The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-02-21

How the Louisiana Case was Decided.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16-From u until
o'clock this afternoon there was large crowd
in front of the supreme court doors, and the
number gradually increased to more than 500.
The members of congress occasionally mixed
with the throng awaiting impatiently the
opening of the court room, which did not take
place until an hour later than an
nounced During all the afternoon rumors
prevailed about the capitol as 10 the decision
of the commission and the state of the vote.
/ These reports were contradictory to be
| confusing and therefore did not gain credence
| There much consequent excitement,
/ every body supposed to have opportunities for
acquiring information as to the proceeding of
| appeared in view and was intero-
gated BY several persons -. at the
saoMd was never before peThaps see3 at Se
| capitol. At O'Clock the counsel was sent for.
| They had been waiting for the summons in a
private room of the supreme court, ana when
| advised that the commission was prepared to
receive them they entered the court room in
| body. Sometime elapsed before the doors
| those who had tickets of admission, and when
| they were opened frantic rush was made for
1 the interior, which was soon uncomfortably
| filed.
DoINGs OF THE COMMISSION.
] The following are the resolutions acted upon
| by he commission in their secret session and
afterwards reported to the counsel:
Mr.. Hoar submitted the following: "Or-
| dered, that evidence be not received"
TRYING TO GET FAIR COUNT.
Mr., Abbott offered the following as a substi.
resolved, That evidence be received to show
| that much of the act Of Louisiana estab-
! fishing returning board for that state Is I'M
constitutional, and the acts of said returning
board are void.
This was rejected by the following vote:
Yeas-Abbott, Bayard, Clifford, Field, Hun
ton, Payne and Thurman.
Nays1Bradley, Edmunds, Frelinghuysen,
| Garfield, Hoar, Morton, Miller and Strong-S.
Mr.. Abbott offered another substitute, as fol-
! lows:
| Resolved, That evidence will be received
to show that the returning board OF Louisiana
at The time of canvassing and compiling the
vote of that state at the last election in that
state, not legally constituted under the
law establishing it, in this that it was COM
posed of four persons of one political party in
stead of five persons of different parties.
Rejected by the same vote.
Mr.. Abbott then offered another substitute.
Resolved That the commission VIII receive
testimony on the subject OF frauds alleged In
the specification of the counsel for the objec-
tors to certificates.
Rejected by the same vote.
MIR. Abbott then offered "A fourth substitute.
Resolved, That the testimony tending TO
Louisiana had no jurisdiction to canvass the
votes for the election for president and vice
president, is admissible.
Mr.. Abbott then offered the fifth, which was
rejected by the same vote, which was as
Resolved That the evidence is admissible;
that the staten ents of the affidavits purport-
porting TO have been made and forwarded to
/
visions of section rs of the election law of 1872
alleging riot, tumult, intimidation and
s snS"''G in Certain parishes eer were ase
and fabricated and forged by GER
tain disreputable persons, under direction
and knowledge of said returning board. That
| said returning board, knowing said statements
and affidavits to be false and forged, and that
none of such statements and affidavits were
made In the manner form, or within
the time required by law, did knowingly, will
fully and fraudulently iail and refuse To can
hon N
can show by the commissioners of the cleo
ton.
Mr.. Hunton offered the sixth substitute as
follows:
Resolved, That evidence be received to prove
that the votes cast and given at said election
| on the eth of November last as shown by the
returns maze by the commissioners of the
election for said polls and voting places In said
! state have never been compile nor canvassed
and that said returning board never even
pretended to compile or canvass the returns
| by the said commissioners of election, but
that said returning board only pretended to
canvass the returns made by the state super
visors of registration.
The resolution was rejected by the same
| vote.
seventh substitute was offered by Mr..
Bayard as foows:.
Resolved That no person holding office of
trust or profit under the United States is elig-
ible to be appointed an elector, and this
| commission will receive evidence tending TO
| prove said inelgibility offered by the coun-
sci Tor the objecioIs of certificates No. and 3.
Rejected by the same vote.
|
stitute follows:
Resolved, That in the Judgment of the COM
mission, evidence is admissible upon the sew
eral matters which the counsel for directors
to Nos. l and offered to prove.
This was also rejected by the same vote, and
! the question on the original order submitted
| by Mr.. Hoar came up, viz, that the evidence
offered be not received.
Mr.. Payne moved to strike out the word
"not." Rejected by the same vote.
The vote on the general order was then
taken, and il was adopted by the following
Yeas-Bradley, Edmunds, FrelInghuysen
Garfield, Hoar, Miller, Morton and Strong-S.
Nays-Abbott, Bayard, Clifford, rield, Hun
ton, Payne and Thurman.
After the conclusion had been reached by
the commission. the counsel were admitted
and the above resolutions were read by the
secretary.
AS soon as the final vote had been taken,
Justice Field moved that the Injunction of Sc
crecy be removed from the proceedings of the
commission, and IL was opted unanimously.
Mr.. Hoar inquired of the chair whether any
of the time to which the counsel were entitled
to under the order of the commission
mained, or whetS er it had been exhausted.
The court replied that the time for objec-
lions to Nos. and was exhausted.
On the part of the obiectors TO certificate NO.
he believed 10 minutes remained, but the
time had been substantially exhausted
Mr.. Payne moved then that hour be
given each side for the respective counsel to
sum up the case.
Mr.. Garfield said that The order had already
been made that each side should have four
hours and q half, and that the time should be
used as they chose, and he considered that
he ought TO stand on the order, and should
vote aga INST the motion, as the counsel them.
| selves had not yet asked IL.
Judge Clifford inquired IL they were satisfied
| to rest their case.
Mr.. Evarts said they were satisfied with the
case as IL stood.
Justice Clifford asked If the opposing counsel
| also agreed to IL.
Judge Campbell said that they had nothing
to add under the circumstances
Commissioner Abbott understand YOU
Judge Campbell, TO say that the commission
having ruled out all the evidence you offered,
you have nothing further to urge?
| Judge Complexities, sir.
Justice Clifford said the motion was then
| withdrawn.
] Commissioner Morton moved that three