The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-02-08
LApons OF THE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.

SITUATION, &C., sc.
LABoRs OF THE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES
Iron Our Regular Correspondent e.ss
WASHINGTON, February 7.-Knott's com
mittee continues at work. John Muse, o
Kansas, and Jacob Den Herder, OF Michi
gan, Republican electors who were sup
posed to be ineligible, gave satisfactory eyi
dence OF their legal competence.
Louis NJ. Kenner, Of the Louisiana Re
turning Board, testified that he knew Of M
official paper having been destroyed by or
der Of any member OF the Board, and knew
nothing OF the alleged bargaining between
Maddox and Wells. He had no information
about the West letter, or "countel
move" He had felt there was some
danger OF bodily injury to the Returning
Board, but it did not affect their action
Though it was feared the records OF the
election might be destroyed, he admitted be
could not explain why the Democrats would
wish to destroy them, as the face OF the re.
turns showed Democratic majority, and
without those records the Tilden electors
could not possibly be declared elected. He
said Ray was
THE ONLY PERSON ALLOWED TO DE PRESENT
AT THE SECRET SESSIONS OF THE BOARD,
and that he was counsel for the Board and
the Republican party; but afterwards try
ing to explain away that statement, remark
ed that the Board represented the Repub-
lican party. ....
l.. Washington, banker and expert in
detecting raised checks, examined the ORR
ginal return from Vernon parish, and teSti-
fed that many changes Of figures had been
made.
G. P. Davis was chief clerk OF the LOU
isiana Returning Board. The Board and
clerks dined together OH Sunday, December
Sd. Had not heard OF an alteration in the
return from Vernon parish until after the
vote was promulgated. Learned it through
the newspapers.
THE ORIGINAL VERNON RETURN
was identified, and said he thought no other
paper was fled with it at the time. Did not
examine the Vernon return after he heard
it had been changed. Littletield told him
shortly before Christmas that it had
been lost. Does not think any Demo
cratic clerk was employed by the Board.
He could not remember what he. or
any other clerk did when they returned
from the Sunday dinner Don't remember
seeing Wells figuring at a table, nor that
Wells whispered to Littlefield. Did not
suspect Littlefed was transposing figures.
Abel, secretary Of the Board, did ask wit
ness to make out duplicate Of the Vernon
return, which was missing. Witness took
the figures from the papers in the office, and
Littletield filed them in. Littlefeld had
told him the Vernon paper was lost and
that it had been destroyed. The tally-sheetS
and commissioners statements informally
received by the Secretary Of State were
used in making up the copy. The
transposition Of votes in Vernon must
have been done before the promul-
CATION. Littlcteld did append the super
visor's name to the copy. but in his own or
binary handwriting, and wrote "signed -
above it.
w. II. Green (colored), clerk Of the
Board, who is now assistant secretary Of
the Louisiana Senate, was to have been eN-
amined by the Democrats, and important
testimony was expected from him, but the
Republicans objected, as Wells is confined
to his bed by sickness, and they desired
him to he present.
THE DECISION IN TIE FLORIDA CASE REACHED
BY PARTY VOTE-lT is CONSIDERED FAIR
FOR EACH SIDE--THE CERTIFICATES OF
BOTH DREW AND STEARNS ADMITTED.
The expeetation-indeed, certainty-that
the Electoral Commission would announce
decision during the day that would give
indications Of the final result OF the Florida
question produced an uneasiness among
members that showed itself in the House by
constant buzz OF conversation and restless
movements, seriously interrupting the trans
action Of business. When the orders be-
came known, and that the decision was
reached by strict party vote, the astonish-
ment of the Democrats could not have been
greater had bombshell fallen in their
midst. There was not a little murmuring
on one side and graduation on the other
when the first impression prevailed that it
was an absolute surrender to the Republi-
cans. The case is really very fair for each
side. The decision admits the certificates
issued by both Drew and Stearns, and
the record Of quo acarranto proceedings
by which the action Of the Republican Can
vassing Board was declared Illegal and un-
der which recount was had with due form
Of law. The Republicans, in accordance
with the position they have had from the
first, voted to allow no new testimony, and
the Supreme Court Judges. in voting to con-
slider no new evidence, acted in accordance
with rule OF the Supreme Court not to re.
ceiye evidence presented outside of the re-
cord. The Democrats, not fearing to allow
full light to be thrown upon the question,
were in favor OF admitting all evidence, IL
Guiding that taken by the Thompson inyes-
tigating committee. The best-informed
Democrats say they are perfectly satisfied
that it would have been an endless and
fruitless undertaking to have given the lati-
tude asked by Democratic counsel, for the
Republicans. would have flooded the
tribunal j. with i mass Of testimony
impossible to digest satisfactorily for
weeks; and when Florida was finished
there would still be two or three other dis
puted States to dispose Of; so that the 4th
OF March would almost certainly arrive