Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-12-20
A Spicy Debate.
SENATE.

MI. thurman aQQfCSScQ the Senate
on the resolution providing for an in
vcstigation of the Oregon electoral
appointments.
Mr.. Wallace said that il was but
just to remember that Grover acted
from motive and was chosen to a
seat on this floor. We must believe
he acted conscientiously amid maze
of authority, 1t lis plain that the law
as to whether he can certify the mi
nority candidate is unsettled. 1t is
surely safe to obey his oath and SUI
preme law than certify in violation of
both. He asked for the reservation
of judgment. 1t was his opinion no
elector had been legally appointed
by Oregon. Oregon Statutes in de-
filming vacancy don't include the
failure to elect. If it be the law that
a majority candidate being ineligible,
the minority candidate is not elected,
then there is no vacancy, but there is
q failure to elect. If SO this brings
the case within Sec. 134, u. s, Stat
utes. Whenever any State has held
an election for the purpose of choos-
ing electors and failed to make the
choice on the day prescribed by law,
the electors may be appointed on
subsequent day in such manner as the
State may direct. If the Republican
doctrine be sound Oregon has not
legally provided for this case, having
legally appointed but two cleo
tors.
Mr.. Mitchell said there was pre-
scented in this discussion spectacle |
wherein no Senator raised any ques-
ton in regard to the vote of the peo-
pie Of Oregon at the late election. 1t
was not denied by any Senator, any
newspaper or any man anywhere Of
any political party, that a majority of
the vote of the people of the State of
Oregon at the late election was cast
for the Republican electors. He
(MitchelD was not surprised Sena-
tors on this floor declined to come di-
rectly to the front, and defend the
action of the Governor of Oregon.
| What he (MitchelD wanted to know
to-day was, whether any member of
the democratic party was willing to
rise in his place and affirm the right
of Gov. Grover to adjudicate upon
the eligibility Of Watts. They dare
not do it. He commented on the &C
ton of Grover, and said it was a
gross usurpation of power, gross
violation Of law.
He quoted at length from the con-
stitution and laws Of Oregon, and ar
gued that Senators on the democratic
side of the chamber had ignored the
constitution and laws of that State.
They had evaded the question. The
right to hold office is one of the high
est rights of an American citizen, and
how was he to be deprived of that
} right? Certainly not by the act of an
J executive officer under the constitu-
ton and laws of Oregon. If per-
son voted for as an elector was ineli-
gibile, his election must be declared
void by competent tribunal, which
tribunal was legislature Ofthat State.
, That body had the power to declare
vacancy, and the other electors, un-
, der the law of that State, had the
} power to fill the vacancy, and in no
{ possible event had the Governor the
; power to say some one else was elect
, ed in the place Of Watts. He next
, referred to Louisiana, Florida, and
South Carolina, and said there was a
) question in those States as to which
, side had n majority of the votes, but
5 there was no such question as to
J Oregon.
: Mr.. Edmunds called up the mes
: sage from the House, announcing the
: passage of a resolution providing for
c the appointment of q committee to
a act with committee of the Senate,
to devise some method of counting
|, the electoral vote, and submitted a
: resolution referring the message OF
: the House to select committee to be
t composed of seven Senators with
: Ipower to prepare and report without
n unnecessary delay, such measures as
/ will secure lawful count of the
+ electoral vote, and the best DISPOSE.
f ton of all questions connected there
G with, and that said committee have
power to confer with the committee
n Of the House of Representatives.
Laid over until Monday.
HOUSE.
The House had notified the Senate
' of the appointment of a committee to
/ meet similar Senate committee to
!, devise method to count the elector.
al vote.
Mr.. Hale, member of the Appro.
priation Committee, opposed the re-
, duction of the Senate's sum for in
: vestigations. The people were anx-
| ious to learn the state of affairs in
! those Southern States, therefore the
committees shouldn't be pinched.
, Mr.. Holman said the democrats
were certainly as anxious as the re-
publicans, who generally and earn
estly opposed the appointment of
those committees.
Mr.. Cox commented on the refusal
of Gov. Wells to comply with the
summons of the Louisiana investi-
eating committee.
Mr.. Hale said he supplied the doc
uments.
Mr.. Cox said the originals were
|, necessary. He was ashamed that the
republican side of the House didn't
rise and instruct its pet Governor to
respond to the committees demand.
Mr.. Townsend-The shame is mu-
tual.
!, Mr.. Cox expressed qualification
that his colleague confessed shame on
his side, there was none acknowledge
ed on the democratic side.
NIL lIuiS DccauSo yVu uiC ihO0-
pable Of it.
Mr.. Cox-Now you sit down. He
supposed Mr.. Townsend meant shame
, was mutual between himself and Mr..
Hale. We have no shame. Shouts
! of daughters on the republican side.
Mr.. Hale-That is it exactly. We
will have no controversy about that.
| Mr.. Cox retorted and charged that
the Louisiana Returning Board sat in
secret. This Hale denied. The Board
considered all the questions openly
then retired for deliberatiOn as
judges. Derisive laughter on the
democratic side The Board held no
secret sessions.
! Mr.. Hale attempted to answer the
lquestion of Mr.. Cox, why democrat
was not appointed to fill the vacancy
in the Returning Board, but Mr.. Cox
interrupted and refused to permit an
answer.
Mr.. Cox said unless he was mista-
i ken, sometime the republicans would
demand that we go below all these
, parishes in Louisiana and elsewhere.
!. Thus only could this great question.
be solved. Thus only could peace
ensue in good faith he would second
, Mr.. Hale's effort to make this investi-
!. CATION thorough.
i Mr.. Hale said fthe democrats real
, ly desired fair investigation in the
, Southern States, here was an excel
lent opportunity, by giving the Sem
, ate what it asked for, tc conduct the
Investigations. He congratulated the
other side on its new zeal for open
investigations,and recalled the espion-
age system under which investiga-
F tons were conducted by law.
Mr.. Hale predicted that when the
committee returned and reported a
minority report would follow. The
trick which the democratic visitors
report, indicated giving nineteen
twentieths Of the space to technical
bubbles. He explained the failure to
appoint democrats on the board. The
. appointment was offered to a half