The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-02-20
F0RTY-F0URTH CONGRESS-
WASHINGTON, February 10.
SENATE.

SENATE.
Few Senators were in the chambe
when the session was resumed at tel
o'clock.
In reply to q question Of Mr.. Withers
the President pro tenn said that th'
House would be ready TO receive th'
Senate for the purpose of resuming th'
count of the electoral vote at ii o'clock
Mr.. Wlthers inquired whether It wa!
in order to move further recess unit
that hour.
The President pro tenn replied that Il
would not The Senate having already
taken one recess from Saturday until thil
morning, it could not take second ont
until after the question was settled il
joint meeting.
At 1886 the Senate repaired to tht
House of Representatives headed by it
officers.
Upon returning, the President prt
tenn. said: Objections having been
made to the decision Of the vote o.
Louisiana the two houses separated tc
deliberate in regard to the decision
Unless some Senator asked he would no,
direct that the decision and objection:
be read again.
Mr.. Davis said that the papers should
be read.
Mr.. Sargent said If all the paper;
were to be read The two hours allowed
for discussion would be consumed
and that it would leave no time tor de-
bate.
The President pro tenn. decided that
the time occupied by the reading OF the
papers would not be taken out of the
two hours allowed for debate. The two
hours would run from the time the de-
bate was actually begun in the Senate.
The decision of the Commission was
then read by Secretary Gorham.
The President inquired if the objec
tions submitted in the House should be
read.
Messrs. Bogy and Davis denshded the
reading, when Mr.. Sherman said that
the papers had been read in the House,
and it was NO use to have them read
again to cucumber the record.
Mr.. Withers s-We want as many
records of them as possible.
Mr.. Bogy said that this was the most
important business which the Senate had
ever been called on to perform, and the
reading of the objections should not be
omitted to save few minutes time.
The objections were then read.
Mr.. Sherman submitted substitute
resolution that the decision of the Com
mission upon the electoral votes of the
State of Louisiana stand as the judgment
of the Senate, the objections made there
to TO the contrary not wlthsta nding.
Mr.. Herman submitted u substitute for
the resolution of Mr.. Sherman, a. fol.
lows:
Oroered, That the votes purporting to
be the electoral votes for President and
Vice President given by William 2. Kel.
logg, w. }. II. Joseph, l.. A. Sheldon,
Morris Marks, A. b. Levissee' o. II.
Brewster and Oscar j. Offroin, claiming
10 be electors for Louisiana, be not
counted, the decision OF tho Commission
to the contrary Eotwithsts ding
Mr.. Ma1ey spoke of the Electoral
Commission rs being invested with the
same powers as the two houses of Con-
gress in canvassing the electoral vote,
and said it was entrusted with the duty
of deciding who were the true electors,
but his duty had not been performed.
The Commission was directed TO ascer-
tain the true vote OF the State, but in
stead Of that they had brought forth GER
tificates reeking with fraud and offensive
in the nostrils Of all honest people. The
Judgment of the Commission had been
weighed in the balance and found want
ing. 1t could not stand the touchstone
OF truth, justice and fair dealing.
If the law authorizing this Commis
sion did not authorize the Commission TO
ascertaia the true vote of the State, it
was the most cunningly devised pitlsll
that every mortal man fell into. The
Judgment of the e Commission was founded
on the denial of the right to prove fraud.
1t was an admission that the fraudulent
certificates of the notoriously corrupt
Returning Board were good. valid and
true. This judgment, bearing so heavily
in favor of irsud and against truth and
justice, would never be approved by the
American people, but il would be con-
demed for all time. Truth had not been
sou yht By the Commission, but all its
avenues were closed Evidence was shut
out, and thereby law was perverted. In
conclusion he said the Democratic party
counselled lawful and peaceful submis.
sion to the decision, and confidently re-
lied on the will of the people, and the
merits OF their case.
Mr.. Herman said the Senate should not,
and he trusted it would not atiirm the de-
cision which had been made by the Com
mission. He then spoke Of the offer OF
the Democratic counsel before the Com
mission to prove that fraud existed in
Louisians, and thst certain electors Of
that State were ineligible, and comment
ing on the decision Of the Commission
he said that if file of soldiers should
threaten TO murder the Governor ot q
State unless he signed the certificates
of certain electors and the Governor
Welded uuder this decision, there was
no power in the two houses Of Congress
TO inquire into the matter. The de-
cision was to the effect that there was
no power IN Congress 10 obtain truth
and smlte down fraud. He entered his
solemn protest against it and he did So
from higher motive than tor the sue
cess Of any man Or sby political patty.
He did not want il TO 60 to the world
without protest thst false and fsbri'
Gated certificate was to bs counted. he
was deeply psined tha: suca principle
should have been affirmed by vote o.
Stof.
Mr.. Thurmsn SAID the State of L1uis-
lana created Returning Board, consist
ing of Eve persons, who were 10 holc
office indefinitely, and with power to fl
all vacancies that might occur. 1t de
volved on these five men 10 say whc
should hold office in that State. Ta'
question Of who should hold Office de
pen led not on The will of the people but
on the will of the Returning Board. III
believed that such 8 board ass utterly
destructive of Republican form Of gov
ernn,enI. The State of Louisiana, IN
der any constitution, had no power Z
. ,,es-a snrh a hoard and the scLs Of .ha