The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-03-07

of which he was an honored member
did decide that the Louisiana Returning
Board was constitutionally and le'
gslly competent to make the coun,
which determined the electoral
vote o! that State. Am / right3
Mr.. Thurmsn-A majority did.
Mr.. Blaine-A majority constitutes
the Board. Laughter Then I under.
stand the Senator from Ohio TO admit
that the Electoral Commission did decide
that the Louisiana Returning Board was
a legal and constitutional body, compe-
tent to do what it did do, and that they
were unable to review or reverse II, and
that the same Board was competent To
declare who were the Presidential elec.
tors Of that State, and to declare, also,
who were the Legislature of the State
and the Legislature performing mere
ministerial duty, and declared
who was the Governor OF that
state, and l stand here, stand alone, to
cay that the honor, credit and faith of
tho Republican party in SO far as the
election of Hayes and Wheeler are con.
cerned, are as indissolubly united in
maintaining the rightfulness of the re-
turn of that body rs the iliustrsous House
of Hanover, that sits on the throne of
England to-day, is in maintaining the
rightfulness of the revolution OF 1858.
Yon discredit Mr.. Packard and You dis
credit Mr.. Hayes. You hold that Mr.
Packard is not the legal Governor of
Louisiana, and that President Hayes hiss
no right to his seat, and the honored
Vice President, who presides
over our deliberations, has
no title 70 his chair. l
say, therefore, that on the action of the Re-
turning Board, which the Senator from
Ohio admits was determined by the
Electoral Commission TO DO eompe-
tent, legal and constitutional body, rests
the authority of 5. b. Packard to exor-
else the governorship Of ths! state, and
on the authority Of that board rests the
legislature OF that state, and by the leg
islature of that state VIM. Pitt Kellogg
was duly appointed Senator. Blythe gov
ernment OF that state thus determined,
he comes here commissioned as Senator,
bearing the great seal o. the state, as |
main tain, and do not unless challenged
upon that point desire to go into any OF
the details of the election.
Mr.. Thurman-Do l interrupt the
Senator2
Mr.. Blaine-Nots at all.
Mr.. Thurman-Does the SeDator un-
derstsnd that that Returning Board
counts the votes for Governor and de.
clares who is elected GJvernor
Mr.. Blaine-The Legislature did that.
Mr.. Thurmsn-Then the Senator Is in
great error.
Mr.. Blaine-No, never said any such
thing, but they were basod on the same
returns precisely, and the same returning
board counted the votes for the members
of the Legislature and also counted and
transmitted to the Legislature the votes
for Governor.
MIR. Thurman-Ges
Mr.. Blsine-Thst is only one degree
of in the lueal descent. IL is the diff
ference between son and grandson.
Mr.. Thurmsn-l beg TO say to the
Senator that the Electoral Commission
never decided that the Returning Board
was q constitutional board for counting
anything but the electoral votes tor
President and Vice. Pr esident
Mr.. Blsine-Do understand the
Senator from Ohio then to maintain that
the Returning Board Wa, good enough
to count in the electors for President but
not good enough to determine who was
Governor.
Mr.. Thurman-lft the Senator asks my
opinion, say 1t WAS not good enough for
anything, except to be hung. Great
Laughter
Mr.. BIaine-In the opinion OF the
gentleman from Ohio, should the Elec-
torsl Commission deserve about the same
thing, or at least eight of them?
Mr.. Thurmsn-A majority. Laugh.
ter
Mr.. Blaina-I want 10 hold the SEN
stor to the point that the Legislature,
the Governor, and the Presidential cleo
tors of Louisiana sll derive their egsllty
and their right 10 act from the same
source AMI the same count, that IL ono
is discredited the other is discreditei, and
that the electors having been accredited
by the highest tribunal known 10 the
Constitution and laws, he is precluded
from raising doubt on that question,
and it is therefore that maintain with.
.ut elaboration Of argument, that resting
AS Kellogg does his claim 10 the Senator
ship here upon as broad basis and upon
precisely the same foundation that the
Presidential electors rest upon, he
IS entitled TO be sworn in, and
say 10 the Senator from Della
ware, whom | am always desrous
of treating with courtesy, that ! believe
the right of Mr.. Kellogg is just as absO.
lutte as that of Mr.. Morgan, and there
fore | could not find ths. / was under
any obligation TO yield the one 10 the
other.
Mr.. Bsysrd-I did not signify any
obligation it was mere matter o!
practical convenience.
Mr.. Blaine-I know that there has
been q great deal said here and there in
the corridors of the capitol, around and
about in by-plsces and in high places OF
late, that some arrangement bad been
made by which Packard w3
not 70 be recognized and upheld; that he
was 10 be allowed 10 slide by and Mich
oils be accepted IS governor Of Louisiana.
/ want 10 know who has authority to
make any such arrangement. ] wish 10
know if any Senator on this floor will
state in bis place that any person speak
ing for the administration that was COM
ing in or the one that was going out hsd
any righ. 10 make any such arrange
ment? deny it; / deny it,
without being authorized 70 speak
for the administration that nov
exists; but deny j, on the simple broad
ground that it is sn impoesibIlily ths;
the administration OF President Hayes
could do il; deny It on the broad ground
tina, President Hayes possesses 4 chsrac.
ter Of common sense, self re'pect, patriot