Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1877-03-01
THE PRESIDENCY.
THE AGONY ALMOST OVER
All the Disputed States
Counted.


was Ia CONSULTATION for upwards of four
hours. at the close of the discussion,
from which Senator Thurman was sb-
sent on account ofserious indisposition,
the members, at his request, proceeded
10 his residence, accompanied by their
official Secretaries and the Marshal Of
the Commission. A number Of reso
lutions which had been previously in
formally submitted and discussed were
then put to vote. Mr.. Edmunds sub
mitted the first resolution, which was
to the effect that the.cersifieAte signed
by Messrs. Cronin, Miller and Parker,
purpoFting to east the Electoral vote
Of the State OF Oregon, does not con-
tain or certify the Constitutional vote
Justice Field offered q substitute de-
Iciaring tiiat J. w. Watts was ineligi
BILE to the Office of Elector. This was,
however, rejected by Q vote OF eight TO
seven. He then offered two resolutions,
which were each rejected by the same
vote, one 10 the effect that although
Messrs. Watts, 0dell and Cartwright
received the highest number Of votes
least fOr Electors, Watts being ineligi-
tide, Odsll and Cartwrig ht were the on
Iy persons duly elected and that there
was failure TO elect = third Elector.
The other was that as no provision
had been made by the Legislature OF
the State of Oregon for the appoint
ment Of an Eiector under the act oil
| Congress, where there was q failure TO
make q choice On the day prescribed, ,
the selection of third sElector was In
operative and void.- The-next resolu.
lion offered by MIR. Bayard was to the
effect that .Odeif and Cartwright only
were duly elected, aud that there hav-
| ing been O failure to elect third Elec-
tor their two votes only should be
counted. This was also rejected by
the same vote, which in each case was
as follows: Yeas Messrs. Abbott, Bay.
ard, Clifford, Field, Hunton, Payne
and Thurman. Nays-Messrs. Brad
ley, Edmunds, Frelinguysen, Garfield
Hoar, Miller, Morton and Strong. The
original resolution of Mr.. Edmunds
was then adopted by the iull vote Of
the Commission. The next resolution,
offered by Mr.. Morton, was thai
Messrs. Odeli, Cartwright and Watts
were the lawful Electors of the State oi
Oregon, that their votes were the votes
provided for by the Constitution and
should be counted for President and
Vice President Of the United States.
A motion by Mr.. Hunton TO strike out
the uane of j. w. Watt was rejected
by q similar vote of eight to seven,
aud Mr.. Motions resolution was adOp-
ted-yeas eight, nays seven,as follows:
Yeas-Messrs. Bradley, Edmunds, Ere
Iliughuysen, Garfield, Hoar, Miller,
Morton and Strong. Nays-Messre.
Abbott, Bayard, Clifford, Field, Hun
ton, Payne and Thurman. After the
decision of the Commission had been
drawn up and signed by the eight
members voting In the affirmative,
and the injunction Of secrecy with.
drawn, except SO far rs related to the
report of the joint session Of Congress,
the Commission adjourned to meet at
I2 o'clOck noon Saturday.
As soon as Information reached the
House that the COmmission had dect.
ded upon counting the vote Of Oregon
for Hayes and Wheeler, q proposal
was at once made by the Democratic
members to held q caucus immediate.
ly, which, after some debate, was
agreed to. Representative Lamar
presided. The discussion as to the ad-
visibility of delaying the meeting of
the Joint Convention until Monday,
WAS both earnest and excited. Speak
er Randall counselled moderation In
the premises, but fnslly y resolution
by Mr.. Mcmahon that Q motion be
made to the House inviting the Senate
to meet the House In Joint Convention
at one O'Clock on Monday was adopted
by about twenty msjority. Mr.. David
Dudley Field was careful to inform the
causus that he was preparing two bills,
one providing for the election of a
President and Vice President on the
first Tuesday in May, the interim to
be filed by the President OF the Sem
ate, and the other bill providing for
quo warranto proceedings. These pro-
ducts OF the great iaw-givers' intellect
are, however, not looked upon favora.
bly, by his Democratic brethren, sev.
eral of whom have been bold enough
to denounce them as unconstitutional
and Intellectual.
On Saturday the decision of the Elec-
toral Commission in the Oregon case
was acted upon by both Houses OF Con.
gress, and the vote of Oregon for Hayes
convention. The 'Obstructionists' in
the House of Representatives attempt
ed to stave off action by moving for q
recess till Monday, but this motion was
voted down, and . resolution directing
the Clerk 10 inform the Senate that the
House was ready to 60 into joint con-
vention was adopted by the decisive
vote OF AS yeas to 81 nays. Forty two
Democrats voted with the Republicans
to continue the count, The Joint con
ventlon met, and decision Of the Conn
mission having been read, the two
Houses separated. The Senate sus.
tanned the decision, and the House vo-
ted to overruie it. The two Houses
not having concurred to exclude Ore
gon from the Electoral count, at the
re-assembling Of the joint convention
three votes were recorded fer Hayes
and Wheeler.
:. The debate in both Houses was in
and animated. Very little
was said by the espeakers on the Demo-
cratic side about the subject under con-
sideration dhe Oregon case); their
wrath and elOquence were expended |
on the DECISIONS which gave Florida |
and Louisiana TO the Republicans. Mol
argument was made In favor of count |
ing the vote of Cronin, bat all the
Democrats In both Houees voted
against the counting of the vote of
Watts. The Oregon case having been
of by the joint convention, the
call OF the States was resumed. Penn
sylvania came next, and after the cer-
tificates had been read an objection to
the counting of the vote Of Mr.. Bogss,
one of the Electors, was interposed by
the DEMOCRATS. Mr.. Morrell, one Of
the Centennial Commissioners was
chosen az an Elector. He did not meet
with the College, and Mr.. Boggs was
appointed In his place. The Senate
)verruled. the objection without d.
vision, but the House adjourned with
,ut acting thereon.
Two meetings of the joint convention
- 1 A