The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-06

perate measures to secure Victory's cher
ished fruits. The air was full of threats
of violence and bloodshed, and lovers of
peace and order stood appalled, at the
prospect. Business was paralyzed, and
everywhere were doubts whether our free
institutions could stand the strain. The
danger was twofold; either that after the
18th of March the country would have
no president or that it would have two
Would-be presidents, each recognized as
regular by his millions Of followers, and
each assuming to exercise the executive
function This meant a civil war beside
Which the bloody strife from which the
country had emerged by decade before
would be but boys playa war, not Of
section against section, but of neighbor
against neighbor, of brother against
brother, and father against son.
Whence this dispute, whence the I'M
certainty concerning the presidential sue
cession? Three distant Southern states
after the presidential election of 1876, had
sent to the national capital double sets
of electoral returns, one set for Mr. Til
den and one for Mr.. Hayes. On the nine
teen votes of these states depended the
control of the federal government for the
next four years. Counted for Mr.. Tilden
the result would be: for Mr.. Tiden, 203;
for Mr. Hayes, 166. Counted for Mr..
Hayes the result would be: for Mr.. Hayes,
1856; for Mr.. Tilden, 1874. Mr. Tilden had
/ to gain only one of the disputed votes to
be elected; Mr.. Hayes must have the
nineteen
.r In vain men turned to the constitution
for light and help. On the subject of dis
puted votes for president of the United
States that instrument was dumb.
contingency had arisen which the fathers
had not contemplated. Who would point
out the path of peace?
Into congress from all sections and from
all sorts of bodies poured petitions pray
/ ing for some action on the part of con-
gress looking to peaceful solution of
the threatening problem The first re-
Spouse came in the form of a resolution
presented to the house on Dec. 1.-THE
fourth day of the session-by Judge Nc
Crazy, Republican representative from
Iowa, afterward in Hayes cabinet and
still later judge of the circuit court
OF the United States. The resolution was
as follows:
Resolved, That a committee of five
members of this house be appointed by
/ the speaker, to act in conjunction with
any similar committee that may be ap-
pointed blythe senate, to prepare and re-
/ port without delay such a measure, either
legislative or constitutional, as may in
their Judgment be best calculated to ac-
complish the desired end, and that said
committee have leave to report at any
i We.
On Thursday, Dec. IA, the judiciary
committee reported back the McCrary
resolution, so amended as to give a com
mittee of seven instead of five.
/ 1t is significant that the resolution pass
ed the house without debate and absolute
|; ly without objection.
& Eight days later. on Dec g. Speaker
Randall announced the committee as fol-
lows: Henry B. Payne, of Ohio CHAR
mani; Eppa Hunton, of Virginia; Abram
s. Hewitt, of New York; William M
Springer, of Illinois; Democrats; and
George w. McCrary, of Iowa; George f.
Hoar, of Massachusetts, and George VIII
lard, of Michigan, Republicans
Meanwhile, on Dec. Is, the house reso-
luton had been reported to the senate,
and had met with ready response, Sem
ator Edmunds offering the following:
+ Resolved That the message of the
house of representatives on the subject of
the presidential election be referred to a
select committee of seven senator's with