Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1877-03-01

in the Oregon case.
The. Commission was formally called to
order by Judge Clifford, President, and vote
Which had been informally Hv'ss ssSbRpittRed RuR dis,
cussed, but not voted upon during the days
session.
Resolved, That the certificate signed by E.
A Cronin, J. N. T. Miller and John Parker,
purportipg to cast the electoral vote OF the
State Of Oregon, do not contain or certify the
titled.
Justice Field offered the following as SUBJ
stitute.
Whereas, J. W. Watts, designated in GER
tiicate No. ! as the elector of the State OF
0regou tor President and Vice President, on
the day ot election, viz: the 7th day oi No:
vember, 1876, held an Office Of trust and profit
under the United States, therefore
Resolved, That said J. W. Watts was then
ineligible to the Office of elector within the ex.
press terms OF the constitution.
Rejected...yeas I: nays 8-as follows:
YEAs-Abbott, Bayard, Clifford, Field, Hun
ton, Thurman, Payne.-7.
NAYs-Bradley, Edmunds, Freliughuysen,
Garfield, Hoar, Miller, Morton, Strong.-s.
Justice Field then offered the following:
WHEREAS, At the election held on the 18th
Of November, 1876, in the State OF Oregon tor
electors of President and Vice President, W.
II. Odell, J. W. Watts and J. G. Cartwright
received the highest number of votes cast Tor
electors: but
WHEREAS, Said Watts, then holding an
Office OF trust and profit under the United
States, was ineligible 10 the office of elector,
therefore
Resolved, That said Odell and Cartwright
election aud there was . failure on the part
Of the State to elect third elector.
Rejected-ayes Z; nays 8-the same vote in
detail as the preceding
Justice Field then offered the following:
WHEREAS, the Legislature OF Oregon has
mad. no provision tor the appointment OF an
eIector under the act of Congress where there
was failure to make choice on the day prescrib.
ed by law, theret re
Resolved, That the attempted election of
the third elector by the two persons chosen,
was imperative AID void.
Rejected-ayes 2, nays g. as above.
Mr.. Bayard then offered the tullswing
and the vote OF J. G. Cartwright, cast for
Rutherford B. Hayes, Of Ohio. Tor Pr~sidant Of
the United States, and tor William A. Whee-
Ter, OF New York, Tor Vice President OF the
United States, were the votes provided for by
the constitution OF the United States, and that
only were the persons duly appointed electors
| in the State Of Oregon, at the election held
Nov. Z, 1876, there having been q failure at
said election to appoint third elector in ac-
cordance with the constitution and laws OF
the Urited States and the laws ot the State OF
Oregon, and that the two votes aforesaid
! should be counted, and none others from the
State OF Oregon.
Rejected-yeas Z, uays 8-as above.
vote was then taken on Edmunds' origin
| al proposition, and it was adopted-yeas Is;
nays none.
Mr. Morton then offered the following
Resolved that w. II. Oiell. J. G. Cartwright
ocI I wv atf no 90 oil
ors in certificate No. l., are the lawt'il electors
OF the State OF Oregon, and that their Votes are
| the votes provided tor by the constitution OF
| the United States, and should be counted for
| President and Vice President of the United
States.
Mr.. Hinton moved to strike out the name
Of }. W. Watts.
| Disagreed to-yeas Z; nays 8.
| Mr.. Morton's r. solution was then adopted
yeas 8; nays Z, as follows:
Yeas Bradley, Garfield, Morton, Edmunds,
Roar, Strong, Frelinghuysen, Miller-8
NaXs-Abbott, Field, Payne, Bayard' Hun
The decision OF the Commission was then
drawn up and signed by the eight members
voting in the affirmative.
The report sets forth that the election of
Watts by the other two members OF the elec-
tOral college was in accordance with the laws
aud constitution vi Oregon. The grounds for
|
bility OF Watts are substantially that it is
competent to so behind the certificate of the
Governor so far as the same is not founded
upon the action OF the canvassing or return
ing authority provided Tor by the laws OF the
State, which authority in the case OF Oregon
is held to be the secretary OF State.
When the decision became known the
Democrats in the House held q caucus and
resolved to delay action on the report until
Monday tie 26th. Quite number OF Demo.
Gratis bolted and refuse to be bound by the
caucus.
The two Houses of Congress met in
joint convention at noon on the oath to re-
ceive the report OF the Electoral Commission
relative to the vote OF Oregon. The report
its reception and the two Houses separated to
consider the objections. After two hours de-
bate the Senate decided to accept the report
and the House to reject it. The joint conven.
tion assembled and this result bring an.
nounced Oregon was counted tor Hayes. The
brought forth another objection, the charge
being that Daniel J. Morreil, one OF the cleo
tors was 4 centennial commissioner. Th<
two Houses again separated and the Senate
promptly voted to Overruie the objection bu
the House took recess until Monday with
Democrats in the House had endeavored t.
delay by taking recess until Monday with
out action on Oregon but this was defeated b.
q vote of l69 to 50. Several dilatory motions
were ruled out OF order BY Speaker Randall
and the intention Of the majority seeIaed t
he to act in good faith.
The progress of the count on the 26th
was quite exciting. The Hou~e INDUCED in Z
long and animated debate upon the question
Of the alleged ineligible Pennsylvania elector
during which Hewitt OF New York again de-
nout ced Hoar of Massachusetts, for acting in
bad faith. but urging in the strongest terms
! acquiescencs in The d. cisinn OF the electoral
commission. As he f-ished, Mr.. Cate, o
Wisconsin, made his way through the circle
and addressi, 6 Mr. Hewitt, in an excited
manner said; "You have pronounced the &C.
ton VI the Commission tc be intsmous-s
gross be ray al of the confidence rep0sed in IT.
perversion OF right aud justice: Do you
now declare it to be the duty Of the Demo
Gratis to assist in the speedy contamination
what you pronounce IN outragel"
Mr.. Hewitt Il say tha. viii yield to it, be
cause zee no other course lett but anarchy.
Mr.. Cate-I deny it, and assert that it il
the duty of the Democrats to oppose it bJ
every means in their power. It would b
cowsrdice to do otherwise. F0reat excite
ment and confusion 4 ~
Mr.. Yeates, Of North Carolina, forced hi,
way through the circle and with flushed fac'
and excited manner exclaimed, addressing
himselfto Mr.. Cate: "The Democrats witt
are opposing acquiescence-those whe de
nouDce us now a. cowards-when the pincl
came fifteen years ago turned against u.s."
Mr.. Hoar replied 70 Mr.. hewitt With mucl
bitterness, after which It WAS voted by l35 Il
ll9. not to count the ineli1ihle elector. Th'
i Senate was then notified and the joint cnnven
! ton resumed. Only one house having votet
against receiving the vote Of Pennsylvanla