The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-21

Il created or into the existence of that which 1t GU
and crcduny to believe that a commission SO constr
tuied would not become mere counting teller Tor tho
President OF the Senate he would vote to sustain tho
objections the decision OF the comm ission He
IN favor Of proceeding without unnecessary delay to
completion OF the count ana he declared to be his best
Judgment that tho democrats of the House, OF tho
Senate, LOUISIANA and OF the Union should submit the
did not now think oil more appropriate world to tho
OF the commissions. II they did a sacrifice OF
their dearest interests OF their strongest CONVICTIONS
for the peace Of tho country, tho near future would
witness such condemnation aud overthrow In the In
coming republican administration had happened In
country whose choice OF chief executive had hecn
disregarded and treated with contempt by usurper
whose only title to Office came through rotten Return
ing Board, the most Infamous, the desperate tho
most des psed body Of that had ever becn
lied and charged with an important political duty.
Applause
BOTH SIDES CORRUPT
Mr. SgELyg, lind OF Mass, said that In tho OF
the Louisiana election II seemed ~ him perfectly
that the charges mado by each party tho othor
more conciusivcly than the fraud and corrupt. IN
charged on tho ono side ana Intimidation and cruelty
the turthess Ia that wrong doing would be very hard
TO say. The corruption the side seemed
heinous az tho cruelty of the other horrible and
ON both sides there did not seem 10 DO any limit 10 tho
extent they went save where the requirements
or tho case did not coll for any more.
No found Il quito Impossible TO say which OF the two
gets OF electors coming up from Louisiana voiced the
true will vi tho people OF that state. II would have
been hard 10 Ind wiser and moro candid men than
those who had pronounced the decision Of tho Elec-
toral Commission He appreciated tho strength OF
their position Congress could not be too jealous or
the constitutional right OF State 10 choose It's own
Presidential electors, but there were wherc
mus Jus became the summa i.jurid, where the
forced worked out results contrary to all
law, and IN such cases equity laid tho
pending issue. Granted that the commission had
Clearly interpreted and accurately applied tho laws
yet what II the very principle on which the laws must
rest became thereby subvertcdy mo nation " sad
Nebuhr, sever died except OF suicide, aud tho
suicidal vIce 10 engcndcrcd not SO much In unjust
statutes OF n government immoral practices
Of people which the government Is unable to punish
and unable ~ restrain"
ACCEPTING THE INEVITABLE
Mr.. WArTERsOS (dem. oil KY, SAID: III the accept
ancc OF tho inevitable with resolution aud dignity DO
the highest as 1t Is the rarcst form OF known
among men. II is uiadc the harder IA this present
instance by tho consciousness OF double dealing and
Sui play. Two courses are open to tho mujorty on
once impotent ana childish; on tho other hand.
without Offering needless obstruction to tho
VI events an earnest, manly, but temperate, protest
against what We believe great and grievous wrong.
In my judgment the latter Is our clear and bounden
duty. We owe II to the necessities OF the case; we
owe It to the country; NO owe II TO ourselves Be-
duped by false pretences into u snare,
FURNISHED no reason why we should forget the oblga
tions that press upon honorable men, In the very act
OF passing the Electoral Commission oil we provided
Tor tho contingency that has come upon u.s. voted
Tor that measure IN perfect good faith The result is
against me, and dotestabe us must think the means
that brought IL about accept II hnallty. shall
70 10 my people and shall tell them ALL for id
taken time Tor reflection they viii, am very sure,
illustrate the wisdom and the grace OF moderation,
dong nothing that does not become good citizens.
Lite will still 60 forward in spite OF all this. There
many things 10 1.-Two Tor yet In this rough world, aud
among thu rest that day Of reckoning-"Dies ira,
dies Ua''-''when the dark shall be light and tho
wrong made right"
TIE LEGISLATIVE DAY.
At this point noon) the Speaker announced that to-
day legislative session would begin. After prayer by
the Chaphn and tho reading OF yesterdays journal,
the debate was resumed.
Mr.. PIERCE. OF Massachusetts,, SAID that he would DO
glad to avoid the responsibility voting the ques
avoided. II was with great didence that no vcnturei
" dissent from the decision OF tho commission, but
the rule II LAID down was one he could not conscien
tiousy indorse. Tho commission had 70 fused 10
ceve Tor evidence other than tho certificate OF the
Governor Of tho State 1t could have been ill.,
tended by the fathers of the constitution that Congress
should not be able scrutnzc the returns oil the
electoral votes. II that was not o matter which
the representatives Of the people could in
quife into, then this government stood
u very Insecure foundation. lie, could not give
his assent TO any such declaration. IL was contrary
to good government and good morals 1t tended 10
weaken the mold OF the government OH the confidence
VI the people, and the party which got into Office by
dangerous to tue perps.uty Of tho government The
evidence which tho commission rot used to receive
justified and required the exclusion OF Louisiana from
participating III the Presidential election lie
aware that IN tho position he took he stood almost
alone IN his party but he should DO recreanl to
convictions II he neglected TO place Tho imperish-
able records Of tho House hts dissent from the rule
proposed 10 Do established. Applause ON the demo-
crutic side)
Mr. Cox, dem Of N Y, said alter many years Of
active service member OF this House, recalling all
siblc to-day that after tho verdict OF the American
people, It should provo iruitcss verdict. In 1864
On Inc 10Th OF May presented resolution TO this
authenticity OF the returns OF electoral and
passage OF law TO provide for the jurisdiction, as well
us the course OF proceeding. In case OF "real con-
troversy" The Judiciary Committee took action at
that time. Nor, SIR, do | feel responsible Tor tho
steps which were wisely, perhaps or unwiseiy, but
the Electoral bill That bill Is the law We know
what 1t is, what its provisions are We know what
my fricnd from Kentucky tMr Watterson) has said,
that there was some snare In It. (LAughter) Laugh
and exult as you Will know and felt that some
that bill but did not exactly see where the virtue had
alighied. tLaughter) knew that tho old privileges
Of the commons had departed, but In the interest OF
peace gave q reluctant vote Tor tho bill But ono
strange thing ABOUT tho bill Is this that whilc
We are permitted to vote In this House, yet, after ALL
II Is sort OF post-mortcm vote I.augher) Although
We arc permitted to argue 1t Is ayyumentum dd post
fdctum Although, SIR, there Is some utility tho
dissection OF the dead, and although there may be
something gained by The dissection OF the living
(aughtcr)-ye 1t seems to me to be proper TO look
ut one particular clause Of the law before state my
reasons Tor protesting against this measure. We
gracousy permitted under this biIl argue after tho
matter Is accomplished, aud although we vote, and al
though carry vote in the House, ''gonen
(Iaughtcr.) We gain nothing. We arc permitted
to take ten minutes alter the counting and conclusion
1t IS the old Vrgilian line over again OF Rhatamanthus
Judge OF HclD-Cdstigdtque dut.tque dolos-the Old
rae OF hanging man and trying him aitcrward.
taugher) This Is our condition to-day, and what Is
it that VIC tryY Why sir, everything as to testimony
and facts and forgery and perjury and force aune,
outside not 10 be consdeied. Truth and justice and
morality and fair dealing are ahu',de The House
ai,unds QIaughtcr) Its acts and the acts OF It's
and their reports, all the facts gathered
these Southern States, are ahuude. tlaughtcr.)
Nothing IL 10 be considered but the bare, naked
fact OF certificate based upon what? on forgery
aud ccancry, on Returning Board, which Return
ing Board returned the fact that TO- 400 democratic
votes counted The business Of tho supervi-
Of registration OF Louisiana to transmit the
votes but OF them failed 10 transmit 900 demo-
cratic votes and only TOUR hours were lett
time Of the organization vi the Bord ana the DECISION
Where and how could State correct such returns
III that time It Is a mockcry. Why, Nr. Speaker,
some member over there said no was sick Of fraud.
Earth Is sick and heaven weary or tho hollow words
which statesmen and judges use when they talk OF
rgnt and justice when such things 10 accom-
piished. tell you, Mr. Speaker, by human law there
Is no statute OF u itaons 10 protect fraud In Divine
law II written "rhcrc Is rest Tor tho wicked"