The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-02-07

the people Of Louisiana. at his own pre-
:. cfnct it was quiet and orderly, AZ -,
i II Wells said memoranda OF the secret ses.
sions Of the Board were kept by q clerk
Mr. AbeIl-and he would cheeriully tele'
tgraplnfor it if desired by the committee
The curiosity Of everybody is excited te
the highest pitch to discover what ha:s, beer
done by the electoral commisssiion during
their eii-Ih,t hours session to-day. The com
In issioners are dunn AZ oysters after volun
teering the. information that they are te
meet again in. secret tomorrow at IL
I O'Clock. There are so many of them given
to- contention and long argument it is
conjectured the, day has been spent in
proftless discussion. Again, tits supposed
they have agreed by bare majority vote to
go to the returns upon which the. Canvass:
ing Board based their decision Of electors
elected to ascertain whether the Tilden or
the Hayes electors were rightfully entitled
to cast the vote OF the State. 1t is certain
that each. commissioner was allowed one
hour to express his views upon the question
at issue, and whether each consumed his
hour or not, enough must have been spoken
to show what will be the vote of the ma
iority.
Tomorrow, those who have not delivered
their views may do so, and decisive vote
may be taken during the afternoon. It is
pretty certain that majority do not regard
the certificate OF returning board or Of q
governor as infallible, and it only remains
to decide how far to go. ~:
Morton and Garfield are not cheerful to-
night, which discourages the Republicans
and betokens good for the Democrats. 2'..
| THE Supreme Court Judges did not take
part in the discussion to-day. The political
members took the sides which might have
been expected from their respective party
utilization. The Republican members took
the view outlined by Garfield in the House
and presented by Matthews before the COM
mission. Certain members were requested
informally to present to the judges to-mor-
row brief report OF the views Of their re-
spective sides. The opinion prevails that
the result depends upon the fifth Judge
The injunction of secrecy was. made at the
suggestion OF Judge Clifford.
After further inquiry I have reason to be-
| lieve that there will certainly be report to
counsel tomorrow that on Thursday the
commission will hear argument two hours
on each side upon the question, Which are
the right certificates, those held by the
electors certified by Drew, or those certified
by Stearns; that on Friday there will
be another secret session, and that the
commissioners will not report to the House
before Saturday. The argument will neces-
sarily involve the use OF the testimony upon
which the Democratic and Republican au-
thorities of Florida respectively acted in
issuing certificates to the electors.
Secretary Morrill, is very i'll with typhoid
pneumonia, and is not expected to live
until morning. --...s.. >..
| Associated Press Reports by telegraph to the
| Dlspatch.] 80
| THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION. -, !.
The commission, it is said, resolved this
morning not to adjourn until they reached
decision. They have adjourned. 1t IS
now thought that the case will not be pre-
sented to the Joint session until Thursday.
No vote was taken to-day, nor any con-
clusion reached on any point at issue By the
commission. II is confidently stated that
no evidence will be taken in the Florida
case except such as relates to the action Of
the Florida State government since the cleo
ton. This evidence is documentary. II
the proceedings are thus restricted the COM
mission may. have the case ready Tor the
| Joint session before the close OF the week
Specuations regarding results are neither
ventured nor entertained by any one. :,
. The commission remained IN session until
8 this evening. The conference will be con-
tinued at 10 O'Clock tomorrow morning.
..rt@. JUDGE DAVIS ON THE STAND.
Judge Davis testified that he was CHIEF
clerk of the Returning Board; knew Lit
tIefeld; did not see him talking with Gov
ernor Wells ormaking erasures. The first
he heard OF the Vernon returns being alter
ed was through the newspapers. lnVestl-
gated the papers, and saw that the Vernon
returns had been altered; could not IND
the original. Littlefeld first said 1T was
gone, then lost, and afterwards destroy
led. LittlefieId called off the figures ;
could have falsihed them II ne
desired. There was no opportunity OF re-
v \
the Second and Ninth polls would affect no
candidate.
I Judge Harris describes his duties a.
general supervisor OF clerks. He looked
over the work as far as possible to verify it.
i There was some irregularity about the re.
4 turns from Vernon parish. Witness says II
the returns from Vernon parish had been
. promulgated as received from the super.
\ yisors the other candidate for; district
Judge and district attorney would have
been elected. The transposition OF the l7e
votes would change the result. Witness
knows the Vernon parish afidaYlts were
4 not received with the returns. He dldn''
know how the affidavits came there. -,
HOW LITTLEFIELD WAS APPOINTED.
Before Howe's committee Charles s
u Abel testified that Littlefield was appointed
clerk of, the Board on AbelPs recommends
ton. Abel never knew OF any return
from Vermont parish except the consolidated
!, statement OF the supervisor. The transfer
Il Of Polls 2: and 0 OF Vernon parish woult
have no effect on the election OF any icandl
n date. y Witness.never saw the returns from
Il y ernen parish presented by the Secretary
Of State. Never showed the returns to Mr.
CaYanac.' Witness Furnished the Republic
can visiting committee with the face OF th'
}, returns by request, Did notfurnish it t.
il the other committees ,a ~ Governor Palmer
4 did not ask for the same facilities which
!. Ewere afforded the other committee. Gaye
!, Palmer all he asked for, The tabulafeG
Statement shown the Republican committee
ID showed q large Democratic mai GRITTY. Itwa
z at supper, which Littlefeld described. II
Il costthe Republican committee forty dollart
II :, ,,oro JVine and cocktails were drunk.