, 1877-02-03

w ASdlNGION, C0u 80. -ASooSA~oS
Justice Davis, as soon as the bill
passed both Houses constituting the
electoral vote commission, notified
his associates and other friends that
in the event of his being offered a
place on the Judicial branch OF the
commission, under no circumstan-
ces would he suffer his name to be
used in this connection. He con-
siders it indelicate, after being elect
ed Senator, to take position open
to criticism. He declines absolutely
to reconsider his decision.
The four members of the Supreme
Court required by the electoral act
to serve on the Judicial branch of
the commission were this afternoon
each furnished with certified copy
of the act by the Secretary of State.
They will tomorrow meet and Sc
lect the fifth associate. in accord
ance with its provisions.
The President. in his message
approving the act providing for
counting the electoral votes. says
he believes the bill gives assurance
of the result of the election, and
will be accepted without resistance
from the supporters of the disap-
pointed candidates, and that the
highest officer of the government
shall not hold his place with a ques-
toned title or right. The message
also alludes to the imminent peril
the country has escaped through
the adoption OF the act. The docu-
ment further declares that in no in
stance had the President of the
Senate exercised the power of de-
Gliding the disputed election returns
in such case as this, where the
result is involved in doubt. 1t is
the duty of the law-making power
to provide in advance lawful mode
of settling the difficulty. One of
the two candidates must have been
elected, and it would be deplorable
sight to witness controversy as to
which should receive or hold the
Office. No party of citizens loving
their country can sacrifice too much
in preserving their country. Law,
liberty and progress can only exist
through cheerful obedience to con-
stitutional law. The bill is calcu-
lated to meet the present question.
The country requires peace and
harmony between all sections.
WASHINGTON, Jan. %. Alexander
Fl. Stephens, representative from
Georgia, is dead. Later dispatches
contradict the above report.
The President signed the electoral
bill at noon to-day.
Democratic Senators in caucus
this afternoon selected Thurman and
Bayard as the Senators from the
Democratic side of the chamber to
act as members of the commission
of fifteen, to be appointed to-mor-
row under the electoral count bill.
At the adjourned meeting of the
Republican caucus this afternoon
Edmunds, Morton and Frelinghny
sen we're unanimously chosen to be
members of the Senate branch of the
commission, and they will be for
mally elected tomorrow, together
with Thurman and Bayard. All
five, it will be noticed, were mem
bers of the joint commission which
framed and reported the compro-
mise bill. The proceedings of the
caucus this afternoon were entirely
harmonious.
WASHINGTON, Jan. "a Some COM
ments have recently been made re
specting Associate Justice Swayne
in connection with the judicial
branches of the electoral vote, the
commission arising out of the al
legged business relations with Tllden.
There is authority for saying this
gentleman never was engaged in
any speculation with Tilden, mol did
they ever own jointly or separately
interests in stock of the same cor
poration, or in the same property of
any kind, real estate, personal or
mixed. They were associated with
others as counsel in single railroad
case, but that case was closed and
Swayne's connection with it termi-
mated before he became Judge of the
Supreme Court in 1862.
The Worlds Washington special
says of Pelton's Oregon kilograms
The dispatches in cipher relate to
expenses incurred for counsel and
other purposes, in all Sc, ,2OO---a 49,
600 retaining fee to the Republican