Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-12-07
FORTE-FOURTH CONGRESS.
THURSDAY. December 4.

tuition be amended so as TO allow the cleo
torai vote TO he counted by the Supreme
Court.
Mr.. Edmunds said the matter contained in
the COMMUNICATION had already been reported
10 the Senate, and moved the communication
be laid on the table. SO ordered.
Mr.. Anthony. from committee on printing
said he was authorized To report back tht,
message of the President and accompanying
documents i'm relation To the committee sent
10 louisiana tn witness the count of the cleo
toral vote, with recommendation that they
be printed.
MIR Salisbury. from the same committee.
said he did not give his assent Oprint ing this
testimony. because he was opposed 10 sending
ont eT p0Tte testimony under the authority of
the Senate. He had NO objection to the
ness age or the letter. but did not want the
evidence printed.
Mr.. Mcdonald said he would not object Ia
printing all that came TO the Senate ON this
subject. but as the Senator from Ohio alluded
Yesterday To another party who was present
during that count. he would like to have
printed statement made by that other party;
and he offered a newspaper slip headed
democratic Manifesto"
Mr.. Anthony objected TO reading and print
ing mere newspaper slips. The Senate did
not even order the reading of the Presidents
message.
Mr. Mcdonald said he would then have the
slip read as part of his remarks.
Ii was read.
Mr.. Mcdonald. resuming. said the return
ing board had been highly eulo2iZcd and he
offered 10 be read the preamble attached To
the report made by the investigating com
nittee. and ii was read.
Mr.. Sherman asked that certain portions of
the same report ON the same subject be read,
show ing the confidence which the same COM
mitt"e put in the acts of this same returning
board, AID they were read.
Mr.. Boey explained the manner in which
the proceedings were conducted by the boari.
MIR. Eaton said the President invited a com
mittee of gentlemen. composed of the rapub-
liCan party, Ia witness this counting. Wheth-
er il was a fair count or not. would be deter
sIl
the Senate that a distinguished gentleman
from New York went down there at his own
expense TO witness this count. That was very
cOmmCndable. Then why did not the gen
tlCman have the evidence printed AT his own
expense" IN due time the full evidence will
be laid before the Senate, and the country
will then know all about this count
Mr.. Thurman said he should not object to
printing this evidence with an amendment
which he should submit. If he appeared TO
object. 1t was because he did not want the
opinion of the Senators and the coun-
try forestalled by this evidence before
the complete story was told. The whole
testimony would soon be here. The
result as il eliminated i'm Louisiana
did Lot StaITlc anybody. for il was only the
Sd act in the drama. When tue whole story
came here they would see how several thou
sand majority ON one side was changed 10
another side by over 5000. Why was no:
the vacancy on that returning board filled?
This very fact showed a prcdispoSition 10 10
wrong, and no withdrawing report would
y
sire 10 print showed undue haste TO get a one
sided statement before the people.
Mr.. Morton said a most singular spectacle
was presented here to-day. Senators were
denOuncing the action OF this returning
board while we are seeking 10 lay before the
country the evidence upon which they acted.
The democrats before this board were I'M
viied to furnish their testimony and have It
printed with this, and let il all go before the
country together. but they refused To furnish
their evidence. and now they want 10 make
up ease which never went before the return
ing beard. II shows that they were not sat
i>fiCd with the case which they had and
want now 10 make up a new case.
The republicans were not afraid of new testi-
mOny. lie sent To the desk TO be read the in
vitaiiOn of the republican committee TO the
democrats To unite with them and furnish the
evidence in their possession to be printed
with this. and the refusal OF the democrats to
do u.
Mr.. Thurman said there was nothing to
slow that the democratic ease was not all in,
or that they wanted TO make a new case. The
Senator from Indiana says the evidence was
not all in. as the democrats did not furnish
what they held in their hands. Then how
was this returning board able 10 make up its
report. and where did this committee get the
evidence whichthey have brought here to have
printed. This was only the one sided state
ment of an unofficial committee, and they
want Ia serd ii out TO the country as a fair
statement of what took place. This was a
little the most modest proposition he had
ever heard Of He approved the action of his
10 be "a party to any such contract.
Mr.. Morton repeated that the action of the
democrats showed conc!usively that they
We're not satisfied with their ease. and want
ed 10 make Il new one.
Mr.. NcD onald asked Mr.. Morton if he
would have advised the republicans to give
up their testimony to the democrats to be
printed.
Mr.. Morton.-Most certainly would. |
would not ask. neither did the republicans
ask. that the originals should al be placed M
n.le
urge that copies be given, just as the repub-
Leans asked OF the democrats.
Mr.. Thurman again stated that this COM
mittee was unofficial and all One-sided. and
that the Senator from Ohio (Mr Sherman)
ana ills colleague were no more than any
other private citizens. and could not give
official sanction 10 their acts.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
Atkins, from the committee on appropria-
tions, reported the annual pension appropri-
alton bill. apprOpriating over twenty-eight
million dollars. and ii was made the special
order for tomorrow in committee Of the
whole
Mr.. Dunnell Introduced bill TO amend the
act of July H. 1866. granting land to the state
of Minnesota TO aid in the construction of
railroads. Referred to public land commit
tee.
Mr. Monroe asked that Senate bill in re-
latiOn 10 a pension. now on the Speakers ia
BILE, he taken up and referred to the commit
tee on pensions.
The speaker said that could not he done.
even by unanimous consent, because the
joint rules prohibited it.
Mr. Monroe said he would like to discuss
that question as 10 the joint rules.
COT MING THE ELECTORAL VOTE.
Mr. McCrary asked leave 10 offer a preanl-
Bile and resolution reciting that there have
been and are differences of opinion as TO the
proper mode of counting the electoral votes
for President and Vice President of the Uni
ted States, and as To the legitimate way of
determining the question:: that IL Is Of the
utmost importance that all differences OF
opinion, "a nj all doubts as to the proper mode
OF counting the vote should be removed to
the end that the votes may be legally count
ed and the result declared by the proper tri-
bunal whose decision would not be question
ed, and To that end that the Speaker be au-
thorized 10 appoint "a committee of five MEM
bers To act in conjunction with Il similar
committee TO be appointed by the Senate to
prepare and report without delay such meas
ure, either by law or constitutional amend
ment, "a may secure the desired end.
Mr.. Wood said that this was question of
so much importance that the resolution
should first be considered by regular COM
nIittee OF the House, and that the committee
should have leave to report at any time.
The resolution was referred TO the judiciary
committee.
Mr.. Frye presented a telegraphic report of
the action of the Colorado legislature, protest.
ing against the refusal of the House to admit
the member-elect from Colorado. Referred
to judiciary committee.