Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-12-20
Which Resulted in a Square Is
sue Between the Two
Parties,
The Oregon Matter Ventilated
SENATE.

Presidential vote should be canvassel
like the Congressional vote, and tina
the Governor should issue certificates
to the persons having the highes
number of votes" The law nowhere
gave the Governor jurisdiction oyel
the question of eligibility. In thil
Grover didn't commit an error o.
judgment, but took jurisdiction with.
out any legal authority, possessing
all these facts; therefore he thought
nobody could ever have the hardi.
hood to defend the action Of the Gov
of Oregon over issuing certificate Of
election to Cronin and refusing to is.
sue one to Watts.
Mr.. Morton presented some author.
tiles on the subject His examination
of English cases showed that the mi,
nority candidate was not elected in
such circumstances. He then read
from New York reports to show that
the ineligibility of the majority can
didate does not elect the minority
candidate there.
Mr.. Salisbury said that Gov. Gro
yer in stating the case said the per-
sons voting for Watts had business
with his office and knew he was post.
master.
Mr.. Morton said perhaps not one
person in Q thousand or one in the
nominating convention who knew the
postmastership disqualified candi-
date. Gov. Grover in his letter
claimed that New York and English
authorities sustained his action. He
was wrong as to both.
Mr.. Maxey said the democratic or.
tors in Oregon had spoken of Watts
ineligibility during the campaign.
Mr.. Logan affirmed that It did not
elect Cronin if every voter in the
state knew Watts ineligibility.
Mr.. Morton said in England where
the voter had been specially notified
of the ineligibility of q candidate and
persisted in voting for him he threw
his vote away, and the minority can
didate was elected. In this country
it had been held that even such noti-
fication did not elect the minority
candidate.
Mr.. Sergeant said he knew some.
thing of the Pacific Slope politics and
denied that the democratic speakers
in Oregon proclaimed Watts ineligi-
bility.
Mr.. Mitchell said he made thor
ough canvass of Oregon and never
heard any question of Watts ineligi-
bility by either party or any news
paper. He left Oregon Nov. 1lth,
for San Francisco, and heard nothing
of it until he reached San Francisco.
Mr.. Morton quoted again from
numerous English and American
authorities in support of his position.
The eligibility was question out
side of Gov. Growers province. The
Governor had ministerial duty to
perform by issuing certificates to
those receiving the highest number o1
votes.
The Senate then resumed the regu.
lar order demanded by Edmunds
Judiciary Committee amendment
providing that the Court shall disre.
gard formal errors and consider it a
substantial right which was agreed
to.
Other verbal amendments were al.
so agreed to.
Mr.. Edmunds submitted an amend.
ment to his amendment, making the
measure applicable to the present
presidential contest if ratified prompt.
ly enough, ETC., so as to provide that
the Court shall fix day not later
than the 10th of February, 1877, for
the count, and proceed with it daily
until disposed Of. Agreed to.
The s4s,
ported and the amendments made in
the Committee of the Whole, concur
red in.
Mr.. Mcrrimon proposed an
amendment making the Supreme
Court Justices ineligible as candidates
for president and vice president or
any United States appointed officer
until four years after he ceases to be
such Justice. The idea, he said, was
to cut off all hope of the Supreme
Court Justice being appointed to any
office at the hands of the president.
MIR. Edmunds opposed the amend
ment. 1t was not proposed to max e
the Supreme Court a political body.
Mr.. Merrimon agreed it would
make q court national returning
board, and bring it into contempt.
He plead for the purity and sanctity
of that body before the country.
Mr.. Merrimon's amendment was
agreed to.
Mr.. Conkling answered Mr.. Ma Key.
He said. one object of the viva voce
vote proposed by the Judiciary Com
mittee, was to enforce the constitu-
tional provision forbidding the cleo.
tors to vote for candidates tor Presi-
dent and Vice President from the
same State. This provision could be
violated If balloting was allowed,
and Messrs. Bogy and Morton ex-
pressed a desire to speak on and ex-
anime the subject further, and sug-
gcsted that it be postponed until
Monday.
Mr.. Edmunds didn't desire to press
the matter, but he represented the
urgency of the matter and the pub.
lie concern at the present state oil
affairs, and wished it might be con.
summated as speedily as due consid.
Grafton would permit. Senators had
had this matter before them since it
last session, and he could not consent
to postponement until next week
but would allow it to go over till to.
morrow, and if this failed Congress
should not be slow in finding some
other means of ascertaining the resul,
of the late election.
Mr.. Morton again opposed thu
measure of rc-enacting the fault,
electoral college and throwing thu
election into the House, both Of which
provisions should be wiped out
There was a bill now before the Sen
ate to provide for counting the elec
toral vote, which had passed the Sen
ate, but was still on the table OF
account of motion to reconsider
which has been entered, this bill
might be passed to meet the presen
emergency. He hoped the Senate il
the present difficulty would not b,
driven to the passage of Constitution
al amendments which re-enacted tw,
of the most dangerous provisions il
the Constitution.
WASHINGTON, Dec. II.
HOUSE.
Blair introduced a constitutions
amendment forbidding the manufac
turc of distilled liquors as beverage
after 1900. Referred.
| Bland called for the resumption O
unfinished business of last session
under the 2lst joint
The speaker, after having the rul
read, decided it was imperative an,
that unfinished business of the las
hour OF the preceding session mus
have preference.
Burchard suggested that If tha
business be resumed, it should be ur
der House rule l36.
The Speaker said the only diirc,
cnce was the 2lst rule used the wor
"shall,' = making it imperative to col
sidder that business.
| Garfield said he was willing to co,
slider 1t under the 136th rule. b,
would appeal If the chair decided Il
2lst rule was binding and i'm exis
cnce.
| Speakcr-The chair so decides.
| More discussion cnsucd, CARTEL
and Burchard asserting that they di
limit ohinct ff, Tho 1Qfs&h r,,Io ku< o,,J