The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-02-23
ignation of Watts, and not BY the nom
action of Cronin.

The speech concluded in the following
language: l claim that if you adhere TO
the spirit and principle of the decision
you have rendered in the cases OF Flori-
da and Louisiana, it is quite MINISTERIAL
whether they conform to my opinion on
the subject o: the Constitution or not
They have been rendered by this tribunal
and recorded upon the Journal of each
house of Congress, passed into the his.
tory of this country, and are IN operative
effect in the process now going on Of de-
termlnlng VINO shall be the Chief Magis.
trate of this republic. Consistent sd.
herence to the solemn conclusions reac j.
ed by those gentlemen to whom the peo.
pie have committed the settlement Of
their rights, is essential to the preservs.
tion of loyal respect for authority and
character, and while mitigating the
psngs of disappointment often
secures an acquieseDce in q
judgment, seemin gly the most unjust;
but when these judgments antagonize
one another, and in their very conflict
and ant gonism are combined in opera.
tive effect to accomplish one and the
same result, and that result is one with
which the individual sympsthies are
closely and warmly connected, unpIeas
ant thooghts will stir within the public
mind, ard angry emotions will swell the
peoples heart. The Supreme Court of
the United States is one OF the idols of
the people. They have, in their estI-
mate of its character, invested it
with sanctty and dignity beyond
that of any other tribunal on the face OF
the earth. They believe that all other
departments OF the government are
liable to deterioration and possible defile
ment, but they look to the Supreme
Court as lifted above the current Of i'm
pure air that floats on the surface of the
earth, and as still moved by virtues, and
speaking with the wisdom OF the fathers
OF the republic. When this faith is des-
troyed, the night will have come.
At the conclusion OF Mr.. Merrick's ar
gument, the Commission went into secret
session.
WASHINGTON, February 22-The
Electoral Commission was In session
from 10 till 1890 o'clock hearing the ar
gument on the Oregon case, and ut 5
o'clock the Commission went into secret
session, and renamed there till twenty
minutes past 7. when 1t adjourned until
tomorrow at 1890 The questions pre-
sented by the counsel were discussed in
the secret session, but owing to the
fatigue OF the members, and in order to
enable them to consult the authorities
which had been referred to by the coun-
sell, an adjournment was thought to be
advisable. There. were many law
points suggested, and these will be crlti-
cally examined, there being more of
them in this case than in tn" Florida
and Louisiana cases. The Commission
agreed to not vote To morrow afternoon
at 4 o'clock, unless the members shall
be prepared to do 80 at an earlier hour.
Should the vote be taken at 4 o'clock, an
hour or more would be occupied before
their verdict could be officially prepared,
and unless the two houses shall remalH
in session till evening, decision IN
a Joint session of tie two houses can not
be- given till Saturday.
IL l3 unQerstOOu lnhL llnncuiateIy a'tci
the Commission went iato secret session
Mr.. Morton made an hours speech IN
favor OF counting the three votes OF
Oregon for Hayes and Wheeler.
Mr.. Edmunds in some incidental re.
marks clearly Indicated that he would
vote in the same direction.
Justice Miller then made an elaborate
argument TO show that there was notn
ing IN the Louisiana and Florida decl-
sions lnco onsstent with giving the vote
of Oregon to the Republican candidates.
Messrs. Thurman, Efmunds, Strong
and Bradley, were not well, and al ad-
iourp ment was taken 1T their request.
I. was ordered by unanimous vote, and
had no political significance. 1t can be
added that thore were no indications
this evening OF break among either the
Democratic or Republican members Ct
the Commission, and that there WAS no
vote or approach to a vote on the main
question a. Issue.