The scheme which we described last week for getting Congress
out of the scrape of a doubtful Presidential election is most likely by this time law. On Wednesday night the Senate debated the scheme all night, and at seven o'clock on Thursday morning it was passed without amendment, by a majority of 47 against 17. The minority consisted of Mr. Eaton, a Democrat, and six- teen Republican Senators. The House of Representatives in all pro- bability passed the Bill yesterday (Friday) by large majorities, and the President's assent wouldimmediately be given, so that the scheme would in that case have already the force of law. That gives the Commission of Fifteen, who have to investigate all the double returns, about eighteen or nineteen days for their duties, before the second Wednesday in February, which falls on the 14th, when, according to the scheme, both Houses are to meet to receive the returns and decide the result. The scheme is a good one for getting rid of the particular difficulty, but of course it provides no remedy at all against the origin of that diffi- culty, which will most likely be the origin also of many similar difficulties.
