New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-24
MISSING ELECTORAL MESSENGERS
FIVE STATES HAVE FAILED TO COMPLY WIT

FIVE STATS HAVE FAILED TO COMPLY WITH
THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW.
Washington. Jan. 80 (SpcciaD-Fivc states, GeorSn,
Indiana Wisconsin, Oregon and Montana. have failed
10 comply with The requirements OF the law regulating
the counting OF electoral votes for President and Vice
President. In negecng TO send by messenger one OF
the three certificates showing the votes OF those states
A similar failure committed BY the state Of
Florida four ago. and the secretary OF state. Mr.
Bayard Immediately sent. In compliance with the re-
qdrement OF the law, special messenger to the dis
tlfct judge In Florida, In whose custody one OF the
certificates OF the votes OF the Electors OF that State
had been lodged. and the Judge forthwith tmns-
mitted that list to the scat Of Government by Secre
ary Baynrd's messenger. That was strict COM
pliancc with the law but there then, there
Is now. a doubt as 10 whether II was necessary TO
send for the certificate that In the hands OF the
district Judge, when there was In possession OF the
president OF the Senate at Washington certificate OF
the vote Of the state which had como by mail. IL
decided In 1880. however that strict compliance
with the law required the possession by the President
OF the senate OF a second certificate OF the vote OF
each State. There has been recent criticism OF
the existing law TO which notice seems TO be
drawn. In 1885, Section 1tl OF the Revised
statutes as amended by the supplementary act Of
1898 says
Whenever certificate OF from any State has not
been received the Of Government the fourth
Monday month OF January the Secretary OF State
shall send a special the district Judge in
custody certificate OF the votes from that State
been lodged and such Judge shall forthwith transmit
that list TO the seat OF Government.
This section imposes upon the Secretary Of state !
Duty but in no other part OF the law Is there pro
vision TO give that official knowledge of the existence OF
such n state OF affairs Is contemplated III the sec
ton quoted. TIE certificates Of electoral votes are
BY law sent TO the President If the Senate and the
Secretary OF could know only through information
given him By the President OF the Senate that any state
or States had failed To- comply with tie law Another
point made Is that as the law says "whenevcr Ger
hcate OF votes' there Is no necessity for sending
special messengers for the certificates held By district
Judges a. as Is the case now. certificate has been
cc!vcd 10y mail By the President Of the senate.
1t was said at the Capitol today that as the Prcsi-
dent Of the Senate has received by mail from all Of
the States OF the Union what purport TO be Official GER
cates the electoral votes OF the States. there Will
probably be no dspatching OF special messengers 10
the delinquent States for the certificates held bv the
district judges.
Rhode Islands electoral vote brought TO this city
to-day by the electoral messenger. Isnac L. Golf. II
Is stated that the Rhode Island authorities first
Informed by recent publications OF the fact that that
State among the number which lad failed TO for
ward their votes b. messenger. a telegram was nj
once Wee President Morton Informing him that
a messenger would have rue vote in Washington bv
This afternoon. IL that would be satisfactory. 10 vfcn
the Eice-Iresdent replied that the vote would be In
time II IL should reach him any time during Monday.
MT Coli arrived this afternoon ana promptly delivered
the electoral certificate OF the Rhode Island electors 10
The President OF the Senate lie received therefor the
voucher OF the Ncc-lresident upon which TO obtain
the mileage which he Is by Law entitled. namely,
s1O2 80.