New-York tribune., 1876-12-09
OREGON.
THE ABsURDITY OF CRoNIN.

p1spArcHEs WHICH SHOW THAT HE DID THE VERY
THING NEEDED TO DESTROY HIS WHOLE CASE.
iBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuNEJ
WASHINGTON, Dec. S.--The Republican Senators
held caucus this morning for the purpose OF ex-
changing views upon the political situation, and
particularly with reference TO the action OF the
Governor of Oregon. Senator Mitchell read tele-
gram which he had received in response to request
for particulars II said that the Republican cleo
tors remained in the room assigned to them, re-
elected Watts and cast their vote for Hayes and
Wheeler made affidavit to the facts, made out re-
turns, and attached certified copies of the official
canvass of the tabulated vote of the State
under the great seal of the State. All tins
the dispatch states was done in the presence and
pnder the supervison of citizens of standing, and
was done in full compliance with forms OF law.
Senator Mitchell said that the act of Gov. Grover
was null aud void taken in any sense; the electors
met and Mr.. Watts, the ineligible elector, failing
IN appear, proceeded to fill the vacancy un-
der the following provisions of the state
law in regard to electors; If there shall
be any vacancy in the office of an elector
occasoned by death, refusal to act, neglect to
attend or otherwise the electors present shall imme
diately proceed to fill by rira and plurality OF
votes such vacancy" Two vacancies could not be
filed by Cronin with persons who had received no
votes at all when two of the regular electors were
there to receive the certificates and proceed In the
nrenises according to law. The Senator said that
the vote of the regularly elected electors would be
brought here and deposited with the President OF
the Senate and that, while it would not have the
certificate of the Governor they would present
paper giving the vote for electors to which Will
be attached the broad seal of the State. He said he
was confident that this rregularity of form would
not affect the vote of the State the papers of the
han Tho
Democratic electors can, and all under the seal OF
the State.
Senator Gtchels plain statement of the facts gave
rise to very full expression of views upon the con-
stitutional and legal points involved in which Sena
tors Morton and Edmunds and others took part, all
of which went to assure the Senators that they need
not have any fears of the result. Information was
received here to-day from Oregon, showing that part
of the weakness Of Cronns arises from the fact
that he did not carry out his instructions literally,
and that he thus made bad muddle OF the whole
business. He should have remained with the RepuD-
can electors refused to leave the roO insisted on
voting. and thus made case where there would
have been no vacancy in the Electoral College In
stead of this he appears to have gone off by himself
as soon as the two genuine electors refused to recog
nize him. imagining that if he carried the Governors
certificate with him ne the whole Electoral Col
ege himself If he had carried out strictly the pro-
Rramme laid down the result might have been an
embarrassing one for the Republicans. AS 1t Is,
Cronin accomplished no practical result