The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1877-03-15
BLAINE III THE SENATE.
His Defense Of Kellogg's Right to Seat
How He Woke Up Thurman.
wAsurxcrox. March G. 1877.

In the Senate, Mr.. Blaine submitted
\ the following:
"Besolrcd. That the oath Of office re
quired by law be now administered NV
/ the Vice President To William Pitt Kel
/ logg. whose credentials from the State OF
Louisiana were presented on the 20th OF
January, 1877 .
Mr. Bayard asked the Senator to with.
draw that resolution, for the present,
I that he might subm I one to have Grner.
al John 7. Morgan, Seuator-clect frouI
Alabama, sworn in. whose case was SINH
lar to that of Mr.. Lamar
Mr.. Blaine said the case Of kellogg
came before either Lamar or Morgan, in
order; therefore, it.had better be acted
on now
Mr. Bayard then submitted the follow,
ing substitute for the resolution OF Mr..
Blaine:
That the credentials Of William oitt
kellogg, claiming to be Senator from
the State of Louisiana, do now lie upon
the table until the appointment Of the
Committee ot Privileges and Elections to
whom they can be- referred,
Mr. Blaine said. do not desire, Mr.
President to dctIin tie Senate 1y any
lengthy presentation of Mr.. KcllOgg's
ease Regarding him, as | do. as reg
larly and drly elected Senator from the
State OF L. Iisin =, ! could wish that
there would be no objection To his being
sworn in. | believe that he was elected
by and represents the legal Govern. ne tt
of Louisiana; and / do not see how to-
day-aud that is the main point desire
To prcsent-how any Senator Uho voted
in This Charrber that the Elec,oi ! vote
s.F I 4 ID
Hayes ard yourself, Mr. Presio eat. is
permitted TO doubt that :. B. Pa a d is
equally OF right the Governor % that
State There may be some tsch"icality,
there nay be- some keen 70 IL OF logic
which ] have not yet heard, and which
do rot Think ! SbIll ever ue sble to nm
pteheud, ly which n man who had pear
~ a thousand votes mere thTu re Elec
toral ticket crivrd was not elcc ed
Govern or, when the Elcc oral ticket Gas
chosen; and Ia Ikly repeat that am
not ueimitted to doubt. no man j. per
miiIed to doubt legally, TO day certainly
the other side OF the ch. n,.ter j. not per
niitted to doubt lcgally-that the Elrc
toIal vote OF Louisiana was properly cast
Tor Hayes aud Wheeler. Ii wasdecidcd
20 10y the Tribunal created hy that side
of the Chamber. The Senator Il ola Con
utctIcut Eaton bows To me lie and ]
are guiltitss OF that Tribunal. Laugh
ter But with the single exception OF
the gentlemen from Connecticut. every
gentl, man on that side OF the Chamber
IN the Coz grcSs just closed. voted TO -
tabiish that Trhu-al. and il came ia
with mans. and shouts, and congratula
tions that the day oi the political mlieu-
mum bad at lat dawncd. and that we
nave now established Tribunal dstin
guishcd above all iHsttumentalities for
mpartiality, and to whose decision We
would al bow in the most ready spirit OF
cordial acquiescence They took the
question into consideration, and heard il
rlaJorat,ly argued, aud drci',ed. a. ] be-
lIcvc, rightiully, that the Electoral votes
of Louisiana belonged TO Hayes and
Wheeler
Mr.. Thurman-Will the Senator allow
me to interrupt him?
Mr. Blaine-CrrtaInly.
Mr. 1hurman-The Electoral CommiS-
lion decided that il could not look be-
hiud the decision OF the Returning
Board
Mr.. Blainc-Prccisely. But it did de.
eide
Mr.. Thurman am not through
The decision was that it 90 I'D not Look
brhiud; il, therefore, would recrive ~"
evidence. But does the Senator say that
the Senate of the United States is not
made the judge OF the qualifications and
returns oi It's membcr-2
Mr. Blaine (inIcIruptinr)-The Scna
tor Is too rapid. ] am coming TO that
part.
Mr. Thurman (disregarding the inter
Iuption THAT the S,nate can not look
hthlnd that Returning Board?
Mr. Blaine am coming to that in
due season. The Senator will permit me
To say, however, that the Electoral Com
mission, Of which he was an honored
membcr, did decide that the Louisiana
X, turning Board was constiiutionally
and legally competent TO count the Eirc
toral vote oi that State Am right?
Mr.. 1hurmBu-A ma ajority did
Mr.. Blaiu,-A majority constitutes the
| Bogrd Laughter ] Then understand
ihc Senator from Onio To admit that the
/ Electoral Commission did decide that
| th" louisiana Returning Boaid was a le
/ -al aud constitutional body, competent
/ To do what they did do and that they
were unable TO review on reverse u, and
/ that the same Board, competent TO de-
/ clare who were th" Presidential Electors
| Of that State, declared also who were the
/ Legislature oi that State; aud the L"gIs-
/ ialure, performing a mere ministerial
! duty DECLARED who was Governor of that
State. And ! stand here, ! stand alone.
To- say that the honor and credit aud
iaith of the Republican party. in so lar
ns the election OF llay,- aud Wheeler is
I tUnCrTHt al, are ~ Iudt~sOlubiy ~ Iial n
tanning the Iishtiuiup-S OF the return OF
I that bUdy ns the Iilu~trIots llauS.. at
llAnuvtr that sits on ths. throne OF Eng.
lar.d, to day. l. IN maintaining the right
,uiu,ss OF the revolution ia lG6S You
dlrcr,dd Packard, and you discredIt
llny,s Nuu hold that Packard j. not
the legal Governor OF Louisiana, and
Pr. sidrut Hayes has no tItlr to hi- seat
aud Il hou"rrd Vice President vino pre-
-idrs over OUT deliberations has 40 tltle
] g., "a. ,.Lafr .,y tl...,..f..... a., 80,