The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-02-23
Waits for Doorkeeper Brad
ley to Bid Him Enter.
Oregon Will be Disposed of
To-day.
And the Contest Will End.
Morton and Edmunds In
struct the Jury How
to Vote.
The Jury Will Obey and the
National Theft Will
Be Complete.

Be Complete.
WASHINGTON, February 22.-The
Electoral Commission met in the Su-
preme Court room ut 10 o'clock. Mr.
Matthews made an address IN opposition
to the Cronin certificate (No. p, com.
mencing with denial that they had as.
serted in the Florida case that the GER
| tifcate was final and conclusive, and said
they had undertaken to draw line of
de narkstion between an act of federal
and state authority, which took the mat
ter up after it had left that state. They
also undertook to draw line between
things and proofs; between certi.
icste and thing certified to, to
show that a certificate was but
q shadow, the thing certified to being
the substance, and that where the Ger.
tifcate did not show the thing certified
truly, it could be corrected. 1t was q
surprise, he said, to find that their adver-
saries had not only taken their position
on the Florida and louisiana cases, but
had gone behind it and accepted the
dogma which they had improperly
ascr bed to the side with which he was
identified. He maintained that they
stood to-day on the ground which they
occupied in the beginning, and which
had been hsllowed by the decision of this
tribunal, viz: that certificate based on
the returns was conclusive evidence OF
election.
In the Florida and Louisiana cases the
offers to 60 behind the returns were
menacing, and the offers grew stronger
and larger as the certainty was obtained
that they would not be called on to make
them good, and great deal of patriotic
Indignation was INDUCED in at tho alleged
countensncing OF fraud and wrong. He
read an extract from the decision of
Justice Field in the case of Bradley VS..
Fisher, in which the tendency to com.
plant by the party defeated, is shown as
going on from complaint to
charges OF improper motives. He
entered his protest against the hollow
pretentions to morality that had been
made the substratum OF the complaint IN
this case. CronIn had been mounted on
the pedestal for public admiration by his
inventor as model of purity and hon.
esty of elections, and there was no offer
to prove that he was paid three thousand
dollars under pretense of defraying ex-
penses to Washington. There was nc
offer to prove the contents of the sup
posed hiroglyphic characters that could
not be read. There was no offer of proof
that this WAS the result of deep. laid
scheme to defeat the will of the people
He wondered when his friend Hoadley
referred to Webster and Worcester last
night, that ne did not produce that little
pocket dictionary and show the cores
pondehce between Gramercy Park, n.
Y. and Salem, Oregon. He contended
that the Governors certificate fell to the
ground when it was shown it WAS war
rant to electors for the performance of
their duties That the law of Oregon re
quired that the votes for electors should
be given, received, returned and can.
vassed the same rs Tor members OF
Congress, and in the case of members
Of Congress it was made the duty Of the
secretary of State to canvass the votes,
and there the statutory directions end
The statute in relation to electors furthe-
provided that the Secretary of State
should certify two lists showing who re.
ceived the highest number of votes, and
there the canvass ended. The Constitu-
ton and laws stamped that record rs
the legal and Constitutional result OF
the election. They had made protier OF
the thing itself, Lot the proof of the
thing, but the actual and substantial
result of the canvass that was
the appointment OF State investure
by state of real rank ard title. All
else WAS mere proof; mere prmG fdctt
evidence, 10 be taken rs proof OIL ly until
confronted by proof and shown to be
false. The certificate OF the governor
was sought to be intended here as a sub
stitute for canvass. 1t wss signed by
the secretary of state sin ply rs testing
witness and not rs canvasser of the
votes. Tlst possession of the commission
was net essential 10 dischsrS Se
OF the duties OF the office, be
contended that it was well settled prin-
ciple of law. That the certificate of the
governor of Oregon dld not conform TO
the statutes of the United States or OF
Oregon. Suppose the certificates had
been authorized 1t would give the cleo
ton to Mesrs. Odell, Cartwright and
Cronin, q body of persons 10 meet, con-
suit, deliberate and vote together in .
college which necessarily consisted Of
three. He conteI ded one could not act a.
a body, and that the scts of quorum
could only be accepted as the acts of the
body.
Mr.. Matthews cleaed with the declsrs.
ton that he had appeared not as counsel
for any party, but in support Of q gres!
constitutions principle, regardless oi any
popular clamor that might be excited
For q governor to take upon himself eK-
ecutive, judicial ana legislative powers
was to bring about . complication that
would make q confusion of government
lreItricsb!e.
Judge Strong said that the counsel
had now consumed two hours each, and
still the question Of the admissibiiIty o.
evidence Was before the Commission. Ht
thought that il should be received nov
subject TO the judgment OF the Commif
sion - 70 its effeS.
The proposition was adopted, bu
neither the papers called for in th'
s4bpend dnees teearn served upon th'
Postmaster General were at hand, no
were the witnesses present, and the Com
mission took recess. -
After rscsa Mr.. Nsrrick offered . cert,