New-York tribune., 1886-01-22
WARNING THE COUNTRY.
MIR. SHERMAN ON THE ELECTORAL COUNT.
uE PROPOSES AN AMENDMENT TO THE BILL WHICH


ing OF the electoral vote He did not wish he said to
innict a speech on the Senate, as to this bill, but ne
wished say that time was better for It's consluer-
ton than time when great political question was
before the country. The matter involved point more
dangerous to future Of this country than probably
any other. For twenty years 1t had been debated
whether We could not, In some better mode than the
present count the electoral This point referred to
most important pointwas without law The Dill thst
had twice passed the Senate and been sent 10
the House OF Representatives. rather with view 10
gain a conference than otherwise, now before the
Senate again. Tho bill before the Senate again at
the beginning Of an Administration when no party
advantage could be derived from our decision
There arsen continued Mr.. Sherman, eleven cases
OF dispute the electoral votes. In the MlssOurl
Missouri having undertaken to vote for President
and yice-Presldent before being admitted as State
the question presented whether its vote should be
counted The difficulty was got over by Ignoring 1t be-
cause would make difference in the result Again
when thsAyiscOnsn electors had been prevented by
great from meeting at tho time ana place
appointed aud could not therefore. vote according to
the Constitution but met and voted next day and sent
their votes here be counted. What happened al
remember said Mr.. Sherman, as well as ! remember
the cOuntenancss me- the OF riot and
tuu the disorder and confusion that arose when the
question about Wisconsin came up-at the time that
Mr. Buchanan was elected President OF the United
States. never the House OF Representatives in
condition umut and disorder violent than oc-
Cured the President of the Senate. Mr.
Mason. undertook TO give construction to this clause OF
the Constitution, which was at once metby violent out
cry only from the members Of the House. but OF the
Senate and led to the separation OF tho two Houses IN
conusou and the meeting OF the Senate In this ch amber
The only way that the difficulty could be solved at that
by passing resolution that whether Wisconsin
was counted not the result the same-that Bu
chanan was elected 80 in the many cases that have
occurred since that time whore tho votes OF several
states were in dispute, especially after the reconstruction
period the difficulty aud was settled By saying
that whatever way the question solved the people
had elected certain person to be President OF the
States my judgment. H. In 1862 tho election
OF President Grant depended the OF the State OF
NewIork after It mad been made public and generally
In the country that the elections in tho city OF
NewYork hal been carried by overwhelming fraud, do
believe the people OF the United States would have
been satisfied with any result that depended upon the
vote OF the state OF New-lork But then again. fOrtu
nately for the country. able to avoid the d
Guilty by saying that however NcwIork might be count
ed, lt would not change the result
Several times" Mr. Sherman continued. " that con
don OF affairs existed until finally. I'm 1870 came
TO point did really threaten the very existence OF
civil war might have done under certain oircun
stances the disputed did change the result,
where a change even the extent Of vote might
have changed the result That happily averted by
the Of the Electoral COmnission-DeCause
ca IL more than contriyAnco. and sup
suppose II the timel-by which solution WAS found
amestion that we onghi toJccde We ought approach
II without regard To party aitOu and try, II we can
To- decide this most difficult question OF American pOli
There wcro two ways ont Of the difficulty, said tho
lutes Arising before the two houses vote OF STATE
to some tribunal provided by law another, ana one
certified 10 the Supreme Court OF the United
states for Its Mr. sherman utterly opposed
to the latter suggestion as tehdhg to bring the Court
into dsiavor. bcrausc OF the suspicious OF political baS
that might be enzendered by then decision lie knew
no better way than TO BRING Tue TWO houses oi Col
gcss into joint convention aud there polling cnch House
separately decide the result. Ia ordinary circumstances
lac would not deem that course as In ACCORD win lhe
nature OF the formation OF the two bodies; bnt when al
fen'SS' SiI ths '' w.S. solution Of the question
Mr. sherman Offered an ameudinont striking from tue
and Prov mug thAt IN case OF
two houses the question Ia dspuIc shall be submitted
yentiOn sha Immediately. without debate, upon tho
rocA OF the respective houses. vote rpon the question
mct aud tn decision of tne majority OF the members
Of toe joint convention present shall 30 deemed nua
II we're mouse" said Mr. Ednunds aud had got
TO be eaten up by at last should just - soon be
swallowed today 10 he undergoing discus Ion IN her
That exactly this case Tue OF the United states
might a. well propose the House OF Representatives,
b which declares that Of Disagreement between
Tie two houses In respect To dcntncRton OF vote. that
then and hero the Judgment OF the House OF Represent
atives should prevail. and ne done with ~ 800
Mr. Sherman thought that Was what the Dill already
dd.
Further discussion was had In which Senators Evarts
and Ioar took part. Indeed Mr. President. said Mr.
HoIr "thongh I do not wish 20 discuss this question
now with a due respect 20 the Honorable Senator from
Ohio. who has addressed the Senate IL seems To ne mat
Guilty T. precisely Mr. Pckwicks advice hl, followers
Always shout with thr mob Ana when Mr. Tupman |
suggested suppose there hre two mobs Mr. Pickwick
replied. Then shout with the largest" Laughter
The senate at this point went into executive session
''Do you not remember. Mr.. President" said Mr. Ed |
muds, "doss not oyery seuator remember how care
.IsaIs In ffft nI
rs It stands still uudsturbed by amendments-un.
assaed by public preIerYca ane gs n T
the election OF President Of tho United states Inc
Constitution declares that the several states shall choose
appoint their electors for Presidents and nothing
Ia left. And yet In the face OF all that my honorable
friend from ohio (Sir sherman would provide that In
the Identification OF electoral vote, which
was difficult doubtful II the houses In their con
stltutonal character-namcd IN the Constitution as the
houses aud not az the membersOf the two houses
sagree, that the representatives OF tho states shall
be lost and dissolved In the representatives oi the poo
pie and that per capita voice shall determine the re-
suit cannot see that there "a safety Ia that cannot
see that there 10 constitutional rlght IN thnt fnr,
whether the state be groat smal-whethert be ONO
each and both OF states just great that their
Statehood their independence n this nct as III every
other prescribed lu tho Constitution must be pre-
served intact and exclusive In Itself"
Mr. sherman denied that his suggestion was aban-
donInent OF State rights. "The States" he said, ARE
equal-NewYork and Delaware. We all stand by that"
FOURTH CLASS Po3TMAsTERs APPOINTED. Z |
WASHINGTON, Jan. 21.-lhe Postmaster
General to-day appointed among others tho following
fourth class pOstmasters:
Vermont AT No. tn Concord L. J. Bishop
Matne-At COopePs Mills william II. Clnorii Gray
Roscoe q. Hall
Massaeh us,ts--At aulk ner Daniel r. Putnam.
YOrk-At Campylle, sarah j. Dickinson Caryyllc,
Irwin: East Greenwich. Ezra j. McClaughoy HulFs
Mills Maggie Ferris. Maple Street John Cushing
Church, Abram Van Deuson Vanotenyile. o. z. Dimon
Voplank John W. Vaughey; Watetvale. George T. Piles.
FACETIOUsNESS5 IN THE SENATE.
WAsHINGToN Jan. 21.-During the course of
badinage in executive session yesterday, Demo
cratic Senator faceously expressed wish that the
Dcutlve sessions might DO held with open doors. The
wish was echoed by ono or two Republicans and ono of
the latter formulated it ih resolution which was
offered and laid under the for day when
subject reached In executive session to-day
OF tho resolution, who s understood TO be Gen