The New York herald., 1876-12-07
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

WASHINGTON, Dec 9, 1876.
Tho morning hour occupied in reports from
committees
REPORT or TnR LOUISIANA VISITING COMMITTEE
At the close OF the morning hour the Speaker laid
before the House message the President trans
mting letter, accompanied by testimony, addressed
him by Hon. John Sherman and other disting uished
citizens in regard 10 the canvass OF the vote for eec-
tors in Louisiana.
Mr. SPRINGER (dem) OF Ill, moved its reference
to the Select COMMITTEES on Louisiana
Mr. coSGER, lrcpl Of Mich, requested either that
tho correspondence anu testimony should be read or
should be printed Tor the Information oil the mem
bcrs.
Sir SPRINGER objected to either.
Pending action in the matter Mr.. Woodburn, OF
Nevada, Was appointed on the Select Committce for
Florida instead OF Mr.. Garfield, OF OHIO. excused.
A motion TO adjourn was defeated on "a vote by tho
yeas and nays, and then The question came up rs TO
whether members could be required 10 vote on paper
before its being read.
Tie SPEAKER, after review OF the rule the sub
ject, decided that the paper IN question was IN the
nature OF information aud step toward correct legis-
lation aud that, therefore, IL must be read.
The Clerk thereupon proceeded with the reading Of
the paper.
The reading of the report OF Senator Sherman and
others occupied nearly an hour.
REMARKS
When IL was finished Mr. Wood, of New York, rose
and expressed his surprise at such a message having
been sent by the President He regarded II AS most
extraordinary and unprecedented. but remarked mat
this was a marvellous and extraordinary tiine. The
President had had the experience which nearly eight
years OF service mad gwen him, that experience,
OF ITSELF should have gwen bm knowledge MT only
oil the theory, but OF the practice OF the government
aud its officers. And yet the President nau pro-
per to scud the House this unauthor zed
communication from persons clothed with no official
position in the premises The Prcsldcnt, by giving TO
IT his official sanction and by transmitting u
the House. made il OF the records OF ;he govern
ment He (Mr Wood could observe but object which
the PresGent coud have had in transmitting it; that
the Incidental OF suggesting that the House
clothed with authority 10 institute careful
inquiry INTO the election oil the President.
In advance OF the re. ular presentation oi
| that great subject the President told the House
By ths procedure that the House authorized
to institute inquiry to the correctness ana ntc2
rlty the certificates OF election The exception
which he (Mr Wood took to u was that the President
should have transmitted IN such an authorized way
Unauthorized document OF a nero partisan and ex
pdrte character, ami his first impulse had been Ia
move that the communication be returned 10 the
President. II lie had followed the Indignation which
rose lis heart when the document presented IL
the House he would have made such proposition
but hc should not now DO so. He should simply move
that the message OF tho President and
documents be laid on the table. (Applause.)
Mr. HoAR, (rcp) OF Mass, said that his s,ce of the
| House desired 10 debate the subject The motion
however, was undcbatabe, and 1t adoptcd--ycas
| 1853, nays 00-a rarty vote
The House then, at fifteen minutes past three I. NJ
adjourned, when the announcement Tas nado OF
democratic caucus forthwith.