The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-12-12
F0RTY-FOURTH CONGRESS
WASHINGTON, December IL.
&ER ATE

the appointment OF the Presidential
electors in Oregon. Senators Morton
Logan and Herman will act as 9 sub
committee to conduct this investigation
and Governor Grover, with the Secretary
of State and such other persons as may
be wanted will be subpensed TO comt
here Immediately from Oregon. This
same Senstars will constitute sub-com.
mittee for investigating the elections Of
Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia.
Under Mr.. Edmunds resolution the
investigations are to BE- conducted in
Washington.
All the other members of the commit
tee were last Saturday detailed as mem
bers of the subcommittee to proceed to
South Carolina, Louisiana and Florida.
They start to-day.
The House bill appropriating $2l, 900
to defrsy the expenses of the special
committee which that body appointed tr
investigate the recent election in South
Carolina, Louisiana and Florida, passed
with an amendment tapproprlating 50, O0l
to defray the expenses OF the Committee
on Privileges and Elections OF the Senate
in making an investigation as to the late
elections in South Carolina, Florida
Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia and Ala
bama.
Under the resolution of Mr.. Edmunds,
NJ. Bogy presented the report OF the
| Democratic committee which attended
the sessions of the Louisiana Returning
| Board, and that it be printed.
Objection was made by several Sen
ators on the Republican side, on the
ground that the paper was not addressed
TO the Senate, end to print it would be a
violation OF the rules.
After debate, 1t was decided that
Messrs. Bogy, Stevenson and Mcdonald
should prepare memorial, making the
| paper part thereof, and 1t could then
be printed.
Mr.. Mitchell, from the Committee on
Privileges and Elections, reported favor
ably on the resolution authorizing an in
vestgation as to the eligibility OF Mr..
Watts, the Ore. on eiector, and asked its
present consideration.
Objection WAS made by Mr.. Cooper
and it went over until tomorrow.
Mr.. Conner, OF Wisconsin, introduced
a bill to provide for the redemption of
green backs. 1t provides that from and
after its enactment the United States
shall receive legal tender notes At par in
payment Of import duties and all other
| dues and rayenues OF every kind. Re
ierred to the Committee on Finance.
| Mr.. Bayard offered the following:
Resoiced, That the Attorney Genera!
be and he is hereby directed to communl-
cate to the Senate the total number OF
Deputy Marshals employed throughout
| the United States in connection with the
election held November I, 1876, stating
the number so employed in each State
and at each voting precinct, respectively,
| and the length of time they were go EN-
ployed. Laid over till tomorrow.
MIR. Morton submitted II resolution
providing that the various sub commit
tees OF the Committee on Privileges and
| Elections authorized 10 enquire and re-
| port rs to the late election IN certain
| Southern States, under the resolution OF
Mr.. Edmunds, shall be known as com.
mlttees of the Senate, and that the Chair
man have power 10 administer oa.hs.
Agreed TO.
Mr.. Boutwell, was excused trem service
| on these committees.
MIR. Sherman presented petition "t
| Gen. Jos. r.. johnson, asking for the re-
moval Ot his political disabilities. Re-
| terred.
The Senate then resumed the Consid-
Grafton of unfinished business.
The Joint resolution OF Mr. Edmunds,
proposing AL amendment TO the CoLsti
tuition of the United States, 30 as to have
the electoral vote for President and Vice
President counted by The Supreme
Court, and All amendment proposed by
the Committee on judiciary, providing
that the electors shall vote cira rOcS. in
stead of by ballot, was agreed to.
Mr.. Morton opposed the clause pro-
viding that the court shall, in the dis
charge oil its duty, disregard errors OF
form and be governed by the substantial
right of the matter. He argued that this
clause would give TO the Supreme Court
boundless jurisdiction. 1t would author
ize that body to do almost any
thing, perhaps to 90 and
count the votes in the State
of Vermont. A State jurisdiction
should not be conferred upon any
tribunal, rs it was dangerous.
Mr. Edmunds said the object ot the
clause WAS not to authorize the court 10
exercise boundless jurisdiction, or to 20
anywhere TO count the votes OF citizens,
but il WAS 10 authorize the court 10 do
actually what all courts do IN matters
which they are called upon to decide,
and that was to disregard the forms and
decide upon the substantial right
of the matter lie then explained
st length the provisions OF the Joint reso-
luton proposing M amendment IA the
Constitution, and SAID it WAS not device,
as some newspapers had intimated, 10
swap horses in crossing the stream 1t
was introduced by him IN the Senate on
the 22d Of March last, almost year sgo,
and was reported tsvoraoLv by the Judi
cisry Committee, with amendments, on
Nav 10Th. before either Presidential!
candidate was nominated. He then re
frrred to the proceedings of the conv"n-
tion which framed the Constitution, and
said be had been unable to find anything
in the debates of the Convention which
threw any light on the clause OF the
Constitution in regard TO the counting
of the electoral vote in the presence Of
the two houses OF Congress. The
extent of the power OF the presiding
officer as 10 the count, was
not defined. For many years there hsd
been, among the gentlemen OF all par
ties, a wide meaning of the clause in the
Constitution in regard TO the count!nS Of
the electoral vote. To settle that doubt,
the Committee on Judiciary had thought
1t desirable to report this proposed
amendment.
Mr.. Edmunds then referred to the acts
of Congress early in the history OF the
Government, and the debates which
then took place in regard 20 the sub
iect, and said that in 1903 al amendment
TO the constitution, now known rs article
twelve OF the amendments, was agreed
to. but be could draw no light from the
discussion which took place en- this