Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-03-17
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY,
THE ELECTORAL COUNT BILL.
Passed in the Senate After Discussion.
REPORTS FROM HOUSE COMMITTEES
Protection Of Timber on Public Lands.
The Senate.


| report of Special Agent Spaulding in relation to
| the fraudulent importation OF Chinese into the
| United States. Referred.
| THE ARTHUR KILL BRIDGE
Among memorials presented and referred,
| was one by Mr.. Evarts consisting OF resolutions
| OF the Chamber of Commerce of New York city,
| earnestly impressing upon Congress the impor-
| lance to the rapidly growing commerce of that
| city OF the construction of the proposed bridge
| across the Arthur Kill, between New Jersey and
| Staten Island, and urging the passage Of the
| bill pending before Congress authorizing the
| construction OF such bridge.
COAST DEFENSES.
Mr.. Wilson, of Maryland, presented a joint
resolution OF the legislature of that state urging
| Congress to take steps to put the coast defenses
| in an effective condition. Referred.
Mr.. Henderson, from the committee on print
Ing, reported favorabiy the House bill to pay
the expense of removal and storage of printing
| material belonging to the government. On mo-
ton OF MI. Henderson the bill was passed.
| week.
Mr.. Plumb Directing, however, the matter
went over.
PROTECTION OF TIMBER ON PUBLIC LANDS
| Mr.. VanWyck offered the following resolu-
ton:
RESOLVED, That the committee on public lands
| be directed to examine the nature and extent
| OF the alleged use and destruction OF timber on
the public lands adjoining the line of the North
ern Pacific railroad, particularly by the Mon
tana lmprovementcompan by what authority
tional legislation is necessary to protect timber
on the public domain, with power to send for
persons and papers The resolution was agreed
Mr.. HoAR ON THE ELECTORAL COUNT BILL.
The chair laid before the Senate the new
electoral count bill Mr.. Hoar addressed the
Senate on the bill.
The present condition of the law. Mr.. Hoar
4 C0i In rnpA 20
vote, would render it almost impossible to count
the vote Ia case of any serious difference diff
Guilty, without some special rule at the time Of
| the actual count. That constituted q serious
public danger, and it was our duty to provide
against it. This bill failed to provide for the
settlement by Congress OF a case in which OPP
| posing sets OF returns were made from any one
state. In the present condition of public Opin-
ION ION ana OF political sentiment in Congress it
case II one house of Congress favored one
set OF such returns and the other another, there
in case there were but one return it could not
pc rejected, except by the united voice OF both
houses ana that In case the state itself had pro-
vlded Tor the decision OF questions Of difference,
| by law passed more than six days before the
| meeting OF the electoral college, the decision
| was to be taken as valid.
In accordance with a suggestion of the Sena-
tor from New York (Mr. Evarts) the bill now
provided that the governor OF a state should i'm
mediately transmit to the Secretary of State of
the United s ates "A certificate of the elector. i
vote, and provided also for the usual certifi-
Gales 70 the electors delivery to the president
Mr.: George inquired If the bill provided for a
case in which the governor OF a state might be
politically opposed to the set of electors who
might be elected, and might fail or refuse to
make the certificates required by the act.
| Mr.. Hoar supposed no law could provide for
such a failure Of public officer to perform his
| duty. Mr.. Webster had once said that if the
Senators of the United States failed to assem-
BILE there was no earthly provision for prevent
| ing the republic from going to pieces. II the
state electors failed to send to the Senate the
pei them.
Mr.. George had not been able as a member of
the committee on privileges and elections to
give his assent to this bill. There were some
valuable provisions in it, he said, but also there
were some grave omissions. Among the omis-
the executive Of a state to have the Vote of the
| state ascertained and counted 1t was not COM
petent for Congress to compel the governor to
perform his duty, but 1t was competent for Con-
gress to provide by other means for the ascer-
tainment OF the vote of state in case of the re-
cusancy of the governor. The suggestion of Mr..
Evarts also raised this question, as Mr.. George
believed. What was to be done If the vote OF
| state should be rejected with reference to the
was necessary to elect President. The ques-
| ton was whether man would be elected
jOrity OF the whole number of electoral votes,
but only a majority of the whole number OF
those votes that might have been counted.
of the votes actually counted was all
| that was necessary, then there would be
| temptation on the part OF one mouse The
other to reject votes In order that a person not
| having a constitutional majority might be
declared President. That would be q plain
| violation of the Constitution.
After stating other objections, Mr.. George said
that lie could not give his concurrence 10 the
committees report on the measure.
THE BILL PASSED.
The bill was then passed without a division.
| AN UNSIGNED PRESIDENTIAL MESSAGE
| Several messages from the President were
| bofO q of holm
! signed, "but received" said President pro tenn.
Sherman, =" in due and official FORM" The mes
| sage, on suggestion OF the chair, and on motion
| of Mr.. Cockrell, was returned to the President
| for signature.
MR.. DoLPH ON THE EDMUNDs REPORT.
At 2 p. m. the Senate resumed consideration
of the Edmunds report, Mr.. Dolph taking the
| floor to finish his speech begun yesterday.
House Of Representatives.
Mr.. Caswell wis.,, from the committee on
| the judiciary, reported back resolution call
ing on the Secretary Of the Treasury for state
ment of the account between the United States
and the several states and territories OF direct
taxes levied and apportioned by the act of
| 1861. Adopted.
| Mr.. Wait lConn), from the committee on for
e1gn affairs, reported back II resolution calling
| on the Secretary of State for copies of recent
correspondence between the Secretary of State
and the United States minister at The Hague
| touching the subject OF taxation OF petroleum
in Holland and in the Dutch colonies, and that
OF the export therefrOm OF leaf tobacco to the
United States. Adopted.
| 1.-THE report accompanying the resolution
states that the correspondence called for relates
to the proposed measure Of retaliation on the
part Of the government of the Netherlands by
| way of an increased duty on petroleum inn
ported into that country from the United States
| by reason OF the duty imposed by the United
| States on leaf tobacco.l
REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES
| Mr.. Tucker, from the committee on the Judi
clay, reported bill to provide for bringing
| suits against the government. House calendar.
| Mr.. Culberson, from the same committee re-
ported u bill TO amend the act regulating the
removal of causes from state to federal courts.
| House calendar.
| Mr.. Crisp (Ga.l, from the committee on COM
| merce, reported q bill to establish additional
| life-saving stations House calendar,
Mr.. Dargan g. CT, from the committee on
military affairs reported bill to replace unser-
viceable ordnance issued to the militia of the
| states and to territories. Committee OF the
whole.
Mr.. Peel (Ark.), from the committee on Indian
affairs, reported back Senate bill granting the
right Of way through the ChoctaW and Chick
| asaw lands to the ST. Louis and San Francisco
Railroad company House calendar.
Mr.. Richardson (Tenn.), from the committee
! payment of the adjudicated fourth Of July
Mr.. Gibson wv. Va), from the committee on
| expenditures In the Department of Justice.
reported bill relating to the compensation and
I lff c<xfT UT CA.A-n