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Show LATEST DiratBESJ GENERAL. FOUTV-TilllU) 10NGKKSS. SENATE Washington, 11. Tne vice pres-idwut pres-idwut predated a uiea:ige from tho prcHidunt in rulercni'M to the strengthening strength-ening of the co.iat dii;n:s. Crag in ruport.-d back th petition of tho widow of l he late Cimmodore VT. it. Uuoiung iur a pension, un the recommendation that il be referred refer-red to the comiuiUue on pensions. Tne chair oilltd tho committees lor repbrLs. lluiiilin, com in it tuts on civil service and retrenchment, reported adversely to the bill lo reduce the salary of the president of tho United Stales, with a rtque&t that it bo placed on tho calendar cal-endar with the adveroo report. So ordered. Tnu uiitiiithlied business being tho resolutions from the committee ou privilege's and elections, proposing an amendment to the constitution iu regard re-gard to tn election of president and vice-president, came up. Morton addrcfcd the senate in an olaborato argument iu favor of the nrononed amendment. He said the question was entirely a lion-parlizan , proposition, shnply to bring the dec- ( lion home to the people as near as possible, and at tne same time to avoid the dangers entailed by the present mode. He recounted the imperfections of the present system, among them the undue power of the vice-president or president of the senate in the custody and counting of the; electoral vote; the danger of the death or defection of electors and the virtual disfranchisement of a large number of voters in the case of many southern states in lS7t where there was no electoral ticket for republican re-publican candidates. Another grave danger was that attendant on throwing throw-ing tho election into the houeoof re-Drenentatives, re-Drenentatives, the provision for which ho argued wasgrosaly unconstitutional. An election by the house had twice been tried, and the country came near being shipwreeked. Thurman fully appreciated the danger in the present system, but thought the remedy failed to meet tho danger, us it provided for no tribunal tri-bunal for the settlement of contested con-tested elections in the electoral college. col-lege. Morton explained that there was a dillerenee of opinion among the commitleo in regard to what this tribunal should be, and they concluded conclud-ed to leave that whole matter to con-grew. Thurman was unwilling to conhde this great power to congress. He wanted it provided for in the constitution. consti-tution. Another objection was that it provided that a plurality and not a majority should eltct. He urged caution in dealing with such a grave matter, and wanted the resolution laid over for closer examination. Conkling expressed his hearty concurrence con-currence in the several positions of Thurman, and thought the matter should receive the most careful consideration. con-sideration. Tending the discussion Thurman moved to postpone further consideration considera-tion until the first Monday in February, Febru-ary, but na Morton waa notinhisseat, deterred asking for a vote. Cragin, from the committee on naval allays, reporttd adversely on the resolution to appoint a joint commission commis-sion to inquire into the condition of the navy of the United Statetnd the committee was discharged from fur-, fur-, ther consideration of the subject. , Adjourned. |