The daily gazette., 1877-01-17
SECOND EDITION !!
A SUBSTANTIAL AGREEMENT
THE REPORT WHICH THE TWO
COMMITTEES WILL MAKE
TO CONGRESS TODAY.
BOARD OF THE FIVE OLDEST MEMBERS
, OF THE SUPREME BENCH
. .rua


OF THE SUPREME BENCH
t..- CONTEMPLATED.
WAsHINGToN, January 16,- 1t can bA
Iauthoritatively stated that the conference
committees of the two houses on plau
to verify and count the electoral vote
have virtually agreed. The committees
met this morning separately, and after
wards held protracted joint session at
winch ach;l It's main feature was agreed to by
decided majority of both committees.
some subsidiary remain to be reconciled
at the last meeting, to be held at IL O'Clock
tomorrow q. m. If they are not agreed
on, each committee will decide seDarater
" on its own bill and go to its respective
house to reconcile the existing dffferen-
ces; but ii is believed that these questions
Will be decided in the committee, as they
are not important SO much as matters OF
principle as of detail. Those that were
defined and made clear by yesterdays
debate were disposed of to-day, and it ia
throught that the discussion of TODAY
will enable the committee to agree oil
one and the samel bill. The features OF
the method which has thus far been
agreed on purpose, as outline in last
nights dispatches, a tribunal of arbitra-
ton to be composed of the first five Judges
OF the Supreme Court, to be selected IN
the order OF their length of service on the
bench. To this arbitration is to be refer
red all questions of law and equity arising
out of the contested returns for decisioil
as to which is the proper return to be
counted. This decision, however, is not
to be final, as has been foreshadowed in
some quarters, but is to be left to revision
by Congress. The two houses to briefly
debate it and then vote upon it. If both
do not agree to reject it, then it is to re-
main, and the return submitted for sucl
vote is to be counted as the valid elector+
al vote The arbitrators are to act coordit
nately directly with the two houses OF
Crongress through the President of the
Sen ate, and the decision submitted by
the former is to be passed upon separate
". by each house, but announced to the
Joint convention. If both Senate and
House decide to reverse it, then the re-
turn involved in it is not to be counted.
1t will be seen by this that the element
OF chance is left out of the proposed plan,
which at one time provided for commit
tee of an even number, though 1t is pro-
vided for.
This plan as it now stands does not
meet with the approval of Mr.. Morton,
OF the Senate Committee, nor of one OF
two members of the House Committee.
but if it is reported to Congress by the
concurrence OF majority Of each COM
lutIIeo, III Is uOuDUIul II Uner6 VIII be "a
formal minority report, though those
named will undoubtedly oppose the re-
port. Indeed, Mr.. Morton is really op-
posed to any method for disposing OF
this question. He wants the President
of the Senate to count and declare the
vote, and probably would oppose any
bill submitted by either committed
Messrs, Thurman, Bayard and Ransom
will sustain the conservative compromise
under which the claims of both Cover
nor Tilden and Governor Hayes can b.
lawfully and equitably disposed of. The
fact that the committee have substantially
agreed and will probably report to Con-
gress to morrow has become quite gen
orally known tonight and creates
feeling of intense satisfaction in all quar-
tiers, not to say of rejoicing everywhere.
More of the details are anxiously but
vainly sought, as the members of the
committee still decline to furnish them.
To morrow the whole plan will probably
be submitted to Congress and the cou1-
try.
The five supreme judges will beClifford,
Swayne, Miller, DAVIS and Field.