The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-02-16
Fnom wAsHIsaToNs
WASHINGTON, February14, 1877
opT1MrsT VIEWS AND TIE REVERSE.


A member OF the Electoral Commission
said tonight that the Florida and Louisiana
cases are aui,e different In relation to the
question OF the admissibility Of evidence,
and that the decision OF the Commission on
Florida forms no precedent against admit
ting It in this case. The question OF the
constitutionality OF the Returning Board,
for example, was not In the Florida case.
Neither was the Florida Returning Board
charged with fraud, technically; whereas
the Louisiana Doard Is charged with fraud
and forgery, as well rs other illegal action.
Seeing these distinctions very clearly him
self, the member appears to be almost san
euine that the offer to produce evidence In
this case will be accepted. Republicans,
however, are confident that, notwithstand-
ing oil these differences, the Commission
will zee that the question OF going back on
the action OF the State authority
stands at the very threshold Of this
inquiry; that this Is substantially the
main question, and that there can be no
doubt how the Commission will decide it.
It will be seen by the fact that the Commits
sion granted four. extra hours for discus
sion of this interlocutory question, and
afterward allowed counsel to occupy not
only that time, but to devote to 1t as much
main question rs they choose, how much
| importance is attached to 1t. Both sides
| have already exhausted their two hours and
encroached longer on their regular time.
The expectation Is that after Eyarts's and
ClmpbelPs argument tomorrow the Com
mission will go into consultation in the az
ternoon on the question Of admitting evil
dence. II they decide to admit it 1t is OF
course impossible to tell how long time
| will be granted for presentation OF evil
dence. II the vote is negative, then the
| two sides will consume their remaining
time in argument on tie so-caled main
question. The Republican side has now
about four hours remaining, the Democrats
about two.-Special to Baltimore Sun.
LOOKING FOR A PARTISAN DECISION.
| In conversation with the correspondent Of
the Sun this afternoon, the Hon. Mont
gomery Blair stated most positively that he
! had not the least hope for anything but
partisan decision In the louisiana case from
the Electoral Commission. In his belief the
Supreme Court justices who belong to the
Republican party will be guided by their
partv feelings equally with the Republican
members Of Congress who are on the Com
mission. Judge Blair thinks the case would
not have been one whit different had JUS
tice Davis been on the commission instead
OF Justice Bradley. Justice Davis never
did act with the Democratic party, nor will
he act with the Democrats when he enters
the Senate. Had the Democrats not passed
the electoral bill he thinks that in one week
from the time when it did pass everything
would have been right. He thinks that tue
House Democrats have fallen into q trap
purpoSely prepared for them.-b.
DIsGUSTED CONSTITUENT.
Senator Thurman has received telegram
from the chairman OF the Williams county
(Ohio) Democratic Committee, in behalf OF
the Democratic party OF the county. telling
him that it is the duty of every Democratic
member OF the Electoral Commission to re-
tire from it and cease to participate in such
gross fraud upon their constituencies.
The advice will not be followcd-;or the
present ut least.-l6.
| POSTAL.
George T. Whitehead Is appointed post
master ut kempsville, Princess Anne couE-
ty, Va, rics Henry T. Hunter, resigned.
Greenville Webb is appointed postmaster
at Glendale, Smyth county, Va, rice John
C. Lamie, declined.
ARREST OF A TREASURY CLERK.
Thomas G. Douglass, clerk in the Office
Of the First Auditor Of the Treasury, was
arrested this afternoon by special agent OF
the Treasury Department on the charge q
imparting information to claim agents OF
amounts Of unclaimed interest due to var.
Gus persons holding United States bonds,
Douglass was sick in bed at the time OF bis
arrest, and ls nt his house in charge OF an
officer.