Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-01-18
Congress-.
T II E s E y. A 7 Z

WASHINGTON, January Is. lS.T.-lu the
Senate, to-day, among the morning hour bust
| ness,
MIR. Boutwell, introduced bill for the relief
| of the widow of Col. Fletcher Webster. MIR.
b. said that COL Fletcher Webster fell 10 front
OF Washington during the late war. lie was
the second son Of Daniel Webster, whose Oldest
SON was killed 10 the Mexican war. Mrs v CD.
ster was DOW e. years Of age and Ia destitute
circumstances The bill was referred.
The Senate passed :, bill for the relief Of DR..
Irving, OF Ca, aud also ! bill Tor the reIIet OF
Andrew Williams.
sons, reported adversely to several pension
bills, and the committee was discharged from
their further consideration.
The Senate uou-conearred 10 the amaOd-
ments OF the House Of Representatives TO the
deficiency bill, and committee Of conference
was appointed.
Mr.. Edmunds submitted the report oil the
Joint and several committees OF the two houses
for deViSIug q method OF counting the electoral
vote lie said that the measure proposed was
in some sense 4 compromise, not measure o!
policy bur measure OF constitutional law, and
Of JUSTICE aud he would ask to call it up 90
Saturday and coutuue III session until it was
disposed Of. The plan is that the Senate and
| House shall meet at one o'clock in the
House Of Representatives on the 18th Of
February neXt one teller having been prevl-
ousy app tinted by each house; the president
Of the Senate shall open the returns from the
States in alphabetical order and hand them to
the tciIcrs who shall read the votes and make
list OF them; when there IS but one return
| from State and objection IN writing is made
by at least one Senator aud one representative,
| - ~, Il o,lo1
separately determine upon its admission, but
no return, when there is but one, shall be
| rejected, except by the concurrence Of both
Houses; if there. shall be more than one return
| from any state the returns shall be referred to
4 commission consisting Of live members of the
House of Representatives and five Senator's TO be
chosen by their respective Houses, and five
Justices Of the Supreme Court of the United
States. The four Justices, Clifford, Strong,
Field and Miller. and one other Justice to be
by them chosen. Each member OF this comul!-
sion shall take the following oath
II - a. B. do swear that | will Impair
TALLY examine aud consider the questions sub.
United, and i true judgment give therein, ac-
cording to the Constitution and law, So help
me God.
This commission is authorized to ap.
point proper officers, &C., and 10 determine
its Own rules of proceeding. 1t shall 10 each
case when there are double returns determine
which is the constitutional vote Of the State,
and the decision OF a majority OF the commits
sion certified to the joint meetings Of the two
Houses shall be conclusive and shall be entered
on the Journal and the vote Of such States shall
be counted IN accordance Herewith. When
the Houses set separately 90 speech shall be
longer than ten minutes and the debate shall
terminate 10 two hours
This report is signed by all the committee
except Mr. Morton.
Mr.. Wlthers gave notice that be had intend
ed to-day to reply to Mr. Morton, but as Mr..
Bogy had given notice OF his intcnt0n to speak
10 day be would deIer the matter to a subse.
quent occasion.
Mr.. Bocy, of No., then spoke on general
politics.
~ THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
\ bill to provide Tor counting the electoral
vote was Introduced aud referred
\ bill fox the relief OF Mrs. V. +. White, Of
Ohio county, ". Va, was passed.
The regular order, the consideration Of the
resolutions reported heretofore BY the House
Committee on the Duties and Powers of the
House in reterence TO the counting Of the cleo
toral vote, was called up aud, after various
points, raised by the radicals, had been decid-
ed, it was determined to proceed With the COZ
sideration by vote ot-ayes, al; noes, 81.
MIR. Knott then took the floor and delivered
an able speech, OF an hour, 10 support Of the
ground taken 10 the resolutions
Mr.. Buchard presented the resolutions of