The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-02-10
WASHINGTON.
Florida Counted for Hayes ana
Wheeler,

FIOfluh NOuuteu IOf hayes ana
Wheeler.
WASHINGTON, February 0.-The Elec
toral Commission were in secret session
from 10 A. NJ. 10 $3.50 =. NJ. continuously
with the exception Of two short recesses
Almost the entire time till nearly tn,
close OF The session was occupied with de
bate, in which every one Of the fifteen
members Of the Commission by turns par
ticipated. Two or three Of the Judge,
and several Of the Senatorial members
read deliberately prepared opinions OF
the main points at issue, and the discus
sion is undeFstO0d 10 have been from II,
commencement TO the close Of extraordi
nary power and ability The question oi
the eligibility OF Humphreys was moi
made the subject Of much discussion, nor
was any vote taken concerning It. Al
one stage Of the proceedings, however
Senator Thurman offered 4 resolution de.
claring that there TaS no sutli Client
evidence offered to show that Humphreys
was not shipping commissioner on the
eth day Of November. This resolution
was critized by several Republican mem
b0rs on the ground that il might carry
an impression that il Humphreys hat
been such commissioner on the 7tt
Of November, his vote would have beer
invalid, aud the resolution was not ar
gued, there seeming To be unanimily
Of opinion that Humphreys resigna.
ton was legally etlectual, being rendered
and accepted before the election. About
6 o'clock this evening, the debate being
ended, Senator Elmund1 submitted a
resolution, declaring in substance thai
the four Republican electors Of Florida
should be counted and embodying also
the various reasons for such u declara
ton.
Representative lIunton offered the fol,
lowing substitute:
RcsO'red, That the electors named il
certificate No. ., tO.wit, Wilkinson Kale
J. Il. Yenge, Robert Bullock and Rober
B. Hilton, are TIE four persons who were
duly appointed electors by the State oi
Florida on the 7th day Of November, and
that their votes, rs certified by such Ger.
tiiicate, are the votes provided for by
the constitution Of the United States.
This substitute was rejected by the fol-
lowing vote:
YEAs-Abbott, Bay ard, Clifford, Field
Hunton, Payne and Thurman.
NAYs-Bradley, Edmunds, Freling.
huyscn, Garfield, HOar, Miller, Mortor
and Strong-S.
Mr.. Edmunds then withdrew his rea-
olution and Mr.. Garfield offered the fol
lowing which was adopted by the fore
going vote reversed:
ResOlred, That four persons, to-wit
Fredericd G. Humphreys, Charles W
Pearce, William H. Holden and Thomas
W. Long, were duly appointed electors
OF President and Vice President for the
State Of Florida, and that the votes cast
by the aforesaid four persons are votes
provided for by the Constitution OF the
United States. The vote in detail on the
adoption OF this resolution was as follows
YEAs-Messrs. Bradley, Edmunds, FREE
linghuysen, Garfield, Ho2r, Miller, Nor
NAYs-Messrs. Abbott, Bayard, Cliff,
ford, Field, Huntop, ,paync and Thur
man..
On motion of Mr.. Garfield, Messrs,
Edmunds, Bradley and Miller were ip.
pointed committee to draft reports Of
the decision OF the Commission, with 4
brief statement OF the reasons therefor
to be signed by the members agreeing
therein, and to be transmitted 10 the joint
session OF the two houses as required by
the Electoral act.
The argumentativc resolution previ.
ously offered and withdrawn by Mr.. Ell.
munds was adopted by the committee of
three with 4 few verbal changes as their
report, and about s o'clock it was signed
by the eight members Of the Commission
who had voted for the adoption Of Gar.
fields resolution.
The formal decision or report to. Con-
gress is very brief, but It's complete
phraseology is withheld from publicity
tonight from considerations Of etiquette
as it is to I've transmitted tomorrow
morning TO the President Of the Senate
under seal, to be by him immediately laid
before the joint session OF the two houses.
Its points, however, can be accurately
stated, rs follows:
l. The Commission, exercising the
powers Of both houses under the law, and
having all the certificates and papers re.
ferred to them, find they have no author.
ity to hear evidence outside Of the Ger.
tilicate of the Governor Of the State oil
Florida, founded on the determination oil
the Canvassing Board Of the State rs tc
Its vote.
9. The Commission could not consider
as evidence any net OF the Legislature or
Courts in determining whom the State
had appointed electors after the day said
electors gave their vote.
8. In regard to the alleged ineligibility
ol i. G. Humphreys, there was not suili'
cient proof that he held office on the 7tll
Of November.
The Secretary OF the Commission will
tomorrow morning deliver to the Pesi.
dent pro TEN Of the Senate, the formal
decision above described, together with
all certificates and accompanying papers
in the Floride case which weEe referred
to the Commission, and the Secretary
will also deliver to the Speaker OF the
House a formal notification signed by
the President OF the Commission, that
their decision has been communicated to
the President Of the Senate. Thereupon, in
compliance with the Electoral Act, the two
houses will again meet and the decision
will be read and entered in the journal OF
each house, and the vote Of Florida will
Immediately be counted for Hayes and
Wheeler, unless upon an objection being
made in writing by at least i've Senators
and five members Of the House, the two
houses shall separately concur in order
ing,otherwise. 1t being known that the two
houses will not so concur, il is moi
thought likely that any objections will
be made TO the immediate counting oI
the Florida Republican votes, as lhi'
would be an unnecessary waste OF time
LOUISIANA INVESTIGATION.