The Portland daily press., 1877-03-01
reporting of that law but the Chair is bound 10

Mr. Luttrell-Yes and he wishes now that
he had not. (Laughter.)
After some further attempts at delay, Mr..
Cochrane of Pennsylvania, offered resolution
that the decision of the Electoral Commission
on the votes of South Carolina be not sustained
by the House, and that they be not counted.
The discussion was opened by Hooker OF Mis-
sppi, who declared that in the case Of South
Carolina as in the cases of Florida and Louisi-
ana, the Commission had refused to perform
the functions with which it had been invested,
had refused to take evidence on the subject
matter, and that, therefore, the House was not
bound by its action.
Mr.. Lapham of New York, defended the &C.
ton Of the Commission, and said if those who
were making opposition to the count imagined
they would find in the people anything but con-
domination of their action they are very much
in error.
Mr.. Goode Of Virginia, declared unhesitat-
ingly that the duty of the Democrats now in
reference to the Commission was to do unto
others as they would have others do unto them
under like circumstances They should accord
to the Republican party what they would them
selves have unanimously demanded if the de-
cissn had been in their favor. 1t would not
only be unwise but unmanly to attempt to re-
verse the decision of the Commission by any
indirect method or by any clamorous complaints.
1t was the dictate of wisdom, of policy, of man.
hood, of honor to stand by the compact into
which they had entered, and to execute in good
faith the law which they had made.
Mr. Lawrence of Ohio defended the action OF
the Commission and warned the Democratic
side of the House OF the danger of the doctrine
that Congress had a right to 60 into state, in
vestigate the manner of an election and annul
it. If that doctrine was to be established 1T
might be carried into effect in the state OF New
York to defeat all the repeating and ballot-box
stuffing that prevails in the elections there
Mr.. Franklin of Mo-, opposed the action of
the Commission. If it were to be consum-
mated the nd.century of the republic would
open with great political crime against the
liberties of the American people and an usurp-
er would be placed in the chief executive chair
of the nation.
Mr.. Banks Of Mass, said that much misrep.
resentation and vituperation had led the coun-
try to believe the political condition of South
Carolina had been such that it was impossible
to have any honest or just representation of the
| opinions Of the people in the elections. He
had himself been largely influenced by that
| idea when he went there recently as member
| of the investigating committee, but he had
never been more astonished than at what he
had seen there. Taking every vote on both
| sides and making no question about intimida-
ton armed interference the vote of South
Carolina for Hayes and Wheeler had been Just
as absolute and indisputable as the vote of
sion, he saw nothing in it's action but strictest
adherence to law and justice. Replying to the
speech of Mr.. GoOde he asserted that every
man in Charleston capable of bearing arms
was armed to the teeth, not to sustain the laws
OF the state or national government, but as
| enemies to both.
Mr.. Hoar-You do not mean blacks as we'll
as whites.
Banks-No; 1 mean every white man. The
same is true OF other parts of the state. They
are armed for the destruction of the state gov
eminent as it exists and without doubt hostile
to the government of the United States as it
exists.
Mr.. Vance of North Carolina q aid his res
poets to Mr.. Hoar and imagined case of q
future archeologst standing before the tomb
BILE words. Union and liberty, one and nsepa-
rable. now and forever and then standing be-
| fore the tomb Of Mr.. Hoar and recalling the
words, Ordered, That the evidence of fraud be
not received. What an epitaph to the success
sor to Webster. Choate and Sumner. The
column should be surmounted with represent
tation OF the stealthy fox devouring the Louisi-
| ana pelican.
| MI. Wallace of South Carolina defended the
state government of South Carolina.
| Mr. Rainey of South Carolina said that while
South Carolina was not exactly in state OF
| anarchy, it had been so near it that it was a
God send the army did 60 down there and ex-
ert moral influence which had saved the
| lives of many men.
Mr.. Southland of Ohio said in his view the
true remedy was an enactment into a law of
the BILL passed yesterday by the House. That
| would avoid both anarchy and revolution That
| bill meant peace and Justice.
MIR. Goodin of Kansas spoke in favor of &C
| quieScing in the work of the commission.
| Mr. Cox of New York replied to Lawrence s
insinuation as to New York election frauds
and asserted that the testimony taken by an
Investigating committee showed that out of
$4,000, votes there had not been 80
fraudulent votes cast in New York at the late
| Mr.. Cochrane of Pennsylvania argued
| against the exclusion of testimony in South
| Carolina.
Hoge Ct South Carolina gave an account of
some OF his experiences in the last campaign
| in South Carolina as showing the necessity for
the presence of troops there. His story was
laughed and ieered at on the Democratic side,
particularly when he announced that he re-
presented Jno. c. Calhoun's district
New Jersey, who spoken favor of acquiescence.
The House proceeded to vote on the resolution
offered by Mr.. Cochrane, that the decision in
the case of South Carolina be not sustained
| and that the vote be not counted.
Mr.. Walling of Ohio moved to add to the
resolution the words Gin conformity with the
! decision of said Commission
Mr.. Jones OF Kentucky offered as a SUBJ
| stitute that the decision be not concurred in.
Mr.. Hale of Maine made the poiut of order
against the amendment, and substitute that
under the electoral law the main question must
be at once put, but the speaker overruled it.
Question was first put on ordering the main
| question and it was o'clock before the result
] was announced.
While the vote was being taken efforts were
made by members on both sides to arrive at
| some basis for compromise, because it was
| evident that hours would yet be consumed in
the yea and nay votes before the point of the
reassembling. Of the two houses in joint meeting
could be reached.
No compromise however having been effect
| ed, Mr.. Walling of Ohio as soon as the result
OF the vote ordering the main question was an
n0unced, moved to reconsider that vote.
| Mr.. Wood of N. Y, then offered PROPOSE
ton for compromise which was at the
| suggestion of the Speaker reduced to writing as
| follows:
| The amendments now pending to be with
drawn and the House to come to a direct vote
on the original resolution, the Senate to be
| then invited to meet the House for the purpose
OF continuing the count, and that when the
| state of Vermont shall be reached and the two
houses separate, the House shall then take a
recess till 10 tomorrow.
| There were no objections made and the pro-
| Mr.. Cochrane's resolution that the vote of
South Carolina be not counted was then adopt
ed and the Senate notified,
The Joint Convention Resumed-south
Carolina, Tennessee and Texas Count
ed.
AT go the Senators came into the hall and
| the action of each house on the decision having
been read the presiding officer announced that
two houses not concurring otherwise the cleo
toral votes of South Carolina would be counted
and they were therefore declared by one of the
tellers as votes for Hayes and Wheeler
Pending that action Mr.. Jones of KY, raised
the question that there was not quorum of
the Senate present (only % having having en-
tered) but the presiding officer paid no atten-
ton to the interruption and directed the clerk
to proceed with the reading, MI. Jones con-
tenting himself with a protest against the pro.
ceedings.
The votes of Tennessee, u, and of Texas, 8,
for Tilden and Hendricks, were then counted
without objection.
Then came Vermont, with four votes for
Hayes and Wheeler.
Certificate having been read in fall Mr.. Pop.
pleton of Ohio, rose to present an objection to
it, but first asked the presiding officer whether
any other certificate had been received from
Vermont than that which had been read
The presiding officer replied in the negative.
Mr.. Hewitt of New York, stated that he held
in his hand package purporting to contain
the electoral votes of Vermont, which package
had been delivered to him by express about the
middle Of December, and that with it came
letter stating that similar package had been
forwarded to the President Of the Senate by
mail. On learning today that no correspond
ing package had been received by the presiding
officer, he had rendered to him this package
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