Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-12-09

MoNDiY,Dec 4.

| gan It's second session at IL O'CLOCK
to-day. The Senate admitted four
| new members, namely. Messrs
jerome Is. Chaffee and Henry NJ.
Teller, Senators from the new
State of Colorado, Samuel Price,
Senator from West Virginia,
elected to fill the unexpired term
Of Senator Caperton, deceased:
aud James G Biaine,appointed by
the Governor Of Maine to ill the
unexpired term of Mr.. Morrill,,
now Secretary ofthe Treasury. The
President was duly advised that
the Senate WAS ready to hearAny
communication that he night
choose to make, but the message
was not sent In. 1t was read over
in Cabinet meeting In the mOin-
ing, and alterations and amend
lnents were 9 ggested that made
II necessary to withhold IL inntil'
to-day, Unless some unexpected
crisis occur the document will be
transmitted to both Houses to-day
and simultaneous by telegraphed
over the country. Ht9e 1etA
No business of special impor-
lance was transacted in the SEN
ale. Mr.. Edmunds submitted u
resolution, reciting the provisions
of the Fourteenth Amendment re-
lating to suffrage and the basis Of
representation, and directing the
Committee on Privileges and
Elections to inquire whether in
any State the right OF suffrage has
been abridged, and the means by
which abridgnent mas been eff
fected. This involves an in-
quiry into the recent elections In
the Southern States and the can-
wasting of the votes The resolu-
ti0u was laid on the table and
will probably be acted on by the
Senate to-day Mr.. Ingalls, Offer
I'd u resolution providing for the
calling ola National Convention
TO revise and amend the COnsiitu-
ton, the said convention to IN Aei
at Columbus OHIO. on the second
Monday in May, 1877.
The Hon. Samuel Randall was
elected Speaker Of the House
the Republicans voting for Mr..
Garfield. By a strictly party
vote. the Democratic maj 0rity re-
fused to allow the name of Mr.
BeIford, representative from Coo
RADIO, to be put on the roll, and a
resolution was adopted directing
the Judiciary COMMITTEES to in
quire If Colorado il q State i'm the
Union entitled to representation
in Congress. On motion of Mr..
Hewitt a resolution was adopted
providing for the appointment If
the select COMMITTEES to proceed to
the three "disputed'Slates and in-
vestigate all matters rela ing to
the recent elections. The South
Carolina committee was immeli-
ately appointed by the Speaker.
Mr.. Sayler, Of Ohio Is chairman
and Messrs. Banks, Lawrence and
Lapham are the Republican MEM
Ders. fsis
~ TUESDAY Dec. 8.
The questions Of investigating
the elections and curing the de-
fects Of our political system abb
s0rbed the attention Of Congress
to-day to such a degree that the
Presidents Message became q
secondary matter. In the Senate
Mr.. Morton submitted a resolu-
ton for a Constitutional amend
ment for the election OF President
and Vice President by direct
vote of the people Then followed
a lengthy but interesting debate
on Mr.. Edmunds' resolution d.
recting the Committee on Elec-
tions and Privileges to investigate
the circumstances of the elections
in South Carolina, Florida. Louisi-
ana, Georgia; Alabama and
mississippi in 1874, 1875 and 1875,
and TO examine into the eligibility
of presidential Electors, the
Democrats, under the lead OF
| Messrs. Bayard and Thurman,
striving to defeat it. 1t was eventu-
ally adopted, however, a few Dem
ocraIic Senators voting with the
Republicans in its favor. Mr. Mer-
rimon offered a bill for holding
the Presidential election In Octo-
Der instead of November.
The House of Representatives
occupied nearly the whole day
with getting out of a difficulty
that had been caused by the fall
ure of the Clerk to record two
votes that had been cast the day
before on the motion to suspend
the rules and pass Mr. Hewitt's
resolution for the appointment of
committees of Investigation on
the election in South Carolina,
Florida and Louisiana.