The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-02-22

OF Florida, on the 10th; he stated that about Nov.
IL he sent a dispatch to the President to the
effect that prominent men Of the Oppo-
beers, and he felt he needed The advice
of the prominent men OF the Republican party;
To reply was received; witness telegraphed Sec
patch was more in the nature of information. aud
sent in reply TO telegram from the Secretary;
Gov. Drew, shorty after his Inauguration, tcle
graphed to Gen. Kruger for troops.
COUNTING THE ELECTORAL VOTES.
The Electoral Commission commenced
its session the 9Th at ten a. m, and continued
until four. As the members Of the Commission
came out of the lobby they were eagerly qucs-
toned as to the result IT,, y had reached The in
junction o. secrecy beiEg removed, the tnfOrma-
not to go behind the certificates. The following
is the official record of the Commission: ION
motion or Justice Miller O1dered. That no
evidence will be considered or received by the
the JOINT Convention of the two houses
by the President OF the Senate, with the
different certificates. except such as relates
Of the Electors This ordsr was adopted by
the following vote: Yeas Bradley. Edmunds,
Freiinghuysen; Garfield, Hear, Miller, Morton
ford Field. HnntOn. Payne aud Thurman. A
prominent Democrat on the COmmissi III said, in
conversation after the adjournment, that the
mea, ing Of the vote chat the ministerial acts
Of State Executive officers are to be respected
but not those of the Judiciary. lie added how
ever that as the Democratic certificates embodied
the proceedings OF the Courts they would. by this
decision. be fully opened up for coneidera: ion
nd argument.
The Commission reassembled in open
session at eleven O'Clock on the morning of the
sth. The Presiding Justice ammo unced that pro.
ceedings were in order under the decisions of the
Commission on the previous day. One of the
Democratic counsel called witness and began t.
question in respect to the quo ,rarranto proceed
ings in Florida, when Mr. Evarts of Republican
counsel. objected to the question, as not wi hin
the order of the Commission The objection was
sustained. The Republicans then called F. C..
Humphreys, the alleged ineligible Elector. After
Identification, the Democratic counsel presented
Humphreys commission as Shipping Commits
sioner at Pensacola. aud the certificate Of the
Court that no resignation had been filed up to
Jan. ~. 1871. Mr.. Humphreys testified that he
resigned his Office, and that it was accepted on
the b of October by the Judge who conferred it.
He presented written acceptance signed by
Judge Wood. He had turned over the books and
paters Of his office and had no exercised its
functions since. No further evidence being Of
fered. Justice Clifford announced thai the whole
was then addressed by Judge HOad:ey, Mr. Green
and Mr. Merrick for the Democrats, and Messrs
Shellabarger and Evarts for the Republicans, af-
ter which the Commission adjourned.
The Electoral Commission were in
secret session, on the 9Th, from ten a. m until
half past eight p. IN. continuously, with the cx-
ception of two short recesses. Almost the entire
time was occupied with the debate, in which every
one OF the fifteen members of the Commission
participated. and he discussion. from its COM
mencement to it's close. is understood to have been
one OF extraordinary power and ability. At six
submitted resolution declaring. In substaL ce,
that the four Republican Electoral votes Of Florida
should be counted Mr.. Hunton moved as SUBJ
stitute that the four Democratic Electoral votes
be counted. This was defeated-ayes. Z; noes, 8.
Mr.. Etmunds then withdrew his resolution, and
Mr.. Garfield offered one declaring that the Re-
the votes cast bv them for President and Vice
President were the votes provided for by the
Constitution of the United States. This resolu-
, po was adopted By the following vote: Yeas,
Hoar, Miller, Morton and Strong-8. Nays-Ab,
hott. Bayard, Clifford, Field, Hunton, Payne and
Thnrman-7. Messrs. Edmunds, Bradley and
Miller were appointed committee to draft a re-
port of the decision of the Commission, with a
brief statement of the reasons therefor to be
transmitted to the Joint session of the two houses
The Electoral Commission, on the 10th,
certified to the Senate its decision in the case of
Florida. as follows: That it is not compe ,ent.
under the Constitution and law, as it existed at
date Of the passage of the act constituting the
10 ~ gI into Ssnds the
the presence OF the two houses to prove that
other persons than those regularly certified to by
the Governor Of Florida, according to the deter
mina,ion and declaration OF their appointment by
the Board Of State Canvassers prior to
the time required for the performance OF
their duties. had been appointed Electors, or by
er-prOof to show they had not. and that all
proceedings of Courts. or acts of the Leg.s!a ture
or of the Executive of Florida, subsequent to the
casting ofthe votes Of Electors on the prescribed
day, are inadmissib!e for any such purpose. In
respect to the question raised as to the eligibility
Of Humphreys. the Commission is of the opinion
that without reference to the question of
Elector, the evidence does not show THAI
he held the Office Of Shipping Commissioner at the
time the Electors were appointed. The Commits
going and upon grounds before stated. neither Of
the papers purp0rting to be certificates of the
Electoral Vote Of Florida are the certificates or
votes provided for BY the Constitution Of the
S Of sss psssssn Mr. s,s
commissioe snd the two houses Separated
accordance with the provisions OF the act creating
the Commission, to consider them. The Senate,
after debate-by vote Of Al to s5-resolved that
the decision of the Commission upon the Elec-
toral votes of the State Of Florida stand as the
Judgment of the Senate, the objections made
TO ns Gry y, ana
thereof. The House took a recess until the 18th.
The House, on the 18th, resumed the
discussion upon the objections to the decision OF
the Commission in respect to Florida, and, after
somewhat acrimonious debate, voted not to con-
cur. The joint session was resumed at 2:25 p.
m. The announcement of the decision of each
house was made, and the presiding officer said
= The two houses not concurring in ordering
otherwise, the decision of the Commission
will stand unreverscd.'' The te lers then
announced the vote Of Florida as cast fol
Hayes and Wheeler. No objection being
made to the certificate from Georgia
its eleven votes were cast for Tilden and Hen
bricks. Next followed in succession Illinois
with it's twenty-one votes for Hayes; Indiana
with its fifteen votes for Tilden; Iowa, with it,
eleven votes for Hayes, and Kentucky, with TT
twelve votes for Tilden. Then came the certih
Gates ffOm Louisiana, showing eight votes fol
Hayes and Wheeler, signed BY the Returning
Board and duly authenticated BY Governor KEEL
lOgg. An0ther certificate was presented, show.
ing eight votes for Tilden and Hendricks, anthem
ttcated by 4cEnery as Governor and still another
showing eight votes for Hayes and Wheeler
and authentic ated by Deslonde, Secretary o.
State A burlesQue certificate was also presented
| showing that the Electors, all bearing the some
what uncommon name Of John Smith. had met
and cast their votes for Peter Cooper Objections
were made to the Hayes and Wheeler certificates
by several Senators and Representatives, and
these together with the several certificates, were
referred to the Electoral Commission, and the
Senate retired to Its own chamber.
q