The Worthington advance., 1877-03-08
The Presidential Tribunal.

Tse, MSssIs. aurd, Cochrane, Blair and
renee ,alone, spoke tor the Republicans, the ar
gument being omitted on that side in order
to save time.
After the argument, at D. M, Mr.. Morton
offered the following:
mat 1t IS not competent tor the two hou ses
assembled Tor the purpose of counting the votes
tor President and Vice President to enquire bv
evidence whether State regularly represent
| ed in the two houses of Congress. and recop
nlzed as State of the United States by the
other departments of the government has re-
publican torn ofgovernment
Resolved, That while the existence of pub
| TIC disturbance and anarchy in any State to
such an extent as to make it impossible for
the State to exercise its rights toappoint elect
ors OF President and Vice,President. and to ex-
press its will in that behalf, is sufficient cause
ior rejecting any electoral votes purporting to
be the votes OF electors appointed thereby,
yet teat sts+ "nen State regularly Represented
and is recognized as State by the other de,
partments OF the government, and has a Gov
eminent republican in form, and does appoint
electors in the manner prescribed by the Leq-
lslature thereof, evidence cannot be received
by the TWO houses of Congress assembled to
count the votes for President and Vice Presi
dent as aforesaid, to show that the distnrb-
| ances existed at the time of the election which
| may have intertered to greater or less extent
with the freedom. of election at the polls in
said State.
Resolved: That it is competent tor the two
houses OF congress, when assembled to connt
by taking evidence to inquire into the reeu,
arlty OF the action of the President of the
United States in sending military force into
any State for the preservation of order and the
suppression ofinsurrection and domestic vio-
lsence, in order by, such proof to lay ground
tor rejecting the electoral vote Of said State
Resolved, That in view ofthe propositions
contained in the three foregoing resolutions,
the evidence offered to show that the state OF
South Carolina, at the election, did not have
republican form of government, and the
evidence offered on the subjects OF disorder
and violence, and the presence OF troops in
said State during said election, is not ccm-
such evidence, the electoral votes of the State
of South Carolina ought to be received and
counted, it not Objectionable on other
grounds.
Resolved, That the other objections to cer-
tlhcate No. show no valid cause for the re-
lection OF the same.
Mr. Field offered the following substitute:
Resolved, That evidence is admissible to
show that prior to and during the election, as
on the 7th day Of November, 1876, in the
State OF South Carolina, there were unlaw-
fully stationed in various parts OF the State at
or near polling places, detachments of troops
OF the army of the United States, by whose
presence and interference the qualified voters
of the State were deprived OF the right OF suf-
dental electors was prevented
Resolved, That evidence is admissible to
show that at the election of the 7th OF Novem-
ber, 1876, in South Carolina, there were sta
toned at the several polling places in the
State, Deputy Marshals of the United States
hn11 md in hxyw NH
unlawful action and interference under orders
from the Department of Justice, qualified
voters of the State were deprived OF the right
OF suffrage and tree choice by the people of
Presidential electors was prevented
This substitute was rejected.
Yeas-Abbott, Bayard, Clifford, Field, Hun
ton, Payne, Kernan-7
Nays-Bradley, Garfield, Morton, Edmunds,
Hoar, Strong. Frelinghuysen, Miller--8.
The question recurring on the adoption
Mr.. Mortons resolutions they wee adopted
yeas 8, nays 1.-THE above vote being reversed
Mr.. Frelinghuysen offered the following:
Resolved, That Theodore P Barker, S. Nc
graham, VIM. Wallace, John B. Erwin, and
Robert Aldrich, the persons named as cleo
tors in article No. 2 were. not lawful electors
for the State OF South Carolina, and that their
votes are not the votes provided for by the
constitution OF the United States, and should
not be counted.
Adopted unanimously
Mr.. Morton offered the following:
~, Resolved, That G. G. Brown, J. Winsmoth,
Thos. B. Johnston, Timothy Hurley, W. b.
Nash, Wilson Cook, and W. F. Myers, the
persons named as electors in certificate No. /,
were the lawful electors for the State of South
Carolina, and that their votes are the votes
States, and should be counted tor President
and Vice President OF the United States.
Adopted-yeas 8, nays 1.-THE same as the
vote on Morton's previous resolutions.
A report was drawn up to be presented to
the two houses, giving the grounds on which
the Commission reached it's decision.
The Commission then adjourned until
March End. AS this is the last State having
double returns the work of the Commission
is practically ended.
The lst of March was stormy one
in Congress. The count had closed on the
previous day with objections to Vermont on
the ground of postmaster elector in that
state. When the House reassembled on the
1st inst, several hours were exhausted in
reading the journal and roll calls on dilatory
motions. There were, it appears, two returns
from Vermont but the President OF the Sen
ate refused to receive the second return
which was rendered to him on the floor of the
House on the 28th inst, by Mr.. Hewitt, OF
New, York. On the lst,' Mr. Poppleton Of
fered a resolution reciting that sealed pack
age was addressed to the President of the
Senate by Hewitt; that it appears by tele-
gram from the Clerk of the United States
District Court of Vermont that duplicate of
such return was deposited in that office the
thirteenth OF December, 1876; that such pack
age had been made part OF the objection to
the certificate of Vermont, and still remained
unopened, and that the objection cannot be
considered until such package is opened ac-
cording to law; that such package is retained
by the President or Secretary OF the Senate.
and therefore resolving that the refusal of the
President of the Senate to open such package
IN the presence of both houses was viola
tion OF law and OF the privileges of the House,
and until such package shall be opened the
counting OF the vote cannot proceed further,
according to the constitution and law, and
that the Senate be requested to meet the
House in joint session 80 that said package
may be opened and proceedings had thereon
according to law.
The most exciting debate of the winter en-
sued tor two hours on this resolution.
The debate being closed, and the question
being on the resolution offered by Mr. Pop.
pleton, Dr.. Knott offered the following
amendment:
Besolved, That this houserequires that the
package rendered by the member from New
Y FORK (Hewitt) to the President OF the Senate
in the presence of the two houaes Yesterday
and purporting to be a certificate Of the cleo
toral votes tor the President and Vice Presi-
dent from the State of Vermont. shall be
opened by the President of the Senate in the
presence OF the two houses, and if found to be
such certificate the same shall be submitted