Year: 1877

the passage of the Electoral bill. Even if
it were to be submitted to vote without
debate merely on the first impressions Of
members and the confidence felt in the joint
committee it would probably pass both
houses by handsome majorites. But q
measure Of such grave importance ought to
be, and will be, fully debated; and it will
grow in favor with every days discus
sion. 1t is certain to be greatly
strengthened in the course of the debate
not only becauseit is wise, timely, just
and indispensable measure, but because the
soundest legal ability and the best debating
talent in both houses will be arraycd on its
side and give it vigorous support.


The bill will be first acted on in the
Senate and when it shall have passed that
body will go to the House for concurrence


This order of consideration will powerfully
conduce to the success of the bill. The
Senate is, as q whole. much abler body
than the House, and the arguments, pro and
con, will be exhausted by the Senators
and produce their proper effect on the
public mind of the country before the
turn of the House comes to discuss
the bill and act upon it. It's passage
by the Senate will sweep away all the OBJ
stacles to its easy success in the House,
because the arguments of Senators will be SO
powerful and 80 well put that public
sentiment will be fixed in favor Of the
bill before the House comes to act upon it.
The four best equipped constitutional law
in tba
Edmunds Thurman and Bayard, and these
four, having been members Of the joint COM
mittee which prepared the bill and signed
the report, will be its foremost champions in
the Senate debate. It will be great occa-
sion, and these distinguished Senators will
rise to the full height of its requirements.
They will have great advantage over
their adversaries in the perfect familiarity
with the subject which they have acquired
during their service in the joint committee.
Mr.. Conkling will make the ablest speech or
series of speeches in his life. MIR. Edmunds,
Mr.. Thurman and Mr. Bayard, unequalled
for their power of reply in q running de-
bate, will riddle the arguments of the oppo-
nents of the bill. They will be reinforced
by sound lawyers and good debaters like
Mr.. Frelinghuysen, who was a member of
the joint committee and other able Senators
of both parties The opponents Of the
bill will be at o great disadvantage
against this strong array of talent, more
especially as they are on the weak
side of the question. The foremost adver-
saries of the bill in the Senate will be Mr..
Morton and Mr.. Sherman, neither of whom
has any reputation rs constitutional law
yer, and both being we'll known to the
country as extreme and bitter partisans.
Their violent partisanship would impair
their influence even if they were not under
other fatal disabilities for securing public
confidence in n crisis which requires subor-
dination of party to fairness and justice. Mr..
Morton, although he has little standing as
a lawyer. has given more attention to
questions connected with the counting
of the electoral votes than any other
man now in public life. He had
tho sagacity to appreciate earlier than
anybody else the precise dangers which
confront us in this Presidential election.
In the last session Of Congress Mr.. Morton
prepared and advocated bill for dealing
with such emergencies as the present, and
he then took position which will nullify his
influence rs the chief opponent of this bill.
He can employ no argument now which may
not be refuted by his own utterances last
winter. Last winter he expressed his delib-
crate opinions, formed after careful investiga-
Nd <bo foo hot ho
a partisan the views which ten months ago
he advocated as n statesman, and that his
own arguments can be turned against him,
will cripple him in the coming debate. Mr..
Sherman, the other principal antagonist of
the joint committees plan, has destroyed oil
respect for his candor or impartiality by the
virulence of his partisanship during this
session. The two leading opponents Of the
bill are lame ducks; they will be unable to
stand against the annihilnting array of
talent and argument on the other side. We
cannot doubt that tho bill will triumphantly
pass the Senate, and if so it will encounter
but feeble opposition in the House, for by
that time m irresistible public sentiment
will be developed in it's favor. MIR. Hoar,
who was q member of the joint committee,
will be it's foremost advocate in the House,
and his recent election to the Senate by
the Legislature of Massachusetts, after
it was known that he had signed
the report of the joint committee,
will strengthen his influence as an
advocate of tho bill he will be vigor-
ously supported by Mr. Lamar, the ablcst
democratic member of the House, and by
strong array of talent on both sides. The
success of the bill will not be doubtful after
il has passed the Senate, and in the Senate
ali the advantages are on the side of its ad-
vocates.


Every objection which has thus far been
urred nrainst the bill is futile and friyo-