The daily gazette., 1876-12-26
Mr.. Ferry Declares his Intentions.
Not Much TO be expected from
Ailn-.JOtIit Il O5llnliftPe On the
Count 7SrO SenGOfrlaf
FYQIfs
MT II THE COUNTRY GO TO THE
DOGS?

Special Dispatch to the Bait. Gazette.
WASHINGTON, December 24.-Mr. Fer
ry, president pro tenn of the Senate stated
in a conversation last evening that he
had not indicated to any person his in
tentions in regard to counting the electo-
raj votes. He had, however decided
views as to what his duty as president of
the Senate twas, and that h e would en-
deavor to fulfill that duty honestly and
conscientiously. He had declined repeat
edly to be interviewed, and would not
authorize any one to speak for him.
When told that a senator had said that
in no event would the president of the
Sanate assume to count the votes and re-
fuse to entertain any objections coming
from member of the House in the joint
convention, Mr.. Ferry said, "What
would he have the president of the Sen
ate do? Let the country go to the dogs?
Mr.. Ferry went on to say that he hoped
the joint committee of the Senate and
House would agree upon some plan of
counting the vote which would be salts
factory to both parties. He insisted that
he had made a fair committee on the part
of the Senate, and instanced Mr.. Ed
munds and Mr.. Morton, whom he said
did not agree on the question of how the
votes should be counted. He intimated
that he had placed Mr.. Logan on the
committee partly for personal reasons.
He said he was very anxious that Logan
should be returned to the Senate and that
he thought that by placing him on this
committee he would have an opportuni-
ty to aid himself in his coming Senatorial
contest He intimated also that Mr..
Randall had not acted fairly in making
up the house committee, inasmuch as he
had placed Mr.. Willard on it, who was
quite certain to act with the democrats
He pointed to the fact also that there was
| no southern representative on the house
committee, while he had placed Mr.
Ransom on the senate committee because
| he was a man of ability, and moreover
! was representative southern man.
He defended his action in refusing
| to give receipts to ohe messengers bear
! ing returns from Florida, Louisiana and
South Carolina, and said that he had
done so because he did not want even to
appear to PREJUDICE the case by giving n
certificate to one messenger in those
States and refusing it to another. He in
timated, however, that in doing this he
by no means intended to say that the re-
publican returns were not true ones. IL
must be borne in mind that MIR. Ferry l.
q candidate for reelection to the Senate,
and it is possible that this fact causes
him to be SO reticent on the subject OF
counting the electoral vote. He says,
/ however that he has no doubt of his re-
election, and he will not even go home
during the holiday to look after his caS-
vass, feeling quite certain that his friends
will take care of him. 1t was his duty
he said, to remain here and receive the
returns from the electoral colleges; an'
in this connection he remarked that he
was keeping those valuable document
in very secure place in his personal Gus
tody, and that he had not divulged t.
any person where or how he was keeping
them.