The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-02-24
The Electoral Count.
GROWERS GAME OF NO AVAIL.
Oregon's Three Votes
for Hayes.
The Commission Unanimously Re-
iects the CrOnin Certificate.

WASHINGTON, Feb. Ex-senator Thurman
being confined to his house by illness, the rest
of the Electoral Commission proceeded to his
residence and there adopted by strict party,
to Z, a resolution offered by Senator Morton,
declaring the votes of w. HI. Odell Jno. G.
Cartwright and John w. Watts, the Hayes and
Wheeler electors for Oregon, should be counted.
The Commission previously voted on the ques-
ton of admissability of Cronin's vote and
rejected it unanimously
Mr.. Morton's re solution was as follows:
Resolved, That w. HI, Odell. Jno. G. Cart
wright and Jno. w. Watts, the persons named
as electors in certificate No. 1, were the lawful
electors of the State of Oregon, and that their
votes are the votes provided for by the cOnstitu-
ton of the United States.
A number of other resolutions, employing
the contrary view of the main question, were
offered by the Democratic members, and uni
formly rejected by a vote of 8 to7.
Proceedings in Detail.
The Commission reassembled in secret SEES
sion to-day, at $50, pursuant to last evening
adjournment, and remained in consultation on
the Oregon case four and half hours At 3
o'clock, the discussion being concluded, and
Senator Thurman not having been able 10
attend the sitting On account OF illness, recess
was taken in order to ascertain whether ne
would prefer coming to the Capitol, or that the
Commission should proceed to his residence
and there transact the business incident to
taking the vote. A committee consisting of
Senators Bayard and Frelinghuysen was ap-
pointed for this purpose, and reported in time
that Senator Thurman preferred to receive the
Commission at his house. At o'clock, there
fore, the other members of the Commission
proceeded in carriages to Senator Thurman s
residence on 18th street, between X and l.
streets, accompanied by Messrs. McKenney and
Catlin, Secretaries, and Mr.. Reardon, Marshal
of the Commission.
Senator Thurman was found to be conf red
to his he'd. where he remained during the entire
proceedings of the Commission.
Commission was formally called to order by
Justice Clifford, President, and a vote was tax
ken on the following propositions, which had
been informally submitted and discussed, but
not voted for during the days session:
Resolved, That the certificates signed by E.
A. Cronin, j. N. F. Miller and John Parker,
purporting to cast the vote of the state of Ore
tional votes to which said state is entitled.
Substitutes offered by Justice Field and SEN
ator Bayard were rejected, when vote was on
Mr.. Edmunds' original proposition, and it was
adopted, yeas Is, nays none.
Mr.. Morton then offered the following:
Resolved, That w. III. OdelI, j. c. Cart
wright and j. w. Watts, the persons named in
certificate No. l, are the lawful electors of the
state Of Oregon, and that their votes are the
votes provided for by the Constitution of the
United States and should be counted for Presi-
dent and Vice President of the United States.
Adopted, yeas s, nays Z, as follows:
Yeas-Messrs. Bradley, Edmunds, Freling-
huysen, Garfield, Hoar, Miller, Morton and
| Stroug-8.
Nays-Messrs Abbott, Bayard, Clifford,
Field, Hunton, Payne and Thurman-7
The decision of the Commission was then
drawn up and signed by the eight members
voting in the affirmative.
On motion of Mr.. Morton the Injunction of
secrecy upon the acts and proceedings of the
Commission, except as regards their report to
ft,o int of
the Commission adjourned to meet in the Su.
preme Court room at II o'clock tomorrow
| The decision holds that though an elector be
ineligible when elected if he be eligible when
he meets with the electoral college his vote is
valid and must be counted.
| The Secretary of the Commission will to-mor
row morning deliver to the President pro tenn
of the Senate, the formal decision, together
| with all certificates and accompanying papers
| in the case which were referred to the commits
sion and the Secretary will also deliver to the
| Speaker of the House formal notification,
| signed by the President of the Commission,
| that their decision had been communicated to
| the President pro tenn. of the Senate.
Upon the reassembling of the two houses in
| joint session, the decision will be read and en-.
| tered upon their respective journals and there.
| upon in accordance with the electoral act the
| vote of Oregon is to be Immediately counted
| for Hayes and Wheeler, unless the two houses
| shall separately concur in ordering otherwise
Remarks more or less extended were made by
Justices Miller Strong, Field and Bradley and
| Representative Hunton.
| None of the other members of the commits
| sion presented any arguments to-day.
| Justice Bradley was the last speaker and the
announcement of his views regarding this case
was awaited with intense interest. He argued
| at some length to show that there was moth.
ing in the Louisiana and Florida decision of
the Commission inconsistent with the counting
OF the vote ofsWatts together with those of tn
other Republican electors of Oregon
Although the debate was very earnest the
utmost courtesy and apparent good feeling wa
manifested by all members of the Commission
throughout the entire discussion.