River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-03-01
Justice Field then offered the following.

of November, 1876, in the State OF Oregon for
electors OF President and Vice President, w.
II. Odell J. w. Watts and ]. c. Cartwright re-
ceived the highest number OF votes cast for
electors; but
WHEREAS. said Watts, then holding an
Office of trust and profit under the United
States, was ineligible to the Office of elector,
therefore
Resolved, That said OdeIl and Cartwright
were the only persons duly elected at said
election, and there was failure on the part OF
the State to elect third elector.
Rejected-ayes z; nays S-tae same vote in
detail as the preceding.
Justice Field then offered the following:
WHEREAS, The Legislature Of Oregon has
made no provision for the appointment of an
elector under the act OF Congress where there
was failure to make choice ON the day pre-
scribed Dy law, therefore
ResolTed, That the attempted selection OF
the third elector by the two persons chosen.
was imperative and void.
Rejected-ayes z, nays S-as above.
Mr.. Bayard then offered the following
Resolved, That the vote of w. H. Odell
and the vote Of J. G. Cartwright, cast fer
Rutherford Il Hayes, OF Ohio. ior President of
the United States, and for William A. Vince
Ter, OF New York, for Vice President OF the
United States, were the votes provided for by
the constitution OF the United States, and that
the aforesaid Odell and Cartwright, and they
only, We're the persons duly appointed cleo
tors in the State OF Oregon, at the election
held November z, 1876, there having been a
failure at said election TO appoint third cleo
tor in accordance with the constitution and
laws of the United States and the laws of the
State OF Oregon, and that the two votes afore-
said should be counted and none others from
the State of Oregon.
Reiected-yeas 2, nays S-as above.
A vote was then taken on Edmuuds origin
4 fir,. avRA aInwx fnI \ i.
nays none.
Mr.. Morton then offered the following
Resolved, That w. Ii. 0dell, J. C. Cartwright
and ]. w. Watts, the persons named as elect
ors IL certificate No. 1, 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
President and Vice President of the United
States
MIR. Hunton moved to strike out the name
of J. w. Watts.
Disagreed to-yeas Z; nays s.
Mr. Morton's resolution was then adopted
yeas s (; nays q, as follows:
Yeas-Bradley, Garfield, Morton, Edmunds,
Hoar, Strong, Frelinghuysen, Miller-S.
Nays-Abbott, Field, Payne, Bayard, Hun
ton, Thurman, Clifford.
The decision OF the Commission was then
drawn up and signed by the eight members
voting in the affirmative.
The report sets fourth the election
of Watts by the other two members OF the
electoral college was in accordance with the
constitution and laws of Oregon. The grounds
tor the decision, so tar as they concern the
eligibility of Watts, are substantially that it
is competent to go behind the certificate Of
the Governor so far as the same is not founded
upon the action OF the canvassing or return
ing authority provided tor by the laws Of the
State, which authority in the case OF Oregon
is held to be the Secretary of State.
When the decision became known the
Democrats in the House held a caucus and
resolved to delay action on the report until
Monday tn e Goth. Quite number of Demo
Gratis bolted and refuse to be bound by the
caucus.
The two Houses of Congress met in
Joint convention at noon on the Gath to re-
, ceive the report of the Electoral Commission
relative to The vote of Oregon. The report
having been made the Democrats objected e
its reception, and the two Houses separated
! to consider the objections. After two hour;
debate the Senate decided to accept the re-
port and the House to reject it. The joint con.
vention again assembled, and this result be-
| ing announced Oregon was counted fol
| Hayes. The count then proceeded and Penn
! sylvania brought forth another objection, the
| charge being that Daniel J. Morrell, one o
| the electors was centennial commissioner
( The two Houses again separated and tht
| senate promptly FOItu 10 ONeITule lllb on
| lection but the House took recess until Mon
day without action. Early in the day mi
nority of the Democrats in The
House had endeavored to delay
| by taking recess until Monday
without action on Oregon, but this was de.
feated by vote OF 159 TO SO. Several dilatory
motions were ruled out of order by Speaker
Randall, and the intention of the majority
seemed to be to act in good faith.
The progress of the count on the
Goth was quite exciting. The House INDUCED
in long and animated debate upon the
question OF the alleged ineligible Pennsylva
MIA elector during which Hewitt of New York
again Denounced Hoar of Massachusetts, FOL
acting in bad faith, but urging in the strong
est terms acquiescence in the decision of the
electoral commission. As be finished Mr.
Cate, of Wisconsin, made his way through
the circle and addressing Mr.. Hewitt, in an
excited manner said: "You have pronounced
the action OF the commission to be infamous
a gross betrayal OF confidence reposed in it; 0
perversion of right and justice. Do you now
declare it to be the duty OF the Democrats to
assist in the speedy contamination OF what
you pronounce an outrageY"
Mr.. Hewitt say that will yield TO it, be-
cause / see no other course LETT but anarchy.
Mr.. Cate-I deny it, and l assert that it is
the duty OF the Democrats to oppose it by
every means in their power. 1t would bs
ment and confusion.
Mr.. Yeates, OF North Carolina, forced his
way through the circle and with flushed face
and excited manner exclaimed, addressing
himself to Mr.. Cate: "The Democrats who
are opposing acquiescence-those who de-
nounce us now as cowards-when the pinch
came fifteen years ago turned against u.s."
Mr.. Hoar replied to Mr.. Hewitt with much
bitterness after which it was voted by 1876 to
ll9, not to count the ineligible elector. The
Senate was then notified and the joint con-
vention resumed. Only one house having
voted against receiving the vote of Pennsyl-
mia, the whole vote was recorded for Hayes.
Rhode Island was the next State called and
here objection was raised that VIM. Slater
was not properly appointed to fill the vacancy
occasioned by the resignation Of Corliss, who
was a Centennial Commissioner. The two
houses then separated and both promptly
agreed to count Slater's vote. The joint con-
vention again assembled and Rhode Island
was recorded for Hayes.
The next certificate opened was that from
South Carolina, authenticated by Governor
Chamberlain, showing seven votes for Hayes
and Wheeler. 1t was followed by another
certificate showing seven votes for Tilden
and Hendricks, with statement by the cleo
tors explaining the absence OF the Governor s
Authorization. The objection to the Repub-
lican certificate was presented by Representa-
lection to the Democratic one was presented
by Senator Patterson, OF South Carolina. The
Democratic objections were that no legal
election was held in South Carolina; that
from Jan. LIST. 1876, to Dec. 10th, 1876, there
was not Republican form OF government in
the State, and the so-called government dur
ing that period was illegal and in violation
OF the constitution that the army and q. 5.
Marshals interfered with the free action OF
voters on election day.
The Republicans objected to the Demo-
cratic electors, that they were not duly
chosen that they are not certified by the Gov
ernor, and that the Republican electors re-
ceived higher number of votes than the
Democratic.
The two houses then separated, and the
disputed State, at $50 p. m, was referred to
the Commission. After a briet session the
Commission adjourned until 10 a. m. on the
9th.
Question of Fire.
From Harpers Drawer.
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