The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-02-15


issuing Of certificate Of election to Dr.. Watts was
because tie Oregon Democrats were poorer than
church contribution
THE ELECTORAL COUNT.
The Senate and House met in Joint
Convention in the Chamber of the House of Rep
toral VOTE and were called to order by the Pl esi-
dent Of the Senate. That ofIicial then said: " In
compliance with the law. the President Of the
Senate will now proceed, in the presence Of the
two houses. to open all Of the certificates Of the
several states ard in their alphabetical order be.
which the certificates were carried was then
bought in, the certificate from Alabama taken
out handed to the Tel'ers. and by
and Hendricks had received the ten Electoral
votes. The certificate was compared with the
duplicate received by mail and declared to be
reference to California. whose elk votes were
counted for Hayes and Wheeler. Then followed
Colorado with three votes for Hayes and VIII. eler:
bricks, and Delaware with three votes for Tilden
and Hendricks. Then Flo ida was reached. The
reading Of the fret certificate showed four votes
vote. and
former was authenticated by Gov. Stsarns and
the later by Atty.-Gen. Cooke. Still another
certificate was read, signed by Drew, and re-
~
act Of the Electors who voted for Tilden and
Hendricks. Objections being made to the count
of the Florida vOt,, the certificates and &C.
tions, were ordered to be transmitted to the
Electoral College Commission for judgment and
decision The Senate then Withdrew: The E!ec-
preme Court room directly after the Senate had
retired. Counsel, headed by Messrs. Field and
Evaits, were present. The papers in the Florida
upon the order Of procedure. the public sitting Of
the Commission was adjourned until Feb. 2.
The Commission then remained for private con-
sultation and soon after adjourned.
The Electoral Commission reassembled
at 1880, OF the morning of ths 3D. The Presiding
Justice announced that the case before them con-
sisted of the three Florida certificates, with the
accompanying papers and objections to the same,
and said that two Of the directors ON each side
would be allowed to open the case Mr.. Field, for
the Democrats. then opened his argument -
the action of the State Returning Board and Of
Gov. Stearns, and read from the evidence taken
before the House Committee, to show that the
particle Of evidence, and upon the mere tupposi-
ton belief that intimidation had been prac-
ticed He argued that the paramount question
before the Commission was whether: In the face
the face Of the returns is to be considered
as conclusive and binding There was no pretense,
he said, that the vote of the State was not given
for Tilden and Hendricks; the sole pretext for
denying that fact being. the certificate OF
Gov. Stearns. In regard to the election
Of q President, the Constitution distinctly
number of votes who shall be declared elected,
and it could not be rightfuly said that the certif
cate Of the Governor of State could override
Ss; MI hoans Sa the
preme Court Of Florida was the authority
to settle the Florida matter against the Return
ing Board After recess: Mr. KassoD. for The Re,
was tue only one properly before the Commission.
nized BY the United States in that connection and
the third. signed by Gov. Drew, was entirely
ec post tdctO, and signed BY an officer whose ex-
istence was not recognized until the functions Of
the Electors were exhausted. Mr.. McCrary fol-
consin. cited by Mr.. Field, and citing many au-
thorities in connection herewith Mr.. Evarts, in
reply to question of the Presiding Justice, said
decision should be against the view taken BY his
colleagues of the question Of the consideration Of
the certificates. Mr.. Thurman suggested that
order to Simplify proceedings. The Commission
then adjourned.
The Electoral Commission met at 10 80
o'clock on the Sd, according to adjournment.
Counsel were instructed to present what they pro-
posed to offer in evidence in a condensed form,
|
admssibilty. Mr.. O'Conor then stated what
his eide expected to present. and Mr.. Black
prepared to argue as to- its admiesibility
when the Presiding Justice asked II The the
Republicans. said that he should object de.
cidedly, and Mr.. Black continued his argument.
Justice Miller moved that counsel have
of admissibility and the Commission 80 decided
In accordance with this arrangement, Mess.s.
Mtrrick and Judge Black spoke for the Demo
stoughton, for the Republicans. The Commission
then adjourned with the undersi anding that the
discussion would be resumed on the 5th.
The announcement that Messrs. Evarts
and O'Conor would make the arguments befors
the Electoral Commission, on the 5th, had the ef
feet to induce . very large attendance. Mr.
Evarts commenced the argument, presenting the
Repu blican case. Conhnlng his main effort t.
the inc0mpetency of the tribunal to review thu
Gates, he cited innumersble presidents to sustain
his view Of the case. His position was based OF
three claims: First, that the Commission cannot
under the laws, Constitution and usages. 60 be-
hind the count; second, that the Governors Ger
tthcate is not necessarily binding; third, that III
| the conditions having been complied with in thu
Hayes certificate from Florida, the Commission
had no verifying powers, and must accept the &C
| Of the de fact0 Electors, even though the!
| might not be the dc jure Electors. Mr.
O'Conor took up in detail the points made b,
prevent the Commission from arriving at tn
| facts He said 1t was better to endure any amour
OF Inconvenience in the matter rather than suffe
| the fraud to stand. Coming down to . genera
consideration Of the attempt to count Hayes in HI
said there could not be man in America, WORTHY
| the name of an American citizen, who wOuli
make a claim for the Hayes Electors with
out blushing. Neither speaker was ecenf'
| or dramatic in his speech, and both confines
| themselves almost exclusively to law points. 4
large number Of authorities were cited by boil
| counsel. The speechmsking continued until
four o'clock in the afternoon, when the Presiding
| Justice announced that there would be no pub
| lie eessiOn ON the 9Th, and adjourned the Com
| mission to meet on the following day for privat
| consultation.
The President ON Specie Resumption
WASHINGTON, Feb. .,
The following is the Presidents Mes
sage to Congress on the subject of the re
sumption of specie payment:
To the Senate and House Of Representatives:
By the act Of Congress, approved Jan. "A
1876, to provide for the resumption of speci'
payments, the first Of January, 1879, il IKE,
as the date when such resumption IL I,
begin. It may not be desirable to nx a
earlier date when It shall actually bec0m,
,obligatory upon the Government to redeem
its outstanding lcgal-tender notes in coin Of
pre-. entation, butt is certainly most desirable
and willprove most beneficial! to every pecuni