The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1877-02-13

luton that the Hayes electors were
entitled to east the vote Of the State
and this was adopted by 8 to 7. Mr..
Justice Bradley voting in each case
with the Republicans. After the re-,
cess the report was drawn up, sign
ed by the eight members who sup
ported it, the seven others not sign
ing it, of GO lrse.
The ground taken in this report
is substantially that maintain by the
Republicans throuyhout4the discus,
sion. 1t is That the Governors Ger
titicato and tho certificate of the
Returning Board are final and con
elusive; thai they cannot be locked
behind, and that the Hayes electors
having these they cast the vote of
Tloriua
1t was urged on the other side
that this Was to give to tho Return.
ing Board, consisting of but three
men, all OF them subordinate officers
men of no high or lasting functions,
and of cvanescant official character
IL power dangerously great that it
places them above the Supreme
Court Of the State, tho highest and
most permanent judicial officers
within it; that it gave them greater
power and made them supcro, 10 The
Legislature, who are the people of
. the State, and that it set prece>
dent favorable to corruption and
dangerous to the country All this
did not avail, The Republicans
adhered to their simple proposition
that the acts of Il returning board
are not subject TO revision by any
authority, whether of the State or
the Congress-; that when the three
officers of that Board in Florida
declared the Hayes electors chosen
that WAS final, and it was even as.
serted that the Board itself could
not lawfully reverse or reconsider
its own decision. The Commission
Of course examined with great care
the three certificates and the accom-
| p ,nying documents. 1t WIS shown
in those of the Tilden electors that
the Supreme Court of the State had
decided agli',HJ tho right of the
II yes electors and in favor of the
Tlldcn electors. The recanyass of
the vote by the order of the Lcgis-
lature was also shown and the re-
suit certified in detail, proving that
the Tllden electors had minority
of votes, as we'll rs the action of the
Governor, certifying the action oil
the Legislature. All this VAS gone
over carefully, yet tho Republicans
wore immovable. They still adhcr-
ed to their proposition that all this
was vain and of no account, and in
deed took the ground of Judge
Matthews that, no matter what
rights or wrongs were shown by in
vesti3atlnS, no matter how clearly
1t WAS proved that the Tilden elec-
tors had II majority, and were there
fore de jWe the electors, the simple
declaration of the three men who
constituted the Returning Board,
though contrary to acknowledged
t nth, was final
1t was shown furthermore that
the Returning Board had openly
confessed fraud il the change it
made from Stearns to Drew in it's
recanvass that this correction,
plainly made because the Returning
Board saw that a fraud directly and
c.otrly provable in the State courts
was sure to be exposed and rene
died, cast just suspicion upon the
declaration in favor OF the Hayes
electors and made it proper that
proof shoull be admitted of fraud
i'll that court. But the republicans
still adhered to their position that
the action of the Returning Board
could not be impeached, could not
be looked into, and was final and
conclusive Of the whole matter.
The discussion was earnest but
not bitter. The Democerts careful
ly explored and laid before their
fellow members the whole facts in
regard to Florida, and these were
considered from every legal and
constitutional point of view. It is
not known that the Republicans set
up any denial Of til sc facts, which
indeed are established on competent
evidence, and show that tho State
was undoubtedly carried for the
Iilden electors, and tho Returning g