The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-20
MIR. EDMUNDs TALKS.

What Might Happen should Congress BE
Called On to Elect a President In 1888.
Washington Special.
The peculiar political situation at present, and
the possibility that neither the House nor the
Senate would be able to elect President or
Vice president of the United States should the
Electoral College for any reason fail to elect, has
given rise to much speculation. 1t does seem as
if neither party would have the vote of twenty
States in the House, and VanWyck and Riddle
berger would have control of the Senate Seri-
GUS complications might arise though it is not
likely. There seems to be impression that
the Ednsunds 'electoral-couut" bill provides
against such contingency. ard that its passage
could relieve all apprehension Such is not the
case. This bill deals merely with the manner of
counting electoral woes. and is to provide against
such a contingency as that Of 1876
/ had a talk with Senator Edmunds to day
about what would happeni if the election of Pres
ident in 1888 should be thrown into the House,
and a deadlock in both branches of Congress
should occur. '.There has never been any pro-
vision for such an occurrence he said, TO quote
him as nearly as ais language can be remem-
bered. The proba bilities arc that one party or
the other would have the necessary majority of
all the States to elect President provided
for in the Constitution. 1t is possible, however,
that there might be tie in one of the States.
anc the House might not, before noon on March
f. elect President. Then the Vice president if
one were elected, would become President But
If the electors had failed. also, to elect Vice
president then the Constitution provides, if no
aerson have a majority, then from the two
highest numbers the list the Senate shall
choose the Vice president; quorum for the pur-
pose shall consist of tgo-thirds of the whole
number OF Senators, and ma ority of the whole
number shall be necessary a choice
"Ihe Vice-president, so elected, would become
President Dy virtue of the failure of the House
TO elect Now, suDposing the Senate to be equal
~ divided so that no man could get majority
eor Vlce-presdent there would have to be
President pro tenn. of the Senate. He until the
passage of the law, last winter. providing that
the succession should fall to the Secretary of
State, and so on down, was next in line of sue
cession. But. under the new law, / suppose the
Secretary of State would succeed If there
should be no election of President or Vice-presi-
dent, either by the electors, by the House or by
the Senate, and Mr.. Bayard were living and
were still Secretary of State, he would probably
become President until another election could be
held. But you might reflect upon this, and ques-
ton its consttutonality. The clause in the
Constitution under which Congress found
authority to pass this law was this: The Con-
gress may, by law, provide for the of re-
moval, death, resignation or inability of the
President or Vice president declaring what off
shall then act as President etc. You might
question whether that gave authority in such a
case AS this Not by any proper Interpretation
Of the word could this vacancy be considered by
removal; it certainly is not by DEATH nor
resignation, nor inability You see. a vacancy
occurring in this way not provided against.
presume however, that Congress could take
the power upon itself and act in such a case.
The trainers OF the Constitution did not provide
forever and forever against every accident that
might happen. They took a common sense
view of it and provided for as far as it
seemed at all possible that any contingency
could arise It is not at all likely
shat such a condition of affairs should exist that,
at the same time. the Electors, the House and
the Senate should be disqualified for action.
You see, the chances are as the square of the
distance. That the Electors should fail to elect
is not so remote a chance. but square that and
say that at the same time the House was not
abe to act. and again square that fer the Senate.
You see, in the philosophy of chance there is a
very remote possibility. But if this should all
bappen," he added, Il should think the Senate
very queer body if its members so lacking
in patriotism to let party preiudices or party
fealty stand in the way of the welfare of their
country. hope / would not be so lacking in
PATRIOTISM. l think the two parties could come
together and decide that or the other OF the
candidates should be President"
Mr.. Edmundss tone clearly indicated that
with him certainly country" stood before
party"