The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-12-13
relation e The use 3, troops f. the late cleo

4 - Line senate mas maze Tue. f10iloWlnR con-
4 firmations Powers, collector Second Mis-
sissippi district; Brewster, Third Texas !;
White, Third Virginia; Dnmont, ;supervi-
sor and general inspector OF steamboats, !;
! Eondrean, Consul at Santiago de Cuba !;
Borgano, assayor OF the mint at New Or
leans; Weeks, meter Of the mint at New
Orleans; Cowles, assayor and meter OF the
mint at Charlotte, n. c. g Y
! & great number Of postmasters have been
renominated. ,~.,.,.t..,sr
The Committee on Appropriations have
completed the post-ofice bill, and there is
nearly $33,000,000 reduction-three and a
half. millions from the Departments esti-
mates, ,A'E5r - ~, = - Z
Judge, Miller, OF the Supreme. Court,
complains that arecently.pubiished CONVEX
sation with him upon the prospects con-
nected with the presidential inauguration is
b gross eXaggeration. Is n .kr -,
The Senate Committee for Louisiana
leaves tonight; that for Florida and South
4 Carolina tomorrow night via the Atlantic
! Coast road. IL -. ,--,.s, 49,. {,
xLIvTH CONGRESS- Second Session.
"a" WASHINGTON, December u, 1876.
..,r.t 1.s-grgl.. " SENATE. So i.i..F 10,
In the Senate Mr.. Bogy presented me-
1
and Mcdonald, embracing the report of the
Democratic committee which witnessed the
count by the Returning Board OF Louisiana.
It was ordered toEbe printed. - aast
The, resolution submitted yesterday by
Mr.. Bayard directing the Attorney-Gene
to inform the Senate as to the number Of
deputy United States marshals employed
on November 7th (election-day) was agreed
to, with an amendment submitted by hfr.
Edmunds requesting the Attorney General
to communicate also to the Senate full
statement as to the necessity for their en-
ployment, the object thereof, the nature Of
their duties, &c.
The Senate then proceeded to discuss the
resolution OF Dir. Mitchell providing for an
investigation IN regard to the appointment
of Cronin presidential elector in Oregon. "
Mr.. Mitchelbcalled up his Oregon inves-
tigation. Himself and Mr.. Morton spoke;
when the motion went over. The argyll
ment was mainly Of legal character, Mr..
Morton citing many precedents. During
his speech Mr.. Morton said under an old
English law persons executed for crime
were buried by the roadside, and every one
who passed by cast stone at the grave, so
that the monument OF the criminal might
grow up with each generation. In regard
to this Oregon transaction every future
historian would add comment from gen.
Grafton to generation, which would increase
its magnitude. .Ll,,t .:t.,<
Mr.. Edmunds's amendment to the Consti-
tuition, submitting the electoral count to the
supreme Court, was debated. When q vote
was about to be reached Mr.. Bogy said he
desired to speak to the subject. 800
Mr.. Edmunds said it was not bis inten-
ton TO 'undu1y press this subject before the
Senate, but senators could not shut their
eyes to the fact that the present condition
of affairs was unsatisfactory, and II there
was any way to settle this serious difficulty,
one which alarms great many people, that
way should be taken as speedily as due con-
sideration would allow. This matter had
been on " the tables OF senator's since
last session, and he could not
consent to its pcstpoaement until
press it to vote to-day, and therefore would
not oppose the request of the Senator from
Missouri (AIr. Bogy) to allow it to lay over
until tomorrow. The matter should be
acted upon as speedily as possible in order
that the other house OF Congress could have
time to act upon it, and the legislatures OF
three fourths Of the States have time to
ratify it, il acceptable. On the other hand,
if it should fail Congress should not be
slow in finding, some other means OF asccr.
tanning the result Of the last presidential
election. 4 r
Mr.. Morton again pressed the measure,
and said the Senate was called upon to re.
enact by 1t the Electoral College, with al
its faults, and also the provision OF the
Constitution authorizing the House OF Rep.
resentatves to electa President, which was
dangerous one. In his opinion both these
provisions of the Constitution should be
wiped out. There was bill now before
the Senate to provide for counting the cleo
toral vote, which had passed the Senate
but was still on the table on account OF {
motion to reconsider which had been enter
ed. This bill might be passed to meet the
present emergency; He hoped the Senate
in the present difficulty, would not bt
driven to the passage Of q constitutions
amendment which reenactcd two OF the
most dangerous provisions in the Constitu
ton. :eTF. - ~. 'Es .st
Mr.. Davis, of West Virginia, introduced
bills making appropriations for continuing
the improving OF the Great kanawha river
in West Virginia aud the Monongahela
river, in West Virginia and Pennsylvania
Referred to the Committee on Commerce.
Adjourned. y, II. ,a-; ,,u..:
~ HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,. Il. {,
The feeling Of the House is to adjourn al
an early day Until after the holidays il the
Senate will concur. Otherwise, to meet
and adjourn. every third day until their
committees return from the South.
Proceedings in caucus last night seem te
have produced a cheerful feeling among
the Democracy. The speeches. were moi
aggressive, but expressed great determine.
ton to maintain their rights II it was found
they had any.
Most OF 'to-day's session was occupied in
the discussion of the important question as
to whether the joint rules Of the two houses.
including the rule for the counting OF the
presidential vote, are or are not In force.
The question came up on an ,lncldenta
4 point, involving merely the order Of bust
ness, and which could have been decided
under one Of the regular rules of the House,
but which was decided by the Speaker I'm.
der one Of the joint rules, because the lam
guage used in that rule is imperative.
The correctness Of the Speakers s decision
was assailed, and the existence Of the joint
rules denied by Mr.. Garfield, Of Ohio; Mr.
Kasson, of Iowa; Mr.. Burchard, OF Illinois
Mr.. Hoar, Of Massachusetts, and DIR. Me.
Crazy, of Iowa. But the Speaker maintain
ed his position, laying it down az an axiom
that what it 1.-THE rule] required the two
bodies to do, it required the two bodies to
undo; that therefore the Senate alone
could not abrogate the Joint rules. He held
that the count of presidential electors had
been conducted under the joint rules, and
that he saw no reason why the next vote
should not be counted in the same way. 4 !.
This declaration OF opinion was applaud,
ed on the Democratic side Of the house, and
|