Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1877-02-22

10 argue that there was no evidence
that the certificate of the Governor
was based upon the decision of the Re |
Board, was met by referencel
to the certificates of the Secretary of
State accompanying the returns. That
officer certifies that the Governors cer-
tificate is in accordance with the report
of the Returning BoIrd on file ia his
office. The Democrats maintain that
the returns themselves should have
been produced before the commission.
But to this the Republicans reply that
the commission was bound to accept
the certificate of the Secretary of State
as true, in the absence of any testi-
mony inside the papers themselves to
the contrary.
A vote was tsken at O'Clock on the
question of admitting evidence, and it
was decided in the negative-ayes, Z,
noes, 8, the usual party vote.
Both the Democrats and Republi-
cans agreed after this that there was
nothing to do but to decide the main
question at once, which was according
iy done, and resolution was adopted
by the same vote declaring chat the
return of the Hayes Electors was valid
and should be counted. A committee
consisting of Messrs. Miller, Bradley,
and Hoar was appointed to prepare a
report, Mr.. Hoar being put in the
place of Mr.. Edmunds, who was on the
corresponding committee in the Florida
case, on account of the illness of the
latter.
The report as presented and signed
/ icSi nr
this evening is very similar to that in
the Florida case, and in most the same
language. 1t states that there is nc
authority in Congress tn go behind the
certificate OF tie ti,n: suor, founded Cu
the declaration Ui liie result of the elec
tion made by the Returning Board. In
the matter of eligibility the report de-
clares that the commission decide not
to receive evidence outside o. the Ger.
titicate and papers submitted TO show
that any Elector ineligible on the day
Of holding the election in November,
and that this decision rested upon the
ground that il was not essential wheth
er an Eiector was or was not eligible on
that day, 40 long as he was eligible on
the day when he gave his vote. The
fact that the papers Ia the case show
that the Electors alleged to have been
disqualified were chosen to fill vacan
cie5 caused by absence, and further
THAT there was no allegation that when
they did not cast their votes they were
not eligible, is also referred to it,
/ -
To night the Democrats have given
up all hope. The law which they
thought might be interpreted in theil
favor in the Oregon case WAS turned
again0t them in the decision upon the
Florida returns, and the last straw Al
which they caught has failed them
So disgusted were they with the
rulings of the commission that they
even refused to accept the poor Privi-
Iege of making an additional argu
ment of an hour in length on the gen.
eral question of the acceptance of the
| Hayes returns from Louisiana.
Perfect courtesy was observed In the
manner of the Commission t0warC
each other during debate, and it j.
stated that this has been the case
during the whole of secret sessions o
the tribunal. 1t was natural thai
strong emotions should be felt as the
controversy neared its climax, but
these emotions found no vent in either
word or manner that were other thar
dignified and pOllte.-l Washington
Special, Feb. Is, to Gin. GaZ.