The Electoral Count and the Unfinished Business of Congress

[…] At any improper declaration by the presiding officer had been delivered. Mr. Randall of Pennsylvania said that the vote of the electors had been announced, and that any ministerial proceeding was not essential to the main fact that Grover Cleveland had been elected. Mr. Cox of New York, stating that the Constitution declared who had been elected President and Vice-President, moved to lay the resolution on the table, which was agreed to, 165 to 116.

It is probable that Mr. Edmunds has, in this matter, taken a course which he believes will tend to secure needed legislation on the subject, and also that he is looking forward to four years hence, when there may be a close and disputed electoral count, and when Mr. Hendricks, as presiding officer of the joint convention, may be very glad of a precedent made by so able a statesman as Senator Edmunds, sustaining his authority to decide the result by his official declaration. It is plain, however, that whatever the Republican Senators may think of the exigencies [...] them differ with Mr. Edmunds and maintain the lawful authority of the Vice-President to declare the result.

[...] the Secretary of War brought before Congress the necessity of more adequate coast defences, and the Secretary of the Interior urged the need of laws to prevent encroachments on Indian lands, and the reform of the present laws relating to pensions. From the Department of State also have come recommendations for the improvement of our consular and diplomatic service, and the passage of a measure regulating trade in dynamite.

The business interests of the country have also been represented by a number of important bills, all of which have been practically neglected. Among such bills are the national bankruptcy bill, the bill for the suspension of silver coinage, the bill for the benefit of merchant shipping, for the settlement of titles to railway land grants, for the regulation of interstate commerce, the reduction of postal rates, and a system of international copyright. Other bills of a general nature, and of the highest importance, are the more effectual suppression of polygamy; the bill for promoting education at the South, and the bill relative to the admission of Indians to citizenship.

With all that has been left undone which ought to have been done, it is the general sentiment of the people and of our best legislators that an extra session of Congress is not desirable. And there is always the cheering reflection, that though there has never yet been a Congress which can be said to have justly done its duty, yet the country lives and prospers.