The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1897-02-10

South Carolina Congressman Has Plan
to Prevent the Counting of the Electoral
Vote of His State for Bryan.
WASHINGTON. Feb s.--South Caro-
lima is prepared to spring sensation
at the counting of the electoral vote in
the house OF representatives next We'd
nesday, when the counting of her vote
for Bryan and Sewall will be protested.
Representative George w. Murray, the
only colored member of the house, who
represents the Charleston district, has
returned from South Carolina, where
he was in consultation with leading
republicans, A monster petition has
been signed by thousands of republi-
cans, protesting against the counting
of the electoral vote, asking for an
investigation of the election laws and
the state constitution. The claim is
made that the election laws and the
state constitution upon which they
are based are not in accordance with
the federal constitution.
The probabilities seem to be that the
advertised protests will not be made.
Mr.. Murray on Saturday expressed
great doubt of his ability to get it into
shape in time to be effective.
THE memorial" he said, upon
which will have to base it has not yet
been received here, although when l
was in South Carolina last week they
promised to send it to me Wednesday
of this week at the latest / shall con-
suit with friends in the house and de-
termine upon my course of action after
the memorial has been received. My
contention is that the result of the
election, as shown in the return made
to the vice president, is not an honest
expression of the will of the voters of
South Carolina"
Senator Hoar, chairman of the COM
mittee on judiciary, declined to ex-
press in direct terms his opinion OF the
policy of making the proposed protest.
The act of February 3, 1887 lie said,
prescribed very clearly the method of
proceeding when objection is made to
counting the vote of any state, and al
though it had never yet been tested, he
believed it would work out all right.
All objections, he continued, shall be in writ
ing, clearly setting forth their object and with
out arguments, and they shall be signed
by at least one senator, as well as it least one
representative. 1t is further provided that no
returns shall be rejected from any state unless
there is more than one return, and when there
is more than one it is directed that those only
shall be counted which shall hay been regu-
larly given by the electors who shall have been
chosen according to law. Each state provides
It's own tribunal for determining the result Of
its election for presidential electors. and when
this tribunal has made its return the governor
Is required to certify to the result of the cleo
tion. The vice president lays all the papers
before the joint assembly.
In case any objection is made which renders
1t necessary for the houses to separate to pass
upon the question involved, the determination
OF the matter must rest upon the judgment OF
the returning board of the state We could not
go into the legality Of the elections in the va
rious states nor attempt to determine the
legality of the returning board Of anyone of
them. All that was settled by the electoral
commission and is now to be found in the
statutes.
So far as can be learned Mr.. Murray
has no support from republican con-
gressmen of the south.