voted against it, He bad no
special objection to the first branch
of the pending resolution. The second
branch, however, decided nothing. 1t
simply avoided the decision which, IN
his judgment, the House should make here
to day. He rose as e Georgian and pro-
tested that the people of Georgia shoald not
be held responsible for having the vote of
that State laid aside. BE asserted that the
people Of Georgia should not be held re-
sponsible for the ignorance of their officials.
He asserted most positively that this House
should meet the question, and instead Of
laying aside the vote of Georgia it
should announce to the world that Georgia
had no vote to be counted or laid aside. He
asserted that where there was Federal
law and State Law touching q Federal
election the Federal law was supreme; and
he wished it distinctly understood that the
mass of Georgians recognized that fact, and
that the old idea that the State was sover-
eign and supreme when the Federal law
decided otherwise was an exploded
idea in the State OF Georgia. (Applause
on the Republican side). He wished the
world to know that as one of the repre-
semtatiyes of Georgia, he here asserted the
fact that henceforth and forever the people
of Georgia were absolutely loyal to the
Federal laws. applause on the Republican
sidel The people of Georgia had no desire
to violate the Federal laws, and when a
CldtG law Ad0 bCCn P0ooSA hhNNA WblSh bAo
electors had cast their votes, there had been
no intention on the part of the Legislature
to conflict with the Federal laws.
Mr. Speer, of Georgia, said that the peo-
pie Of Georgia had been loyal to the Federal
laws since they had laid down their arms In
good faith in 1865, and when they accepted
the constitutional amendments they accepted
them in good faith. The gentleman from
New Jersey (RObeson) had done some MUS
IL han ha hed said hat No man IN the
Democratic side had dared TO stand forth
and speak for what they understood to be
true Democracy against the Morgan resolu
tiop. There were three Democrats who
had done that (alludipg to FELTON,,
Stephens and himself), and had recorded
their votes against the resolution. He
Joined wi; the gentleman from New Jer-
sey in congratulating his Democratic breth
rem that they had reached solution OF
this question, which would not do violence
to The grand rights of a sovereign State
He had been criticised by the Bourbon pa
ptrs of Georgia. That criticism was due to
the fact that he had antagonized Bourbon
methods In the State of Georgia. He DOW
found the Democratic party standing
shoulder to shoulder with himself and his
colleagues, FELTON, and Stephens.
Mr., Hawley, of Connecticut, hoped moth
ing in the second branch of the resolution
would be inferred as deciding against the
right of Georgia to have her vote counted.
The principle generally held In view was
that the will of the people, If it could be
clearly asceltsined, should be allowed to
have its due weight, without regard to the
error or ignorance Of It's servants. He
should vote to accept the vote Of Georgia
because that vote had been cast In accord
ance with the forms Of law.
Mr.. Cook. of Georgia, declared there was
not law on the statute books of Georgia
in contraveution OF the power Of the Fed
eral Government. The people of Georgia
were Ioyal with the exception of one man,
Calludipg to Robert Toombs), who was he
special advocate Of the Representative from
the seventh district (Felton).
Mr. Hammond, of Georgia, regretted that
his colleague (Felton) should arraign the
Democratic party for direliction OF duty in
order to Justify his violation of party duty
and party allegiance. 1t might be sub
iect of congraIulation that now the tail
wagged the dog. He desired to reply to
the suggestion that an "Independent was
always right" By quoting from
Iustitute,n In which, undertaking
to define good parliamentary man, he said
that he ought TO be like an elephant, be-
cause he was patient and wise, and because
he was gregarious. Good animals, like deer
and cattle, marched in herds, but hurt
full animals marched by themselves, such as
wolves and foxes. (Laughter)
After further debate, the resolutions were
adopted, the first branch without division,
and the second branch by vote of yeas 16O,
The Republicans as rule voted in the
negative, and the Democrats In the affirm1-
tive. The following Democrats, however,
voted in the negativt-Acklen, Con-
verse. Culberson, Hurd, Slemons and
Younp of Tennessee. The following
RennbIicans voted in the afirma-
tive-Baker, Bslford, Bisbee, Bowman,
Burrows. Calkins, Cannon, Carpenter, Chit
tenden. Crapo, Daggett, Dick, Ford, Field,
Fisher. Hail, HaWley, Hayes, Hazeltine,
HeiImsn, Hiscock, Horr, Kelley, XII
Iinper, Lindsey, MCGOWAN, Morton,
O'Neiil, Prescott, Rice, Robson, Stone and
fhe following is the text Of the resOlu.
tions as adopted:
Rn resolved 6y the Senate, The House Of Rep
,sseatati,es concn9Tisq That the two houses
of Congress shall assemble in the ball OF the
House of Representatives on wednesday
the 9th of February, 1881, at II O'Clock M
and the President of the Senate shall De pre-
siding officer; that one person be appointed
teller on the part Of the Senate, and two on
the part OF the House of Representatives,
to make a list Of the votes as they shall De
declared; that the result shall be delivered
To the President of the Senate, VINO snail
announce the state OF the vote and the per-
sons elected to the two houses assembled
az aforesaid, which shall be deemed decla-
ratlou of the persons elected President and
- PRESIDENT of the United States, and,