The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-28
THE ELECTORAL COUNT.
The Senate Democrats Will Not support the
Bill Passed by the House.

The Senate Democrats VIII Not support the
Bill Passed by the House.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WAsHINGToN June 2S.-No measure has been
before Congress for years which creates as much
interest as the electoral count bill-that is, it
cites interest in congressional circles and among
those who have lightning rods up for presiden-
tal or vice presidential electricity. The Senate
committee on privileges and elections, after many
weeks of hard work, produced a bill, suggested
by Mr. Hoar, of Massachusetts,, which, after an
other long siege of work, was perfected and
passed that met the views of all honest men,
Democrats alike with Republicans. When it
reached the House, Mr.. Eaton of Connecticut,
offered a substitute, which was adopted, which is
so very different from the bill of the Senate that
not even the Democrats of the latter body will
support it This will bring about fight between
the House and Senate, and the result
will be no provision for count
ing the electoral vote will be made, and trouble
is anticipated in the event the election this year
results as closely as that of 1876.
There are many antiquities in the presentlaw
governing the electoral count, but each succeed
ing complication over the matter has been more
serious than its predecessor. Manifestly it was
a duty of the most pressing Importance that
Congress, in its cool, deliberative hours, should
make clear the way by which the people can
have their preferences for the chief magistrate
honestly recorded and not wait until the emer-
gency has arisen and the partisan prejudice of
men aroused before providing temporary make
shift by which the dispute is to be settled. The
difference between the two bills is that the Sen
ate bill carefully follows the constitutional pro
visions and relegates to the States so far as it
is possible to do So the question of de-
termining the manner in which the
electoral vote shall be counted; the
Eaton bill is a departure from the Constitution,
as it provides that both Houses of Congress shall
forever and completely determine all disputes in
the States and make final return of the count.
In cases of dispute the Senate bill would send
it back for the State to settle.
Many interesting facts have been brought out
in the discussion over the two bills. 1t has been
claimed that both bills unconstitutional
The question of consttutionality however, is
not the highest one involved 1t is that of just
ice to the people who have participated in the
election. and it is this principle that seems to be
set at naught in the House bill. 1t has been
claimed, and such was VIGOROUSLY the intention
of the trainers of the Constitution that the cleo
toral college should be composed of the most
worthy and intelligent citizens of the republic,
Who would meet together and con
fer as to the best man to be
elected President Undoubtedly, such
a spirit Influenced the men who elected Wash
ington in 1888, and Adams and jefferson in
1871. Many struggles have arisen over the pres
ent and other modes of reviewing the count.
There was tie when it was found that Jeffer-
son had IS votes, Burr 70, Adams 65, Pinckney GA,
and Jay l. Congress occupied six days in bal
loting, Later, at the time of Adamss ascend
ency, another tie occurred, when it was believed
the people had cast majority vote.
About every twelve years since Washington's
time the records show that Ethere has been
trouble over counting the electoral vote, and on
two or three occasions the peace of the nation
has been threatened. Yet, with all this staring
the Democrats of the House in the face, and
presidential campaign pending they switched
off on a wild track with the absurdity proposed
by Eaton, and no provision will be made for this,
another emergency.