Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-03-07

qualifications aud returns ol lis hleuiuets~
MIR. Blaine (inte:ruptri.l he Senator ii
too rand. | am coming 10 thai.
Nlr. Thurman (disregardlng ntefruptlou.)--
Thet the Scpa.c cannot lock behind that re-
turning board
Mr Blaine.-I am coming to that in due sea-
SON. The Senator will permit me to say, how
ever, that the Electoral Commission of which
h, was an honnrcd member, did decide that
the Louisiana Returning Board was couslltu-
tiOualfy and legally competent TO mako Tue
count which determined the electoral vote oil
that State. Am right?
Mr.. Thurman-A majority did.
MIR, Blaine.-A majority constitutes the
board. Laughter Then | understand the
Senator from Ohio to admit that the ELECTORAL
Commission did decide that the Louisiana he,
turning Board was il legal aud constitutional
BODY, co,upctcnt to do what it did do, and that
| thew were unable: to review UT reverse 1t, anu
| that the same board competent to declare WHO
were the Presidential electors of that State, de-
| alarcd als3 who were the Legislature OIL that
| Stale, aud the Legislature performing mere
ministerial duty declared who vas the u oVern,
or Of that State, and stand here. ii STAND
alone, to say that the honor and the credit and
| the faith OF The republican party 10 30 lar as
the election of Hayes and Wheeler is coacern'
cd are az icdissoubly united 10 maintaining
the riphtiulncss Of the returns OF that body as
the iustrious House of Hanover that sits on
| the throne OF Eugaul to day is in maintaining
the riehtlulness Of the revolution OF 1868. GU
| discreIt Packard and you dscredlt Hayes.
| You hold that Packard is not the legal Govern
or Of .ouisiaua and President Hayes has no IT,
tie, and the houored Vice President who pre-
sides over our deliberations has 10 title 10 bis
chair. ,,
| say, therefore, that on the action CT the
Returning Board which the Senator from OHIO
admits was determined by the Electoral Com
mission TO be competent, legal aud coustltu
tioual body, rts:s the authority OF 5. Is. Pack
ard Go exercise the Goyernorship Of that Slate,
and On the authority of that Board rests the
Legislature Of that Stale. and by the LegIIsa
lure Of tia, State VIM. Pitt kellogg was duly
elected Senator. BY the Governor OF thai
State, thus Determined, he comes hero com
mssoncd as Senator, bearing the great seal o.
the State This maintain, aud l do not, IN
less challenged upon that pc lot, desire to goln
to any of the details Of the election.
MIR. IhurmaD.-Do Interrupt the Senator
MIR. Blaine-Not at all.
MIR. Thurman-Does the Senate understand
that the returning board counts the vote To-
|
erncr?
Mr. B!ainp. The Legislature did that.
Mr.. srhuruan.--Ihen the Senator Is in
great error.
Mr.-Blainc. No, | never said aoy sucf
think, but they ware based on the same re
turns precisely, and the same returning boart
counted the votes Tor members Gf the Leglsla
,ure, and also counted and transmitted 10 th
LEGISLATURE votes for Governor.
Mr.. Thurman.-Ies.
h1r. Blaine That is oniy one degree of II
liucal irsoenI; it is the difference between sol
aud grandson. Laughter
air. Thurman. beg 10 FAY 10 the Senat
that the electoral commission lever decided
that the returning beard VAS constitutional
board ior counting anything but the ccctora
; vote Tor President and Vice President.
Ar. inc.-Do understand the Senate
from Ohio thea 10 malntain that the returning
board was good eaough to count 10 electors TO
President, but not good enough to determln
who was Governor
Mr.. Thurman. If the Senator asks M
orinion, say it was not good enough for any
hing except 10 be hung. LGreat laughter.
Mr.. Blaine IL believe gentlemen 10 Louls
ana, who The equator from Ohio represents i
his opini1Da, hold that the electoral comm5sio
deserve about the same thing, or at least elgh
OF them?
Mr.. Thurman "A majority. Laughter.
: mir Bainr,-l want to hold the Senate 10 III
point: that the LagislstuTe, the G9yern0r an
presidential electors of Louisiana all derive thel
legality and their right 10 act from the sam
source and the sarao count, that if one il dis
credited, the other 10 discreditod, aud that cleo
tors having baen accredited by the highest tri
bunal known to the constitution and the laws Ii
is precluded from raising doubt on that .queS
| ton, and it s therefore that l maintain WithOu
any elnborStion of Al gument that resting, As MI
Kellogg does, his claim 10 senatorshlp here
upon rs broad basis and upon precisely tn
same foundation that the presidential clector
rest upon, ho is entitled 10 BIO sworn In. and
say to thu Senator from Delaware, whom ] OIL
alWaya Geair0us OF treating with courtesy, tia
, abaoluto ~ that Of hlr. Morgan, and therefor
/ could not lind that WA: Lnder any obligation
to yield the ono 10 the Other.
Mr. Bayard.-I did not signify h1y obll2a
ton. 1t was :, mere matter OF practical con7e
nicnco.
NIr. Blainc..l know that their has been
grost deal said hero and there, IN the corridor
Of tho Capitol, around and about in by-place
and in high places Of iate that some arrange
ment had been made by which Packard was nc
to be recognized and uphold; that he was to be al
lowed 10 slide by and Nichols was to be acceptei
who had authority to make any such arrange
mont? | wish to know if any Senator on tbi
floor will state in his place that any person
speaking for tho administration tia! Was coming
in or the ono that was going out had any. righ
to make such arrangement? l deny it. l deny
il. 1 deny il without being authorized to speak
Tor the administration that now exists. But
deny il on the simple. broad ground that it il
ali impossibility that the administration o.
President Hayes could do it, deny it on the
brosd ground that President Hayes possesses
character, common sense, selfrespect, patriot
ISM all Of Which he has in aoh high !, measure on ai
the grounds that can influence human &C.
ton; on all tho grounds on which men en- can BE-
held to personal and political and official re.
spousibilitv. l. deny it for him, and l shall
find myself grievously disappointed, wounded
and humiated if my denial is not vindicated
in the policy ofthe administration But whether
it DO viZdcaLod or whether it be not. l care not,
it Is not the duty Ola Senator 10 inquire what
| the policy Of an administration may be, but
what il ought to be- and l hope republican
Senate will say that on this point there shall be
40 authority in this land large enough or adven.
turous enough TO compromise the honor of the