Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-02-13

tue SUBSTITUTE onered by Knott was therefore
not IN order. The House thereupon at 10 pro-
ceeded to the discussion of the objection. and to
the discussion OF the report of the electoral COM
mission.
McCrary addressed the House in support Of the
report of the Commission.
Mr.. Tucker followed on the opposite side of the
question, but his time expired before he finished
his argument.
Banks Of Mass spoke in favor of the electoral
decision, and Springer opposed it.
Frye denounced the unblushng efrontery with
which charges of fraud were made against the re-
publican party: (Derisive laughter on the demo-
cratic sde.) The gentleman from Illinois Spring
err in his speech had charged gigantic frauds, and
out oil the eight objections filed by the gentleman
from New York (Pied) four charged fraud
There was no republican in the house who would
not court Investigation into the frauds OF Louis
iana or Florida. They courted investigation also
into frauds for the city of New York, frauds in
Connecticut and frauds in Indiana.
Hurd bitterly opposed the decision.
Carr OF Indiana next took the floor and made
speech which created much amusement on the part
oil the republicans and those democrats who had
opposed the electoral bill. He said while he as
serted that no one was to blame for the decision
oil the commission, but those who established this
partisan tribunal.
lou erected political tribunal invested it with
political attributes, and gave il political questions
10 determine which they have settled from a DO
htical standpoint. Being republican they beev-
eda republican candidate for president was and
ought to be elected. In making their declaration
they have been and faithful to their political
sentiments, education and associations No legal
wrong can be attached to tn N for this.
IT'S your own offspring; you brought it into
oeihg you gave 1t life and power; and you alone
are responsible for the result. 1t is excuse for
you to assert that you did not anticipate such re-
suit you had no more light to expect a tribunal
so constituted to produce different result than to
expect thorn-6dsh to bring forth figs; nor will
so weak an apology save you from the Just con.
demnailon which your outraged constituency will
forever heap upon your traitorous heads (Ap-
plause and laughtcr.)
The debate closed by Mr.. Field of New
York. lie said when the pres idcnt invited repre-
sent-tives OF the republican party to visit the dis
puted states IN the South for the purpose of wit.
Messing the votes, he declared no president could
afford to be elected by fraud. When congress met
IN December acting in the same spirit. it sent
committees Of investigation into the same states
to ascertain the truth.
Those states have been ransacked, hosts of wit
nesses examined, piles of evidence LAID upon the
table, and yet now, all at once, it is discovered
That the invitation Of the president was an act OF
super1ous folly, and that his messengers and the
committees of the house went upon fools er.
rand. This discovery is made by the republicans
lhere Is not democrat in either house who does
not disown and reject ii. 1t is to be seen now
whether the republicans disown or accept il. Isit
now to be that the republican party has so forgot
ten the great words and the heroic deeds Of its
early days as to cry, Evil be then my God" and
endeavor to install falsehood in the chief magis-
tracy OF the land The act is against all the his
tory OF congress and presidents of the past.
The decision Of this tribunal as it has been made
is entitled to no respect. 1t is as unfounded in
morals as 1t is unsound in law, and injurious and
pernicious in its consequences.
Debate ceased at l.lj and the house proceeded
to vote.
llale's amendment was rejected 81 to lG7, and
Field resolution adopted by the same vote.
few democrats voted with the republicans.
Is CONVENTION.
Immediately after the vote of the house the two
houses assembled in joint convention to proceed
with the count of the votes.
The records OF the vote of the senate accepting
the decision, and that of the house rejecting il,
were read.
The president of the senate announced that in
accordance with the electoral law, Florida would
be entered as -four votes for Hayes and Wheeler
The vice president then opened the certificate
from the state OF Georgia and handed it to the
tellers. 1t was received by representative Cook
OF Georgia. The presiding officer asked whether
there was any objection to the vote of Georgia
None being made he announced the vote would
be counted and directed the telers 10 then de-
clare it.
Mr.. Cook then declared that the state Of Geor-
gia had given eleven votes for Samuel j. Tilaen
OF New DIRK as presi lent, and eleven votes for
Thomas A. Hendricks of Indiana as vice presi-
dent.
Next followed in succession the state of Illinois
with twenty zone votes for Hayes and Wheeler
Indiana with fifteen votes for Iilden and IIcnd-
rcks, Iowa with eleven votes for Hayes and
Wheeler kentucky with twelve votes for Tilden
and Hendricks. Then came the certificate from
Louisiana showing eight votes for Hayes and
Wheeler.
The presiding officer stated tina. the certificate
had haon rogaivad hv nj that
ponding one had been received by messenger.
(The messenger appointed for that purpose
Thomas {. Anderson, one of the returning board.)
This was authenticated by Kellogg as governor,
he being himself one Of the electors.
The certificate having been read. the presiding
officer handed to the teers another certificate
from the state with a corresponding one received
by mail showing eight votes for Tilden and
Hendricks. This was authenticated by McEnerv
as governor as the state. Still third certificate
was opened and read, a corresponding one having
been received by mail with votes for Hayes and
Wheeler authenticated by Deslande, secretary OF
state. The presiding officer opened and presented
another certificate received by mail, no cores
ponding one having been received by messenger
This proved to be a buIlesquc. The name of
Jno Smith alone appeared upon it. 1t purported
to be signed by "Jno. Smith x Co., two BULLDOG
crs, and wound up with the motto "SuCh is life
in La subsequently the presiding officer di
rected that the paper be omitted from the proceed
ngs OF the Joint convention.
Senator Mcdonald of Ind, rose and submitted
an objection to the Hayes Il Wheeler certificates
The objection based on the ground that the
Hayes electors had not been duly elected but that
their election had been certified by William Kel-
logg, who claimed to be, but in fact was not the
Governor of the State of La, and because the re-
turning board of said State was without urisdc-
ton, for the that the laws of La conferred
no power on the returning board to canvass OF
complete the votes since they constituted but four
Of five persons required by law; since these four
were OF the same political party and since there
was a vacancy in said board which the four men,
bers had refused to FILL because the four members
of the returning board had full knowledge that
true compilation OF votes would have shown that
the Tilden electors had been duly elected, because
said board had offered for money to sell the vote
of Louisiana, and because A. b. Scvse and o. H.
Brewster of the republican electors, had held Of
fees oftrust under the L. S. Goy't, at the time Of
their appointment as electors.
The objection is signed by Messrs. Mcdonald of
Ind, Stevenson of Ky, Salisbury of Delaware,
Bogy of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. jerks Of Penn
Givson of La, Tucker of Va, Levy of La, Ellis
of La, and Morrison Of lllnois-members Of the
House.
Mr.. Gibson of La, also sent up objections to
the Hayes \ Wheeler certificates, because first
the government of Louisiana was rot republican
in form; second, no canvass made on which