The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-01-16
M. r,at,ss f i !, , ! q ON.

THE SEVERAL PROPORTIONS FOR C0UE1HEt Id
! f EIEcToRAL Y0TE--P0sITI0 OF THE DEMO
Gratis HON. WILLIAM IA. WHEELEH's
4 vIEWS-HE HAS NO APPREHENsI0Ns OF
4 swAR-aRANT REGARDED IS ONE OF, eTHi
4 MOST PATRIOTIC MEN IN THE UNIoNe-PER
soNAL-THE LOUISIANA RETURNING B0ARt
IN CoHTEAPT-THE BoUIDARY-LINE con.
4 TRoyERsY. ~ - 81. ~ lts9t'
4 From our Regular Correspondent s n
/ WAsH1NGToN, january 15.-The ingenuity
Of correspondents Is now chiefly, directed
to finding out the secret proceedings Of the
committees who are wrestling with the cleo
toral question. The Senate committees
proposition Is that all questions upon which
the two houses shall disagree shall be refer.
red to a sort Of high Joint commission to
I,be composed Of thirteen perHons-viz., ), five
senators TO be appointed by the Yice-Presi-
dent, five representatives appointed by the
4 Speaker, and the four Justices of the su-
preme Court who have served the longest
term lone. OF the justices to!be dropped BY
LOT. This proposition is not acceptable, and
] probably would not be agreed to by the
House, because Justices swayne and Miller
are thought TO be pronounced and extreme
Republicans. ~ .ts:s' ~. ..j
The House committee are said to be will
ing that the commission should consist Of
| five senators, five Representatives, and FIVE
justices none to be; dropped; or. that it
consist of;fiye senators, Eve representa-
tfyes, and six justices OF the sixteen to
be droppedfbY lot. -. y
Blythe first OF the House propositions the
justices would be Clifford and Field Demo
cratsl Davis! liberal Republican,, and
swayne and Miller (Republicans).
By the last proposition, which appears
more likely to be adopted, IL any is,s Justice
Strong, Republican, will be added to
these, and from the sixteen: one will be
dropped. "ai ;ri<@ So.
find many Democrats positively object
to any surrender of the advantage they
claim to have under the " constitutional and
ordinary mode of counting the VOTE" and
that they believe anything that looks like a
surrender on their part to decision CT the
controversy by lot would be severely con-
demned by their constituents, especially il
the result should be the defeat of Mr.. Til
den. Advocates of the arbitration schemes
urge that the Democrats ought to be willing
to accept any plan Of settlement that may
be recommended by Senators Bayard and
Thurman, and they intimate that the..5-5-4
| plan has their concurrence. .E...s
Hon. William A. Wheeler was in the city
yesterday, returning from "social VISIT
as he says, to Governor Hayes, to bis home,
in New York. OF course he was inter:
viewed, and, though willing to talk freely
upon political affairs, declined to express
any opinion upon the legal phases OF the
controversy. Upon being reminded that he
had been represented to have said that it is
the duty. OF the president of the Senate to
count the electoral vote, he replied that the
correspondent had probably made that in
ference from the conversation. He thinks
whatever power or duty the presi-
dent of. the Senate has In rela-
ton to counting the vote he derives
from the Constitution, and may exercise
without authority from the Senate and in
dependent Of any action by it. Mr.. Wheeler
has no apprehension Of war, and thinks it q
libel upon the American people to say they
cannot settle the controversy without resort
to arms. Besides. the Secretary Of War and
Secretary of Interior cannot use the army
without the direction Of the President, and
he regards Grant as one OF the most pa.
triotic men in the Union.
The Democrats with unanimity voted fol
q resolution offered by a Republican mem.
Der, which deprecated any attempt to excite
the public mind in regard to the presiden.
tial controversy, but the Republicans voted
solidly against resolution offered by Mr.
CaulfeId to limit the military and naval
force that may lawfully be stationed within
the District OF Columbia in times Of peace,
Colonel Goode has introduced a bill to
amend section ST. of the Revised Statutes
OF the United States so as to confer circuit
court jurisdiction upon the District Court
! of Virginia except in matters of error and
appeal. la
The Judiciary Committee have decided
to report the Louisiana Returning Board in
contempt for not testifying before the Nor
rison committee.
Judge Black aud Senator Beck, of.the Ma
ryland and Virginia boundary commission,
have for several days been discussing one
point Of difficulty as to the location OF the
boundary, and having failed to agree, two
reports will be made. It has been ascer.
tanned that Fox's island, in the richest
oyster region OF the Chesapeake bay, has
shifted its position, under the influence
LOT winds and tides, to point three
miles below its location OF the time the
[original survey was made. Judge Black
Twill submit report that the boundary
should be located where Fox's Island now
stands, and Mr.. Beck will report that the
line should run through the former. location
of the floating island. The umpire agrees
with Judge Blacks view. l::,sjI..is
J. t,astIA Associated Press telegralns.l 4
I SUPREME COURT. p;
!. WAsutsGroN, Jan uary: 15.-The Supreme
ECourt decides that Immigrant railroads are
not bound to transport the troops and pro.
peFty of the United States free of charge
EThey are to allsw the Government free use
Of their tracks IN return for the grant, but
,s.,, -. - 49, al