Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-01-22
ELECTORAL VOTES.
SURPRISING LOOSENESS AS
TO CERTIFICATES.
Slip-Shod Methods in Many OF
the States-Mcsscngcrs Still
Missing.
tBy telegraph to the DiSpstch.l

WASHINGTON. January 2l.-Ihe certi-
ficates OF all the States OF tho votes cast
for President and Vice-President ought
TO he in the hands OF tho President oil
the Senate by Monday next. AS mat
tor NJ fact. fourteen States have failed so
far to comply with the law by sending
on their electoral certificates by mes
senger, and many of the States which
have complied with the law have done
so in so sip-shod manner that II the
late election had been in any way close
the official ascertainment OF the results
under the Constitution and the laws
might have been made almost lmpossi-
bic and the whole government have
been thrown into chaos.
One of the first things to be noted IS
that many OF the messengers purport-
ing 10 bring on the action of the states
have come utterly unprovided with Gre
deptials. Kansas Was one OF the most
conspicuous offenders IN this respect.
The eminent Populist delegated to bring
on the vote OF the Bleeding safe was
presented TO the President OF tor Senate
by Senator PETER. Congressman
Jerry Simpson, ard one OF his
COLLEAGUES. who vouched for him, but
their voucher, in the absence OF the
slightest scrap OF writing from the cleo
toral college, was not the kind OIL vouch-
ers that the Treasury Department re-
quired in order to give him his mileage
and per diem for bringing on the vote.
As Senator PETER finally and sorrowfully
said 1.-The only thing left for us is to
nav his way back TO Kansas ourselves
and trust to the State to reimburse us.
This is not the only case Of the kind.
As TO PACKAGES.
Many OF the packages brought by the
messengers have had nothing on the
outside to indicate their contents. Two
States sent their votes to the President
of the United States instead Of to "the
President of the Senate" and Idaho
sent her vote to the Secretary OF state.
II was a marvel Of good luck that none
Of these packages were torn open and
thus rendered invalid. Many States
have failed to endorse on the
package what it contained. Some
messengers have been able TO say that
there was a sealed and endorsed package
inside the outer envelope. In that case
the President Of the Senate has opened
the outer casing and found duly certl-
fed package inside. In other cases the
messengers have said they did not be-
lieye there was any sealed inner pack
age, and in those instances the envelopes
have been put in the Senate safe and
left untouched. They may contain the
electoral vote or they may not.
The President OF the Senate has only
the word of the messengers TO assure
him that these packages actually contain
the votes of the States az represented.
Some one might have changed packages
on them.
All Of the States have transmitted
their electoral votes by mail, and all
have been received by the President Of
the Senate. The following States have
not vet sent their electoral vote by mes
senecr- at least they have not yet been
received by the President OF the Senate ;
Colorado. Connecticut, Florida, Georgia,
Indiana, Kentucky, Montana, North Da-
kota. Oregon, hhode Island, South la
kota. Tennessee, Washington, and Wis
consin-fourteen States. OF course,
these States have under the law until
Tuesday next. The law knowing no
part of day, "the fourth Monday IN
January" would run till Tuesday.