Year: 1877

condition of affairs, so he might know
which Government to recognize in case
there were two. He believed the Repub.
lican party, which Was the party best
calculated to promote the interests OF
the country, would rule 1t for genera
tion to come.


He then referred to the Oregon case,
and said it was not necessary to go be-
hind the returns. Mr.. Cronin said there
were two vacancies in the Electoral Col
lege, while Cartwright and Odell said
there was but one. The only question
to settle in regard to Oregon was whether
two or one was majority in a quorum
ofthree and as two was the majority that
legally filed the vacancy their return
must be counted. He argued at some
length in favor of the constitutionality
of the proposed measure, and said the
failure of Congress to pass the bill would
cast upon the outgoing President the duty
of determining TO whom he should trans
fer the Government. Every considera-
ton of Justice demanded that Congress
should pass The bill If all the patriots
of this country should assemble on one
vast plain, their prayer would not be for
riches, but that this land might be deliv-
cred from the baneful influences of party
strife. elta


In conclusion, he spoke in favor of pla-
cling the best men in power, and said il
the present difficulties should be adjust
ed, the nation would profit by the lesson
and would be the most happy and pros
porous on the face of the earth. ~,


No olher Senator took the floor, and
| Al. I ,l,., ol t,N hn


Mr.. Fdmunds said if this bill was to be
passed, the first act TO be done under it
must be done week from tomorrow
| He did not care whether the debate pro-
| ceeded to-day or not, but the bill should
be disposed of to. morrow, and be would
feel it his duty to ask the Senate to vote
upon it Tomorrow no matter if Senators
did give night to their country. The
bill must 90 to the House. 1t would take
at least three days to consider it there,
and the President of the United States
should have reasonable time to consider
! it. With the debate on this very sub
| iect at the last session of the Senate to
be somewhat prompt in disposing of the
matter one way or another.


Mr.. Sherman said there was no neces.
sity to vote tomorrow npon this bill 1t
took a committee of the two houses of
| Congress several weeks to frame it, and
now it was proposed to pass it after the
Senators had only had an opportunity to
devote day or two to it. The bill pre-
sented novel questions. Of course both
houses would debate it, and there should
be no haste about passing it.


Mr.. Edmunds denied that there was
any novel propositions in the bill. 1t was
only novel and startling as it might affect
the views of certain gentlemen. 1t did
not propose that either side should enter
into race to see which could get possess
sion of the White House first. His friend
from Ohio (Sherman) had discussed the
very principles ofthis bill at the last ses-
sion. The Senate was drifting day by
day towards the inevitable hour with
the law as it stood at present fixed for
the electoral count, and no man could
say what the result would be unless such
bill as this should be passed.


Mr.. Sherman said when he declared
this bill containt d novel propositions, he
only said that which everybody in the
country knew. 1t proposed blending
of two distinct departments of the gov
| Il
of the Senate had power to open and
count electoral votes, but under this bill
the whole of the great question of elect
| ing President was 10 be transferred
from one Electoral College to tribunal
of four Justices of the Supreme Court
who were named, and the fifth one was
left in doubt or chance.


| Mr., Thurman said the meml ers Com
mittee had been heard from by the writ
ten report which accompanied the bill;
by the elaborate speech of the gentleman
from Vermont (Edmunds) on Saturday,
and by thea BILE speech oftheSenator from
New Jersey Frelinghuysenl to day.
There had been but one brief speech on
the other side. There was duty on the
part of those who opposed the bill to say
upon what grounds they opposed it. He
was sure there was enoug ofhumility dis
PLAYED in the Committee to warrant him
in saving that the Committee did not
deem itself infallible and they would be
glad to have their work criticised by those
opposed to the measure. vs....s y


Mr.. Bayard said the time fixed for this
| bill to become law, ifit should ever be
one, was measured now by days and not
by weeks. While his general views were
contained in the report which accom-
panied the bill, yet he felt every mem Der
of the Committee should give expression
to his faith in it though he would not
retard the passage of the bill in order to
| express his views upon it. He would
have sat in silence and permitted this bill
to have been voted on to night, bel ewing
| it to be Just and essentia to the welfare of
| the country. Those who were opposed
to the bill should give their reason for
opposing it. He hoped it would be dis
posed of to morrow so far as the Senate
was concerned. . LOB ts.l-..... rn.f
Mr.. Sherman insisted upon his motion
| that the Senate proceed to the consider
alton ofexecutive business. Rejected.
Mr.. Sherman said if the Senate, under
the lead of the Senator from Vermont,
wanted to carry this bill through without
debate while popular opinion was con-
sidering it, let it be done. He wanted to
say something about it himselfand might
| want to amend it. t..I


Mr.. Edmunds said the Senator from
| Ohio acted good deal like sailors in a
| boat approaching a cataract, One said
put an oar out on this side and another
said, no, that will do no good; put it out
on the other side. So, while they were
arguing, the boat went over the cataract
and ali were lost. 1t was a part of the
duty of this Senate to legislate upon its
own opinion and not upon popular opin-
ion. He thought he had heard the Sem
ator from Ohio fisherman say something
of the same character when elections had
gone against the Republicans. His honor
able friend from Ohio sherman was not
bit slow, eleven months ago when a
similar bill was before the Senate. \ W,
he had discovered that it was diff ul
and novel subject. Why were amend
L. II l. - l.