The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-02-16
AN IDIorIC JOKE.

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AN IDIoTIC JOKE.
senator Ferry Permits Louisiana TO be
Publicly Insulted.
Especial to Cincinnati Enquircrl
| WASHINGTON, ID. O., Feb. 1.-THE pro
ceedings were not without some merri'
ment, Sam Randall by some means
has selected two tsllers who know prob.
ably more OF what constitutes pure
Democracy than they do OF good I'm.
glish. Cook, OF Georgia. was constantly
making egregious plumbers. He was
the Handy Andy OF the day. He read
one certificate with the startling an.
nouncement that 1t was done In the
one thousand and wunth year OF our
national Independence. A roar oil
laughter succeeded this explosive an.
nouncement, when he corrected the text
to the tone hundred and first" Again
he announced Kentucky's yote'as Lou.
/ isiana's, and pared 1t down to eleven
/ instead OF twelve. He stupidity aggra-
/ waited the more sedate Solons, but IL
tickled the boys.
RULING In BAD TASTE.
But 1t was reserved for the last &C. to
cap the climax. Ferry, with his digni-
fed, affected grace, handed Stone, one
OF the tellers. certificate to read, re-
ceived, as he said, by mail, from Louis
lana. Stone glanced over the paper,
and quickly turned to the Vice Presi-
dent. indicating there was something
wrong about. It. He, however, pro-
OF the College OF Electors at New Or
leans. Dec. 6, 1876. Certificates OF cleo
ton for the following parties have been
duly authenticated by the Secretary Of
State: John Smith No. /, John Smith
No. q, John Smith No. 3, John Smith
No. 4, John Smith No. s; at large,
John Smith Letter A, John
the members and spectators beginning
to see the drift Of the. paper. Mr.. Sar-
gent said 1t was manifest that the pa
officer said he had no opinion in the
matter, and directed Mr.. Stone to read
the Endorsement on the envelope, which
set forth that 1t was the proceedings Of
| the Electoral College OF Louisiana. Mr..
Stone then read as follows: "On mo-
ton. John Smith was duly elected
President, and John Smith Letter B was
chosen Secretary. A motion to 60 into an
election OF President and Vice President
was carried unanimously, and John
Smith No. / and John Smith Letter A
ling ended the tellers announced and
the chairman declared, the following as
the result Of said election for President
and Vice President" The reading was
again interrupted by Senator McDon.
aid, who thought the paper not proper
one to be read but some one. without
rising, objected, and the reading pro-
ceeded: "For President--Peter Cooper,
eight votes. For Vice President-Sam
Gary, eight votes. Whereupon Jno.
Smith No. Q moved that Peter Cooper,
Of New York, be and Is hereby de-
clared to be elected as President OF
lege Of the State OF Louisiana for four
years, commencing March 4, 1877"
Mr.. Hoar here Interrupted the reading.
He said 1t was manifestly improper that
the paper should be read. It's reading
could be dispensed with by unanimous
consent, which he asked, and said il any
gentlemen desired to object he should
rise In his place and do 50. Mr.. Mills,
Of Texas, II object. This Is all bur-
lesgue, and the paper may as well be
read" Mr.. Stone resumed the reading
Seconded by John Smith third, and
ofFFis John unfsn mis1 NO. On mG ssm
Cary, Of Ohio, was declared
duly elected Vice President Of the
United States by the Electoral College
OF the State OF Louisiana for the term
OF four years, commencing March 4,
1877. The melton having been proper
ly seconded by John Smith, No. 5, was
carried unanimously. John Smith, No.
l. moved that John Smith, Letter A,
Judge, etc., be appointed as Messenger
to deposit the vote in the Postofiice, d.
rected to the Vice President Of the
"A ho
seconded by John Smith, No. 3, and
unanimously carried" The proceed
ings were sworn to on the holy bull |
dozers, and certified by John Smith, |
Bulldozer, Governor, with foot-note,
Such Is life In louisiana" There was
good deal Of Indignation manifested
by members Of both parties at the in
suit offered to the National Legislature
and President Ferry directed the off,
cial reporters to omit any mention Of
the paper in the record.
WHY THE ILLINOIS INELIGIBLE HECTOR
WAS NOT CHALLENGED.
To-day's proceedings were little out
OF geer. The change Of tactics in re-
gard to Illinois confirms the impress
sion that the Democrats needs a leader.
Up to - O'Clock the plan was to object
to the vote Of that State on account of
the ineligibility OF one of the electors.
When the State was passed unchal-
lenged there was murmur Of surprise
on every side. The explanation is, that
il the House had objected the Senate
would have overruled it, and the prece-
dent would have been made, for the
Republican counsel to cite before the
Tribunal Of high priests that the high,
est legislative body in the land had
passed upon the question Of ineligi-
BILE electors, and had, by a majority
vote, recorded its judgment that 1t
made no difference. It was the fear of
making the precedent that constrained
the Democracy to call halt. Expedi-
ency and policy rule where right and
duty should prevail.
PETTY REVENGE.
1t is given out tonight that Ferry al
lowed the bogus certificate from Lou
isiana to be read as petty revenge on
Congress for taking the discretionary
power away from him to say what GER.