The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-13

report Objection to It had been filed. and on this
objection the two Houses had been asked to at
There was no evidence before the House on
which II could act in the case of Florida. The
question presented was purely II question OF
sion had actcd contrary to the Constitution and
the law. II II had, it ought to bc ovcrruled and
If II had not the House, Of course, ought 70 con-
cur. If the commission was right. the House
had no jurisdiction in the rccanvass of the vote
OF Florida. If the commission was wrong, then
possibly it might be urged that the Uous. hai
that right. The drclariiton that the Repmhlica lear,
party was relying ON lcga! nctions to clcct the
PRESIDENT was Incorrect unless the Constitution
could point him to some clause or Phrase in the
Constitution which gave to the two Houses tho
p pow, to revise ihe acton Of STATE Govern,
To DO 1t was usurpatlon OF authority
on the, part of the House, or whatever body
made the attempt There were here improvised
charges of fraud. and the House had been told
by the gentleman from Ohio tMr. Hurdl that
iraud vitintrd everything. On thnt declaration
gentleman-.even i the fraud existed. For For
example: ii n bin passed the House by u
minority Of one vote. and II II aftcrward turned
out that one of the members voting for 1t had
not been duly elected. and if he were unseatcd.
or IT, 1t were shown that his vote had been
purchased by bribery or fraud, that fact would
not affect the bill itself; II would stand "a law,
and could not be impcached. The courts had
decided that principle over and over again. 1t
WAS therefore Incorrect to say that fraud vitiatod
everything. nthc sense Of It's vitiating public
:. Tho debate was closed by Mr.. Field. dem, N.
Y who said:
MIR. FIELDS CLOSING SPEECH
Mr.. SPEAKER; Scarcely had the election taken
place in November when the President invited
repre- scntatiNcs OF the Republican party to visit
disputed states in the South for the purpose Of
witnessing the counting of the votes, c.laring
lc elected 10y fraud. When Congress met in
December, acting In the same spirit. il sent CONF
ascertain the truth. Those States have been
ransarked. hosis Of witnesses have been exam
in"d. piles If evidence have been laid upon the
Mhlr and yet now all at once Il is discovered
that the invitation OF the President was an at
OF supcrllu9us folly and that his messcn-
gers and tho committees Of this House
went upon fools Grand THIS di@roy-
cry Is made by Republicans. There
il not Democrat In either House of Congress
who docs not disOwn and REJECT 1t. II IL to be
seen now whether the Republicans disown or
accept II. l. II now to be- that the Republican
herglc deeds oi lts early days rs 10 cry. Eyh.
IT, thou my good and cndcavor TO install a
IN, az + AGAINST all the history Of Congress
and all the prercdcnts OF the past. The Elcc-
tornl Commission which you have constituted
has resolved. first that no evidence can be re-
two Houses by the President of the senate: and
second. that of those certificates and papers
10y state. THIS decision. Mr.. speaker means
Tor u cnn moan nothing cls"-that the certificate
of the Governor of "A state in accordance with
the cert Aeate Of the State Canvas-ors is 10 gov
orn unless before the vote II Gust the state re-
.
--insocnt morkery We know that in scarcely n
state - the canvass made until within few
gays oil the electoral votes being cast and We
know moreover. that in the State OF Florida the
ChnvasSing Board completed its canvass az
o'clock IN the morning. and that the electors
voted nt ~ - clock the same day. And vet We are
told by this commission that unless the State Of
Florida within those nine hours. had reused
ITSELF acting through its depart cnis and re-
Iected the action of this Canyassng Board,
there is no power t. do IT. In short the Doctrine
r. this; II the General COMMANDING IN Florida
had. on the morning Of the 9Th of December.
House. told of four Of his soldiers, and forced
NE Returning Board TO certify, their clec-
ton. the Governor 10 supcradd his GER
tnrate. there is no power in the land
70 prevent the votes Of these four soldiers from
being counted. We are to see whether IL is the
judgment OF the House. the solemn Judgment of
w; House Composed II both parties that that
s''c 1aM Dr uc aX -, In, snow you Whnt =
We were forbidden. And how doc- IL turn QUIZ
One 81 III" electors Of the state of Florida. Chas
sion "a he lawful ecctor OF the State Of Florida.
Here holding up youme II the record in the
iclon. In the itth of Florida il the record OF a
eas" against Charles II. Pearcc tcooredl, u min
showing that he offered bride OF $500 to a mem
i-r Of the Legislature TO vote. lie was con-
yictrd by Jury he appeaed 70 the Supreme
tence. and that man. pardoncd convict, is the
ene man whose vote elects tif he is elected at ALL
Mr.. Hayes TO the Presidential Office.
Mr.. Speaker. the decision of this tribunal. as
II has been made. is entitled 10 no respect. II ia
unioundcd in morals as it is unsound in law
and injurious and pernicious In ia conse-
quen -. The spectacle II succcs -ful villainy
IS corrupting IN proportion 10 the extent 81 the
theatr" in which IL IL enacted and 10 the prize
which IL wins. The Presidency of the United
States has never yet been Won by fraud. II IL H.
won now. the example will be more injurious to
our good name and more corrupt 10 our people
than AL the peculations and rODbcrics and the
frauds Of all our history
The debate having closed at i:i5 L. NJ. the
House proceeded to vote On the question. The
Amendment offered hy Mr.. Hale wii- rrjafed
10y yeHs ~. NAYS l67. and the original resolution
ol"roi by Mr., Field was adopted Nv yeas l6s.
nays los. q party vote. except that Mr., White
house of New York voted with the Republicans.
1t was then ordered. on motion OF Mr.. Field.
that the clerk inform the Soustc ~ the action -
the HuusH. and ALSO that the Nuu-e is now ready
10 meet the Senate in tho Hall OF the House
\ recess Of live minutes was then taken To
allow preparations 10 be made Tor the reception