Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-02-23
The Joint Convention.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10.

WARRINGTON, req, ~,
The joint session Of the two houses was
resumed at eleven O'Clock this morning and
the decision of the Electoral Commission in
the Louisiana case was read. The decision is
that the Hayes electors were lawfully APP
pointed and they voted at the time and in
the manner provided for in the U. s. Consti-
tuition and law, and the commission has, by
q majority Of votes, decided that IL is not
competent under the Constitution and the
law TO go into evidence on the dlieunde papers
opened by the President of the Senate in the
presence Of the two houses to prove that
other persons had been appointed electors,
or by counter proof show they had not, or
that the determination of the Returning
Board was not in accordance with truth and
fact, the commission, by a majority Of
votes, being of the opinion that 1t is not
within the Jurisdiction uf the two houses of
Congress assembled to count the vote for
President and Vice. President to enter upon
the trial of such question. Also, that it is not
competent to prove that any of said persons
80 appointed electors held an Office of trust
or profit under the United States at the time
when they were appointed, or that they were
ineligible under the laws of the State, or any
other matter 70 be proved dieunde by said
certificates and papers. Also, that the re-
turning officers who canvassed the votes at
the election for electors in Louisiana were
a lawfully constituted body, and that the
vacancy in said body did not vitiate its pro-
ceedings. The commission also decided, by
the majority of votes, that the paper pur-
porting to be the certificate of the electoral
votes of said State of Louisiana objected to
| by /. o. Howe aud others certificate of the
Tilden electors, signed by McEneryl, is not
the certificate of the votes provided for by
the Constitution of the United States, and
that they ought not to be counted as such.
The decision was signed by S. +. Miller, w.
Strong, j. p Bradley, q. +. E0munds, .. T.
Morton, +. 7. Frelinghuysen, j. A. Garfield
and GEO. f. Hoar.
The presiding officer asked il there were
objections to the decision, and Gibson La.)
presented objections, signed by most OF the
Democrats in both houses, on the ground
that the commission refused to receive the
evidence which had been offered.
Wallace Pa.) presented objections:
/. That the decision is in violation of the Elect
oral act in that the commission refused to exam
Inc and ascertain who were duly appointed elect
ors in aud by the State of Louisiana and what
votes from that State within the provisions of
the Constitution of the United States.
3 Because the act creating the commission was
passed to the end that the commission would hear
and examine the evidence and honestly decide
what electors in any disputed State were fairly
and legally chosen; whereas the commission re-
fused to hear and consider the evidence offered TO
show that the electors whose votes the commission
decided should be counted were not duly chosen,
but that they had falsely and fraudulenty acted as
such electors, and also refused the offer to show
that the pretended certlncates OF elecuOn were
procured by corruption and were wholly untrue.
The following objection and protest, signed
by Senators Wallace, Johnston, Bailey, Ker-
nan, Kelly, salisbury and other Senators
and members was presented:
/. 1t was not denied before the commission that
the Tilden electors in Louisiana had received q
large majority of the votes cast.
3 1t was not denied before the commission that
Wells and his associates styling themselves the
Returning Board. were guilty Of gross frauds;
that their certificates given to the Hayes electors
were false and fraudulent or that their action in
canvassing the votes was in violation OF the Con
stitution and laws Of the State.
3. The action OF eight members OF the commits
sion in declining to hear evidence Of those and
other facts was violation Of tie letter and spirit
of the act under which the commission was
created and of the spirit Of the Constitution OF
the United States.
The two houses then separated to con-
slider the objections.