The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-01-30

I
House, but the objection was overruled-
4 to3.
As to the returns from Vernon parish
the witness had no doubt Of the original
ity Of the paper presented on which h
had written the word "complete;" had no
thought why l7S votes had been trans
isrred from the Tilden TO the Hayes side
knew Of nothing done to those returns Il
the Board Of Louisiana.
The committee sent for the papers upor
which Kenner's examination was based
on an order to examine the witness whC
brought the returns from New Orleans
and the committee adjourned for a shor
time.
Mr.. Iittlefeld, Clerk Of the Louisianr
Returning Board, was examined TO-DAY
by the Morrison committee and wa.
asked the following questions:
Did the Board or any member thereo
give directions to the Clerks other thar
by written memoranda concerning The
returns?
Did any member OF the Boark asd you
to perform any duty in relation to the
returns from any parish?
Do you know Of your own knowledge
or information Of any instruction from a
member or members Of the Returning
Board concerning the alteration Of rec.
ords as they originally came 10 the Re.
turning Board2
Did you tabulate or perform any duty
in connection with the returns from Yer.
non parish?
Did not somebody direct you TO change
the vote OF Vernon parish?
The witness refused to answer all the
above questions, and he also refused to
answer the question whether the paper
shown 10 him was the original Of the re-
turns from Vernon parish.
Q, Did you not abstract this paper
from the files Of the Returning Board at
New Orleans?
A. | did not.
Q. Do you know:showI.this paper came
here?
A. l do not.
Witness refused 10 answer the question
whether the change was directed BY any
member Of the Returning Board trans.
ierring the Democratic vote to the Re.
publican side, and whether the change
was not made before the paper passed on /
OF the hands Of the Returning Board.
The committee agreed that LittleGeld
should be reported to the House for not
answering the various questions pro.
pounded 10 him.
Mr.. Lawrence moved that the tele-
graph operators, De Berry and Brush, be
also reported for similar reasons, but this
motion was postponed until the next
meeting Of the committee.
SENATE MEMBERS OF THE TRIPARTITE
COMMISSION. -..
At an adjourned meeting Of the Senate
Republican caucus this afternoon, Messrs.
Edmunds, Morton and Frelinghuysen,
were unanimously chosen to be members
Of the Senate branch of the Tripartite
Electoral Commission, and they will be
formally elected by the Senate tomorrow
together with Messrs. Thurman and Bay.
ard. The proceedings OF the caucus this
afternoon were entirely harmonious.
SENATOR sARGENT's REPORT OF THE
FLORIDA INVESTIGATION.
Senator Sargent to-day submitted IA
the Senate the report Of the special com.
mittee from that body appointed TO in
vestigate election matters in Florida
After reclting the resolutions under
which the committee acted and setting
out the election law of Florida, it pro.
cecds 10 state and discuss the action Of
the State Canvassing Board, showing that
it made preliminary canvass OF the re-.
turns on their face, giving TO the Hayes
electors 45 OF majority. The Board
then commenced 10 hear the contests
holding its sessions in public. The COM
mitee say the course subsequently pur-
sued by the Board in this matter was
exactly in accordance with its practice in
1874, when by the written advice Of the
Democratic Attorney General and oi
Democratic lawyers it went behind the
returns for the benefit OF the Democratic
party. The result oil this canvass was
$50 MAJORITY
for Hayes Electors. The Committee ar.
que at length that this count was legal
and constitutional, and that the Board
had right 10 seek the true vote behind
the returns, under the statute which ere.
ated it. They say statute enacted pro
bono pu6lico TO prevent election frauds
should be benefcIally construed.
The report then goes on 10 argue that
the finding Of the Board is conclusive and
cannot be revised by re.canyass, or reach.
by writ Of quo udranto, because the
electors are functus oilicio, or reversed BY
Congress, because the Constitution lodges
the whole power in the State. A great
many authorities were cited TO sustain
these positions. A distinction Is drawn,
however, in case Of the ministerial certif.
cate OF 4 governor, who is not a member
Of the Board, and has no power to decide
any thing. 1t is argued that Congress
may look behind his certificate to ascer.
tain the facts, as court may 20 behind
the mere ministerial certificate Of clerk,
purporting to verify judgement and see
what judgement really is, but il Congress
can revise the action Of the Board
IT MUST GO To THE BOTTOM
Of the polls and ascertain the true vote,
In all contested counties il would have 10
so as far as a count in a quo Warranto pro.
ceeding. Such an attempt would not be
made, for there is not time, and anything
less wouldbe unjust, for going 10 the bot
tom Of the polls, the committee say, ac-
cording to the evidence taken by them,
that Hayes had more than $50 majority,
and report these proceedings and discuss
the testimony in detail. In Alchua coun.
ty the committee examined individual
voters at both the Archer No. and No. 9
precincts, and the report asserts that in.
stead Of Republican fraud there was a
Democratic fraud Of over 100 votes in
those precincts.
The committee quote largely from tes.
timony, and present n considerable
amount Of argument in support Of this
assertion. They also present evidence
to show that railroad train OF passen.
gers voted the Tilden ticket in Waldo
precinct, although citizens Of other
States. In regard TO Baker and Duyal
bounties the committee say it is shown