Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-01-24
From Washington.


Stteh trOOps Oh clecllon uhys
In the House, a warm debate occurred on
resolution from the Judiciary committee to bring
the members Of the Louisiana returning board
before the House for contempt in refusing to pro-
duce certain papers relating to the late election.
Mr.. Frye, Of Maine, made an able argument
against the resolution declaring that for his part
he regarded the doctrine as a monstrous one
Under 1t there was no sovereignty anywhere in
the country that was not subject to be called
before committee OF the House, and compelled
to produce its original records. He held, on the
contrary, that Congress had no more TO do with
the returning board of the state Of Louisiana than
he as an individual had, lie held that the return
ing board, having been legally constituted by
authority Of the constitution Of the United States,
and having proceeded with its duties under the
law Of Louisiana, having made its returns, and
these returns having been authorized by law, the
House was excluded from going behind them.
The same view was taken by Messrs Kasson OF
Iowa. Garfield and Lawrence Of Ohio, and Hoar
Of Massachusetts, while the resolution was advo-
Gated by Messrs Luttrel OF California, Cox and
Wood Of New York. Mills of Texas, Hooker Of
Mississippi, and Davis OF North Carolina. Almost
disgraceful incident OF the exciting debate was
galleries, unchecked, so far as the report shows,
by the Speaker. Indeed, Sunset Cox made the
insult clear lest any should fail to apply it, by
the demagogical remark that Mr. Frye was
sufficiently answered by the ironica cheers of
the galleries. And the Speaker virtually de-
Tended the galleries by a very thin and light ex-
preston OF disapproval, accompanied by remark
in justice to the galleries., that the House set
the examplel
| The session Of the Senate was mainly occupied
by Senator Morton in reply to the arguments of
the Virginia Senators yesterday concerning the
use of United States troops at elections
The House devoted its session to the resolution
Of Yesterday, placing the Louisiana returning
board in contempt. General Banks clearly de-
monstrated that the demand was unparalleled
and unprecedented, and that compliance with it
involved 50 much risk of the loss or destruction
of papers of vital Importance that they should
never be yielded to any power except one more
omnipotent than the United States Government
Notwithstanding his unanswerable appeal, and
the eloquent and forcible remonstrance of Mr..
Hoar. the infamous resolution was passed by a
strict party vote.
THURSDAY, January 18th.
The report of the joint electoral committee was
the only thing of importance in either Houss
to-day The scene in the Senate and House du
ring the reading was startling; the silence was
perfect, and the anxiety intense. 1t was signed
by all the members save Senator Morton, who i
is understood will oppose it. Senator Edmunds
in presenting the report in the Senate, said the
committee were Of the opinion that the measure
they recommended was not what could be called
a compromise, but was measure of justice il
aid of constitutional government. The bill is a
follows:
now TO COUNT THE ELECTORAL VOTE.
" Section BE 1t enacted: That the Senat
and House of Representatives shall meet in tn
hall of the House of Representatives Mt the hou
of one o'clock post meridian, on the first Tues
day in February, A. d. 1877, and the Presiden
of the Senate shall be their presiding officer. Tw
tellers shall be previously appointed on the par
of the Senate and two on the part of the Hous
of Representatives, to whom shall be handed a
they are opened by the President of the Senat
all the certificates ana papers purporting to b
certificates of electoral votes, which certificate
and papers shall be opened, presented and acte
upon in the alphabetical order of the states, be
ginning with the letter A and said tellers hay
|
ing of the two Houses, shall make list of tn
votes as they shall appear from the said certf
Gates; and, the votes having been ascertained an
counted AS in this act provided, the result of tn
same shall be delivered to the President of tn
Senate, who shall thereupon announce the stat
of the vote and the names Of the persons, il any
2 elected which announcement shall be deemed
sufficient declaration of the persons elected Pres
dent and Vice-President of the United States, an
together with list of the votes be entered on tn
journals of the two Houses. Upon such readin
! Of any such certificate or paper, when there sha
$ be only one return from a state, the President
the Senate shall call for objections, II any Ever
o objection shall be made in writing, and sha
n state clearly and concisely and without argumer
the ground thereof and shall be signed by
least one Senator and one member OF the Hou.
Of Representatives before the same shall be rea,
When all the objections so made to any vote
paper from a state shall have been received an
a read, the Senate shall thereupon withdraw, al
S such objections shall be submitted to the Sena
= for its decision, and the Speaker of the House
Z Representatives shall in like manner submit suC
objections to the House OF Representatives for
decision. And no electoral vote or votes fro
|
l. ceived shall be rejected, except by the affrmati
3, vote of the two Houses When the two Hous
r have voted they shall Immediately again NEE
II and the presiding officer shall then announce Il
decision of the question submitted.
"Section 2-That il more than one return
s. paper purporting to be return from state shi
d have been received by the President of the Sena
l. purportng be the certificates of electoral vot
a, given at the last preceding election for Preside
e and Vice President in such state unless they shi
be duplicates OF the same return), all such retur
" and papers shall be opened by him in the pre-
IS ence OF the two Houses, when met As aforesai
lie and read by the tellers, and all such returns al
II papers shall thereupon be submitted to the jud
At ment and decision, to which Is the true Al
lawful electoral vote OF such state, OF a comm
sion constituted follows, namely During &
u session OF each House on the Tuesday next pr
- ceding the first Thursday in February, 1877, ca
is House shall by Uiud uoce vote appoint five OF
members, who, with the five associate justices
the Supreme Court of the United States, to
d ascertained as hereinafter provided, shall CO
a stitute a commission for the decision of all gu,
tons upon or in respect OF such double retur
named in this section, On Tuesday next prece
y ing the first Thursday in February, A. d 1877,
he as soon thereafter as may be, the associate j.
Ut tees OF the Supreme Court of the United Stat
r now assigned to the first, third, eighth and min
In circuits shall select, in such manner as mai
i, ity OF them shall deem fit, another OF the AS,
: ciate justices Of said court, which five perso
," shall be members OF said commission and t
III person longest in commission of said five justiC
Dr. shall be the president OF said commission 7
A hall
10 take and subscribe the following oath: Il, -,
e solemnly swear Tor affirm, as the case may b
that will impartiay examine and consider
III questions submitted to the commission of viii
re | am a member, and atrue judgment give thereC
III agreeably to the constitution and laws. So HI
he me God Which oath shall be filed with I
to Secretary of the Senate. When the commissi
shall have been thus organized, it shall not be
the power of either House to dissolve the san
or to withdraw any Of its members, but IL a
such Senator or member shall die, or beco
re physically unable to perform the duties requiI
We by this act, the fact of such death or physi
n. inability shall be by said commission, before
"a shall proceed further, communicated to the S,
ate or House OF Representatives, as the case m
NC be- which body shall Immediately and wthC
ne debate proceed by uiud uoce vote 10 fill the pl,
IS so vacated, and the person so appointed sh
m take and subscribe the oath hereinbefore y
Id serbed, and become member OF said co
n,ission And i'm like manner II any of ~