Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-03-03
CONGRESSIONAL
TEG'J'EE.


the time being occupied in preparing for the
reception Of the senate. The galleries were
crowded, as usual on days when the count
is to proceed. Plcsisely at II o'clock the
senate arrived The presiding officer said
The Joint meeting of congress resumes its
session. The objections presented to the
certificates from the state of Louisiana hay.
iug been submitted to the commission, the
two houses have rcconyened to receive and
consider the decision Of that tribunal in
writing BY majority Of the commissioners,
and signed by majority of the commission.
ers agreeing thereto. ltisinlanguage the same
as the decision given in the ease Of Florida,
with the difference that where the latter re-
cites "the commission has decided the
words Of the present decision are, "the com.
mission has by aHiority OF votes decided"
The official communication continues "lhe
brief ground Of this decision is that it APP,
pears upon such evidence as by the cOnsti
tuition and law named in said act OF congress
and the electoral law is component and per-
tinent to the consideration of the subject
that the aforementioned electors APP
pear to have been lawfully appointed such
electors of president and vcepresident of
the United States for the term beginning
November 1, 1877, of the state of Louisiana
and that they voted as such at the time and
in the manner provided for by the constitu.
ton Of the United States and the law. and
the commission has by a majority OF votes
decidedthatit snOt comp mpetentunder the con-
stitution and law as it existed at the date Of
the passage Of said act to 90 into evidence
alunde of the papers opened by the presi-
dent Of the senate in the presence Of the
two houses to prove that other persons than
those regularly certified to by the gov
eruOr of the state or and according to the
determination Of their appointment by the
returning officers for elections in said state
prior to the lime required ior the perform
ance Of their duties had been appointed
electors, or by counter proof to show that
they had not, that the determination Of said
returning officers was not in accordance with
truth and fact The commission, by a ma.
iority Of votes, being Of the opinion that it
is not within the jurisdiction of the houses
of congress assembled TO count the votes for
president and vice-president, to enter upon
the trial of such question. The commits.
sion, by a majority Of votes, is also Of opln.
ion that il is not competent to prove thatUny
such persons appointed as aforesaid, held an
Office Of trust or profit under the United
States at the time when they were appointed,
or that they we're ineligible unuer the laws
| of the state, or any other matter offered to
/ be proved alunier by said certificates and
/ papers. The commission is also of the opin.
| ion by majority Of votes, that the return.
| ing officers Of the election, vino canvasscd
| the votes Of the election for electors in Louis
| lana were lawfully constituted body by
| virtue OF constitutional law, and that the Va
cancy in said body did not yitiate its pro
ccedngs. The commission has also decided
and does hereby decide by majority OF
votes and report as consequence Of the
foregoing and upon the ground before stated
. that the paper purpOrtlng to be the certi!i-
cate OF the electoral votes Of said state ot
| Louisiana, objected To by 7 o Howe and
| others marked n {. No. > by the commits
sion and herewith returned is not the Ger
tificate Of votes provided for by the con
stitutiou Of the United States, and that they
ought not to be counted as such. The sig
natures are Samuel F Miller, w Strong
Joseph p Bradley, George F Edmonds, o |
Morton, Fred J. Frellnghuysen, James
Garfield, George + lloar The decision hay
ing been read, the presiding officer asked
whether there were any objections tC
the decision on the ground that
the commission had refused to receive the
evidence which had been offered and hnC
decided that the votes mentioned in certd
Gates one and three should he counted to
Hayes and Wheeler such evidence to the
contrary notwithstanding The papers re
cites, at great length the proceedings OF the
commission, but the point OF 1t is the reicc
ton Of the evidence. 1t is signed by mos
of the democrats Of both houses. The read
ing of the paper occupied just an hour i
was the ddest OF legal documents, repetiti
tons Of various forms in which evidence haC
been offered to and refused by the commits
sion. No one, after the first five minutes
mace lae susntS, prt,engt g OF 'Slel'Gg S,, TO %
ronyrrsotion prevailed on the floor and il
the crowded galleries to such an extent tina
the presiding oihcer several tlmes aPpeale'
Ion G,uer n, unn si'uve ,mi!' "'.'m .n
members who had not vet signed the Dane
to step to the clerks desk and atiiX thei
names ms usr9 up more uIe ana au"e'
NJ W,nd made a motion but tbe snaatn
interfered, thenew legislative day begnnin,
after prayer and reading OF the journal o
1'tu'u"{' M., WV" o''n 'u"Yt, q,
10 a m. to.morrow Before puttinc the ores
ton the speaker desired to present some Ell
rolled bliS, nut MI 'onger objected. IN
v| o"r nnd % ,s orooJ j toynos v " o UoU nO,
100 The following democrats voted in tn
NEGATIVE. Messrs AinSwortb, Anderson. Joh
II Rovley Bell Cnmnh,ll. Carr. Finley Good
in. Hatcher, Uaymond. Hopkins Tones 4
M. KebrsIe Movne Morgan. Neal. Phep,
Potter Powell. Stevenson, Tarhox. Wnrne,
Wells Mo- wills, Wiltshire and Yeates. Tn
house thcreupon took n recess the dem,
Gratis remaining in the hall to hold n caucu
~ L.L.,,1s -, a. oou, a.. -.
III 'ie housc oh 'ile -VVli' Ihe IeBul'
bu-iness OF the day was introduced by NJ
Gibson otIerinca an order that the HAYES ele
,o.ol ,.,.os of 7 o,,;y;o,o bor rot oo,,,tod AZ
huiIou' moved 10 amen" ny striking OUT VI
word mot The discussion was opened b
Mr. New. The debate closed at o'clocI
o,,l a., L,,,.,. .l,,,, ,.,.oa ou ,,. c;t,oa
e anu VI, '''"'' ''''' ,''.U "" 'i,' ,''''ou
resolution, that the decision oil the comm
sion bcnot agreed to, and it was adopte,
veas tSo. NAYS % a marty vote. eyre,
Seelye and Pierce, of Massachusetts,, VII
voted with the democrats, A message WI
sent to the senate that the house was read
to meet that body in the joint convention
III n pntn rottral tbo nh,nnNin 70 ,r,,a