The Portland daily press., 1877-10-18
XLvth CONGRESS-Extra Session.
SENATE.

OLN ALE.
WASHINGTON, Oct II.
Mr. Beck Introduced bill authorizing the
payment of 80 per cent of custom duties in le-
gal tender notes. Referred to the committee
on fiuance
Mr.. Thurman presented the credentials of
Henry M. Spofford, Senator from Louisiana
for six years from March, 1877, and asked that
they be read and Spofford now be sworn in.
The credentials having been read Mr.. Mitchell
moved as a substitute for Mr.. Thurmaus mo-
tion that the credentials be referred to the
committee on elections Quite lengthy dis
cussion on points of order followed Finally
Mr.. EdmuDds appealed to Mr.. Thurman to let
thp subject lie over until tomorrow. Mr. Thur
man re piled that after he had said word 10 re-
gard TO the rules of the Senate referred TO dur
ing the debate, be would consent, as he had DO
desire to force Senator to vote if he was not
ready to co 20.
MIR. Anthony presented petition of the
mayor and citizens of Providence in favor of
Increasing the comp nsation of letter carriers
s mIlar petitions from various parts of the
country were presented by Messrs Ferry, Cam
eron, Conklpg, Wallace and Others Refer ed
to the commit ee on the postoffice.
Mr. EdmEnds submitted the following reso-
lutiou which was LAID over until tomorrow at
the request of MIR. Bayard:
Resolved, That select committee of seven
senators be appointed, whose du,y it shall be to
take into consideration the date of the law res
pectipg the ascertainiDg and declaration Of the
result of the election of President and Vice
President of the United States, and that said
committee have power to report by bill or 9TH
erwise.
After the motion of Mr.. Thurman to have
Spofford sworn in was laid over until tomorrow
Mr. Edmunds moved the committee on cleo
tions be dischaI ged from further consideration
of the credentials of VIM. Pitt Kellogg as sena-
tor from Louisiana Laid over until tomorrow
at the request of Mr. Thurman.
McCreary introduced a bill to repeal the
bankrupt law. Tabled.
Executive session followed
After the executive session at 2. 80 p. m., the
doors were opened and the Senate adjourned
till tomorrow.
HOUSE.
The House proceeded the consideration of
disputed election case from the fourth district
of Louisiana, the question being upon resolu-
tions offered by Mr. Leonard referring the
claims of Elam and Smith to the committee on
elections to decide who has the prinaa facit
light to the seat.
Mr. Gibson OF Louisiana offered as a substi.
tute for the resolution providing for the imme-
date swearing in of Mr.. Elan.
After debate the substitute was adopted.
Yeas 144, nays 119.
Mr.. Elan appeared at the bar of the House
and took the modified oath.
Mr.. Frye offered resolution reciting thai
Chas E Nash had pres nted certificate Of
recognized and acting governor of Louisiana
but that the Clerk of the House had declined
to place Nash's name on the roll of members,
but had subsubsttuted e. W. Ro bertson on au
thority of paper signed by Gov Nichols and
directing that the name of Robertson be strnch
off the roll and Mr.. Nash be sworn in.
After debate substitute offered by Mr. Eli:
of Louisiana that Mr.. Robertson be sworn iD
was agreed to and the oath of office (modifed
form) was administered to Robertson.
nf NJ - D-l.F
then called up when Mr.. Garfield of Ohio NOV
ed that the oath of office be administered to Mr.
Pacheco.
Mr.. Springer of Illinois, who bad made OBJ
| lection on Monday, offered to withdraw it bu
the Speaker ruled that as the objection was or
record il must be acted on.
MIR Garfield stated that the question of elec
ton haI been carried into the courts and tina
on an appeal to the Supreme Court of the stats
that court Ia majority of whose members wert
Democrats) had fovnd that Pachco was legally
elected, and under that finding the Governor
had gwen him legal certificate so that Mr. Pa
cbeco's right to be sworn in was not only primo
| tdcie bu absolutely unquestioned
Mi. Luttrell denied the accuracy of Mr.. Gar
held's statement as to a majority of the judges
| of the Supreme Court being Democrats.
Mr.. Garteld-Dld not majority of tht
| judges who acted on the question belong tt
| your party at that time?
Mr.. Luttrell-A majority of the judges were
elected in opposition to the Democratic major
ty.
Mr.. Garfield-That does not answer my ques
ton.
Mr.. Cox of New York read written state
ment embracing the facts in the case, claiming
that by the alteration of one vote fraudulently
the election had been given to Pachco. 1n COZ
clusion he said it was as big sin to steal vote
| as to steal railroad or the Presidency.
Mr.. Springer rem arked that be had objected
| to the swearing in of Pacheco, but on examina
| ton of the of the papers pr rsenied tt
| the clerk he did not see how the clerk coulG
have done otherwise than than to put Pache
co.'s name on the list. Still he would cali at
teution to the fact that although the certificate
| was regular on is face it was based on forged
election return from the county of Monterey
ln that connection he sent to the clerks desl
| and had read an extract from Blacks article or
the electoral commission to show that frau,
| vitiates everything,
| Mr. Garti ld-While it is true that fraud vi
tiates everything it is not true that the allega
ton OF fraud vltiates anything.
ar. Garield's motion was agreed to withou
division and the oath of office (lron-clad) wa
| ther+upon Administered to Mr.. Pacheco.
Mr.. Pacheco then desired to make som,
| statement but was informed by the Speake
thai the question had been disposed of.
The House took up the Colorado case, which
| after short debate went over without action
The House at o'clock adjourned till Satur
Il
should be done that day.
Mr.. Grover of Oregon at his own request wa
excused from further service ON the commtte
| of enrolled bills.
Onsmoton of Mr.. Morrill, of Vermont resc
luton filing vacancies in the committees a
follows was agreed to: Messrs. Matthews @
Ohio and Wallace of Pennsylvania on foreg
relations; Cameron of Pennsylvania on mllltar
affairs and public buildings and grounds
| Armstrong of Missouri on railroads; Grover q
Oregon on private land claims; Armstrong O
Missouri on enrolled bills. Mr.. Ferry @
Michigan was made chairman of the commit
tee on postoffices and post-roads in place of MI
Hamlin, who retaiDs his place on the commit
tee as a member, and MIR. Hamlin was mad
chairman of the committee on foreign rela
tlous in place of Mr.. Morton, who retains hi
| old place as chairman of the committee o.
privileges and elections.
Mr.. Morrill, stated it was the wish of tn
senator from Indiana (Morton) that this latte
change be made.