The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-02-12

four votes for William a. Wheeler, OF the
State OF New York, for Vice-President.
The Commission also has decided, and
hereby decides and reports, that the four
persons first before named were duly ap-
pointed electors in and by said State Of
Florida. The ground Of this decision,
stated briefly, as required by said act, is as
follows: TIA
That it is not competent, under the Con-
stitution and the law as it existed at the
dnte of the passage Of said act, to go into
evidence aiiunde the papers opened by the
president Of the Senate in the presence OF
the two houses to prove that other persons
than those regularly certified by the Gov
cording to the determination and declara-
ton Of their appointment by the Board Of
State Canvassers of said State prior to the
time required for the performance OF their
duties, had been appointed electors, or by
counter proof to show that they had not;
and that all proceedings OF the courts, or
acts OF the Legislature, or OF the Executive
OF Florida, subsequent to the casting of the
votes Of the electors on the prescribed day,
are inadmissibe for any such purpose.
AS to the objection made to the eligibility
Of Mr.. Humphreys, the Commission is Of
opinion that without reference to the ques-
ton OF the effect Of the vote Of an ipeligi-
bic elector the evidence does not show that
he held the Office Of shipping commissioner
on the day when the electors were appoint
ed. The Commission has also decided, and
does hereby decide and report, that as a
consequence Of the foregoing, and upon the
grounds stated, neither Of the papers pur-
PORTING to be certificates of the electoral
votes of said State Of Florida, numbered 9
and 3 by the Commission, and herewith
submitted, arc the certificates OF the votes
provided for by the Constitution Of the
United States, and that they ought not to
be counted rs such.
[Signedl Samuel f. Miller, w. Strong, Jo-
seph II. Bradley, George F. Edmunds,
o. 2. Morton, Frederick F. Frelinghuy-
sen, James A. Garfield, George F. Hoar,
Commissioners.
THE OBJECTION READ.
The objection was then read, and the
Joint session was dissolved. The House,
without further business, took recess to 10
O'Clock Monday.
4 COMMUNICATIONS FROM JUDGE CLIFFORD.
In the Senate the President laid before
that body the following:
WASHINGTON, D. G., February 8, 1877.
Sir,-I am directed by The Electoral Com
mission to inform the Senate that it has con-
sidered and decided upon the matter sub
mitted to it, under the act of Congress con-
corning the same, the electoral votes
from the State OF Florida, and herewith,
by direction Of said Commission, trans
nit to you the said decision in writing,
signed by the members agreeing therein, to
be read Mt the meeting OF the two houses,
according to said act. All the certificates
and papers sent to the Commission by the
president Of the Senate are herewith re-
turned. NATHAN CLIFFORD,
President Of the Commission.
10 the Hon. Thomas ". Ferry, President
Of the Senate.
OBJECTIONS IN TIE SENATE OvERRULED.
The Senate then repaired to the House.
Upon returning the secretary read the OBJ
lection submitted.
\ motion for recess to Monday was urged
bv the Democrats but lost-aycs &c, noes
district party vote.
Mr.. Sherman offered the following:
Resolved, That the decision of the Com
mission :pon the electoral votes OF the State
of Florida stand as the Judgment OF the Sen
ate, the objection made thereto to the con-
trary notwithstanding. Adopted by q strict
party vote.
FULL. TENT OF TIRE OBJECTION TO THE DE-
CISION.
An objection is interposed by the under
signed senator's and representatives to the
decision made by the Commission constitr'
ted by the act entitled an act to approve and
regulate the counting Of the votes for Pres.
ident and Fice-President, and the decision
of questions arising therefrom, for the term
commencing March 4, 4. D. 1877, as to the
true and legal electoral vote of Florida on
the following grounds:
The decision determined that the vote
cast by c. Fl. Pearce, F. c. Humphreys, W
II. Holden, and II. w. Long, as electors oil
President and Vlce-President OF the United
States, in and for or on behalf Of the State
Of Florida, is the true and legal electoral
vote OF the said State, when in truth and in
fact the vote cast by Wilkinson Call, j. E.
Younge, Robert f. Hilton, and Robert
Bullock is the trueand lawful vote OF said
State.
For that said Commission refused to re-
ceve competent and material evidence tend
ing to prove that G. II. Pearce, f. G. Hum.
} phreys, w. II. Holden, and Il. W. Long
were not appointed electors in the manner
prescribed by the Legislature OF the State OF
Florida, but were designated as electors by
the Returning Board Of said State corruptly
and iraudulently, in disregard Of law, and
, with the intent to defeat the will Of the PEG.
PIE, expressed in the choice Of Wilkinson
Call, J. E. Y.ounge, r. 4. Hilton, and
Robert Bullock. who were legally and regu-
larly appointed electors by the State of Flo,
: rida in the manner prescribed by the Legis.
laturc thereof. .......-.
Third. For that the decision aforesaid was
founded upon the resolution and order OF
said Commission, previously made as fol.
lows: Ordered, that no evidence will be re.
ceired or considered by the Commission
which was not submitted to the joint con-
vention Of the two houses by the president
Of the Senate, with the different certificates,
except such as relates to the eligibility OF f.
G.. Humphreys, one of the electors.
Fourth. The said decision excludes all the
evidence taken by the two Houses OF Con-
gress by the committee Of each House con-
corning frauds, errors, and irregularities
committed by the persons whose certificates
: are taken as proof of the due appointment
as electors. .........-- -.a..
Fifth. For that said decision excludes all
evidence tending to prove that the certificate
OF Stearns (GoVernor), as also that OF the
Board Of State Canvassers, was procured or
given in pursuance Of a fraudulent and cor
rupt conspiracy to cheat the State OF Florida
}. out Of its rightfui choice OF electors, and
to substitute therefor those who had not
been chosen as appointed electors by said
State in the manner provided by the Legisla-
turc thereof. 'IEst-
i Sivtb, For that the soid Commission re-