The Union Debate.

The Harvard Union held its first meeting for several weeks last evening. There was but a handful of men scattered about the room, and the meeting was called to order, as usual, after time. After the preliminary business was transacted, the first gentleman on the affirmative, Mr. E. H. Savary, spoke on the question for the evening: "Resolved, that contested election cases of members of Congress should be tried by the Supreme Court." The present method, said he, of deciding contested elections, although practicable in the early days of the Republic, is now bungling and unjust. Of the cases already brought before Congress, three-quarters have been adjudged according to the political views of the votes. Mr. E. C. Shoemaker was the first to argue in favor of the negative. He asserted that to carry the proposed change into effect it would be necessary to amend the Constitution, which would be at once difficult and dangerous. The House of Representatives has the power to impeach a president or a member of the Supreme Court, and why should it not have the right to deliberate on the case of one of its own members? Mr. R. T. Paine, Jr., emphasized his colleagues remarks and spoke of the success of the court decisions on controverted elections in England. Mr. W. M. Magee was the second to speak on the negative. In reply to a statement of the opposing side, he said that it was only partisan newspapers and second-rate politicians who assert that the committee on elections do not decide such cases conscientiously. When the question was thrown open to those present, about ten availed themselves of the opportunity and discussed with considerable feeling different phases of the debate. The vote on the merits of the question resulted, 20 in affirmative and 5 in the negative. The vote in regard to the arguments of the principal disputants was 7 for the affirmative and 22 for the negative. The opinion of those present in regard to the debate as a whole was 5 for affirmative and 9 for the negative. The subject for the next meeting is, "Resolved, That the best interests of the United States demand the annexation of Canada."