The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-02-02
Ritllnlond 1ispatrh
counting the Votes.

s,s,sS. We do not regard Mr.. MoRdaN's
iolnt rules, which are now pending IN the
House OF Representatives, as containing eS'
aclly the regulations which ought to become
law. bol we heartily approve the determina'
lion OF the Democrats IN the Senate not 10
al'ow Mr.. ISoAIIs's resolution 70 pass au"
10 iecome bad precedent.
Whatever regulations may be adopted,
should any be, ougla to take toe form o'
law: not only to render permanent The reg
nlA,Ions themselves, but because toete Is
much reason 10 doubt the power OF the TWO
houses OF Congress, actin.s without inc CO.
operatjon OF the President OF the United
State, 10 pass any joint rules INTENDED 10
construe a provision II the Constitution'
We know that during the late war between
lie States or subsequent thereto, The ke'
pubcans In Congress passed, Tor counting
the votes, joint rules which might truth
iully be described as infamous. Indeed, In
late debate in the House OF Representa-
lives, Mr.. robson, of New Jersey, had to
OWE that the rules In question could not be
justified, and he refused to be held respon'
sib'c for the action OF his party in Congress
In framing them.
10 the absence Of law, and OF joint rules,
providing method OF counting the votes,
the two houses OF Congress would nave 10
follow the prccedents set by the fathers OF
the republic. The Senate has become such
a donineerng body that it is time halt in
catlQH II IL
especially important that the Democrats
saolld not agree 10 any rule requiring the
House Of Representatives to 90 into the
Senate chamber for the purpose in question.
Already the Republicans, OF most OF them,
claim for the President of the Senate The
right 10 count the votes for President ana
Vice President OF the United States. Let
the House OF Representatives agree IN 1881
10 march into the Senate chamber, instead OF
requiring the Senate TO march into the nall
OF ne House, to witness the counting ofthe
vote, and in 1885 CHESTER a. ARTHUR, Mi.
CONKLINGs most obedient servant, VIII
count himself or some other man into the
Office OF Vice-P President, and Mr.. CONKLING
or Mr.. GARFIELD or some other man INTO
the office Of President Of the United States.
We have said before, and we repeat, that
we may Judge the Republicans too harshly;
but II so, it Is not without proyocatlon.
When we remember that they fOisted three
amendments into the Federal Constitution
by brute force; that they divided Virginia
into tao States in undOubted violation OF
INo,-,f.ution. that thaV aO1eOni.
paled the slaves in defiance Of the plain re-
qu!rements OF that instrument; that they
for years deprived The South OF representa-
ton in Congress in shameless disregard OF
The most important provisions OF the same;
that they cheated the southern people out
of al their power in both houses OF Congress
by forcing upon them carpet-bagger and
scalawag representatives: we say, when
we recall these outrages We cannot be GEN.
suged for being afraid Of them, nor for
being unwilling to trust 10 them any duties
the performance OF which would enable
them TO perpetuate their rule over this
country.
There is no doubt that GARFIELD and AR
THUR viii be declared elected President and
Vice-President OF the United States. There
is no pretence upon the part OF any Demo.
crat that HANCOCK and ENGLISH have any
claims whatever to those offices. There
can, therefore, be no occasion for alarm on
the part OF the people, such as was mani
tested by them four years ago. They will
understand that the contest, If one there
be. is no, as 10 who is elected President
OF the United States, but as to neither an
officer Of the Senate shall usurp the power
TO elect the two highest offices in the Gov
eminent.
four years ago the claim that the president OF
the Senate had the power in question. We
do not know Mr.. Combines present posi-
ton; but we guess that it is the same as
Mr.. EDMUSDs's. The latter preserves his
reputation for consistency by saying that
he still holds the same ground, but adds
that the two houses OF Congress have no
more right TO count the votes in The sense
OF deciding as to who is elected than has
the president of the Senate. 1t is difficult
TO ioresee what action this last doctrine will
lead 10. Ii may be that Mr.. EDMUNDs, who
has made this remarkable declaration more
than once, means TO say no more than that
Congress ought to pass law on the sub
jee.. But he may also mean to say that II
the Democrats insist upon the right OF the
two houses to count the votes, he will insist
upon the right Of the president OF the Sem
ate 10 count them, though he does not really
. think that either that officer or the two
houses have any such right under the Con-
stituiion.
This is at present a practical question,
though its decision will not affect the result
OF the election, let ii be decided as it may be.
The vote Of the Georgia electors was not
cast on The day fixed by law for that pur-
pose. Clearly, then, somebody ought to de-
eide whether the vote OF Georgia can be
counted or not. II it be decided that
States electors may meet when they will
and vote when they choose, in contempt OF
an act OF Congress, trouble may result here
after from such decision. And yet it is
hardly conceivable that the people of the
United States would allow Mr. GARFIELD 10
take the Office of President II General HAN.
COCK would be elected by the vote OF Geor-
gIa. That proposition is almest as unthink-
able as The square triangle OF the philoso.
pliers. But as the question has become
practical one, without, however, involving
the unihinkable proposition aforesaid, that
ysrv fact calls loudlv unon ConoreSs To do