South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1877-02-23
Report on the Louiaiana Case.

W SSuiSo1oS. Feb.<3 J9<-Iho staxn.
ment Of the ''brief groand'. OF The dccis.
Ion rendered by tho rnsforisy ar, ~
electoral commission IA the Lodiaia a
Case. and submitted % ~ toini 49,
ynnsion yesterday, Sdas noShinx Ia mn
wasnlreaiy known upon ths snbDssf. =.
In largo part the text or ia dnoislon
foiSows that In tho Florida cas- n -.
clndes al evidence Aliunds the bavers
opened BY the President OF the Senate
scschieg either tho appointment or ais
quaincation OF electors. and for . reason
ssates that such evidence Is '.not com
petent." s,. frsr -. /. 81 80,
Il stateA further, what. OF course. the
decision itsel Implies, thnt e e not with.
Ia the Jurisdiction OF the two houses Of
congress TO enter upon the trial of such
Questions. Yet the bill was framed and
voted Tor by some Oft very men who
Join In this decision upon the express
ground that It. was within the jurisdic
ton o. Congress. and the commission
itself was tribunal created expressly
70 try such Questions. When tho bill
passed nobody thought that tho commits.
sion was body appointed TO determine
the powers OF Congress--.a Question
which the houses alone can determine
themselves. 1t was body appointed
to decide upon the case referred to IL by
the bill, viz: Florida. Louisiana, South
Caro'iRa and Oregon. The commission
now decides that it has no power. and
that Congress- has no power to decide
these cases except In one way. and That
without regard to tho law or the facts.
We need hardly say. that such was not
and conld not have been the understand.
ing Of the two houses when they passed
the bill. It certainly WAS not the nm.
outstanding OF tho, democrats who help.
ed to frame the bill and who are mem
bers the commission which 1t created,
as shown by their votes. IT was moi
the understanding of tho American PEG.
pie. who welcomed the bill az providing
just and fair method OF determining
the questions in dispue In accordance
with the law AMI the facts. Now. say
the republican majority. the Law requires
us not TO consider the facts, and SO the
facts are all excluded. In the Florida
case the commission virtually decided
that there could be no effective inquiry
or action hy tue State authorities. lepis.
latlve or ju.licial, to prevent the e!ec.
torai votes cf the Stale from being lille.
Saiiy cast by persons who had usurped
the Office OF electors with any color or
show oftitle furnished by the Governors
certificate. Now. in the Louisiana case.
they decide that there can be no INQUIRY
by Congress-. lSetweeu the two they
oeelpe that there can be no remedy any.
where. No sensible man. no honest
man. will believe this. Such a decision
carries no conviction. no moral weight,
or persuasive power with it. 1t ia the
same rs II the republican majority of,
the Senate had SO decided. It will be
acquiesee in, not approved. just as the
same action on the part of the Senate
would be submitted to because the ou!y
alternative is civil war. This is the nj
tentative to which the country is brought.
Upon she republican party rests the re-
sponsibilty for the fraud, and upon the
title 10 the presidency, procured by such
means. rests the stain Of everlasting
,isgr:ce.- !Iaghiagioa Cor. Dali. Sun.
Senator Bayard in speaking of the
commission says i. was one that had II
basis in law o. in fact. Yet. It was
good measure, and that it had been
carried ont according to the spirit Of
those Who bad prepared it. he behaves
the Democrats would have had not only
q reasonable show. but would have been
morally certain OF their victory.
This tribunal kuows.p says Judge
Black, lit will be compelled to know,
and cannot shut It's eye, 10 The fact tast
Hayes has no title except title roun,ied
OF plain. palpable falschool. The judges
cannot Look with tbs least degres OF
allowance upon auch an in(amy."
CoNGRgss AND ruE ELEcrogsI. Vors.
The Senate on Monday last, approved
by strict party vote the finding OF the
electoral commission in tho case of LOU
isiana. Yesterday the House spent
two hours in debate on tho same dncs-
ton, after which the vote was takon on
tue resolution Submitted by the demo
Gratis that the vote for the Hayes electors
be not counted, which was aloDte b.
. strict party vote, with the exception
OF Messrs. Seciye and Pierce, republi-
cans, of Massachusetts, who voted with
the democrats and made strong speeches
dePrccatory of the action of the commits
sion in excluding testimony. The two
houses soon after assembled in conven-
ton, and the electoral vote proceeded
uninterruptedly until Michigan was
reached, when objection " - mado 10
one Of the electors on the ground Of in
eligibility at the time OF his appoint.
ments. Tho two houses then separa ted
and afterdebate the objection was over
ruled.
The convention then reassgmblel and
the count was continued until Nevada
was reached Objection being made 10
one Of tho electors Of that State the two
houses again separated In the Senate
the vote was Unanimous in favor Of the
eligibility OF the elector 20 whom the
IInuoo IoI T..