The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-01-29
WASHINGTON.
A Week To Be Memorable in the
Country's History.
WORK OF THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION.
Opinions on the Scope Of It's
Powers and Duties.
THE PROBABLE MEMBERSHIP
Efforts Of the Extremists to
Obtain a Veto.
RUMORS OF A TREASURY SWINDLE.
The Country's Brave Defenders Ordered
to Their Proper Posts.
Opinions on the Scope Of It's
Powers and Duties.
THE PROBABLE MEMBERSHIP
Efforts Of the Extremists to
Obtain a Veto.
RUMORS OF A TREASURY SWINDLE.
The Country's Brave Defenders Ordered
to Their Proper Posts.
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.

FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.
WASHINGTON, Jan. %, 1871
THE PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE ELECTORAL
CoMMIssIoN--oP1NIoN REGARDING ITS pow
ERs AND DUTIEs-CouRsE TO DE PURSUED
REGARDING THE DISPUTED STATES.
The week, which will properly open next Thursday,
will DO OF the most memorable in the country's
history. Under the law constituting the Electoral
Commission tho two houses will, ON Tuesday, by an
open vote, select tho members Of tho commission.
Changes may DO made In these members until
Thursday, when tho members, including the
Gvo Judges Of tho Supreme Court will DO
worn. After that the commission cannot
be changed On Thursday, ut ono O'clock the two
houses will assemble In the Hall OF Representatives,
the Vice President will preside the joint meeting
and he will then proceed to open the certificates in
his possession beginning with that OF Alabama and
proceeding alphabetically, and, he opens each, he
will hand to the four tccrs-two from each house
who will be previously appointed. When the first
!ilcate Is read the Vice President will call for
objections. II none are mado he will
then pass TO the next State. II
objection is made 1t must be immediate, writing,
concise and without argument and must be signed by
nj least ono member OF zach House Such objections
being thus presented tho Senate Will then at once
withdraw to lis Chamber and each house will vote
upon tho objections, two hours debate only being
allowed upon each State II tho two houses in
rejecting the vote OF State 1t will be excluded lfthey
do not concur the voto will be received. Whenever,
however, the Vice President shall open two conflict
ing certificates from the State these returns will
suhr cd IN nj IL nnd
,he opening and counting of votes will until the
commission renders its decision. This decision vii,
then be voted by tho two houses, acting separately,
md unless thoy in rejecting IT, It will stand.
The vote which is thus declared legal and proper will
be counted and tho opening and counting will proceed
until other objections raised until another set Of
duplicate certificates Is reached.
1t is not probable that objections will be made to the
reception Of the FIRST six States. Florida stands sew
enth the list and appears with two Of returns
Here the FIRST days count will stop and the returns
will DO sent to tho commission for Its examination.
II Is supposed that throo different views may DO
brought forward in the commission as to tho scope
and nature OF its powers and duties Some members
viii probably that they cannot 60 further
than 10 examine critically tho form and ccrtinca-
ton of returns and that tho which Is
strictly in coniorihsy with law, must DO accepted
Others will probably Aold that tho commission may
and satisfied whether the action OF tho Return
Ing Board-even IL has received tho proper certiGca
bon--was legal, and whether tho Returning Board
legally constituted. Yet others may think that tho
commission shall overhaul all the election returns of
State. 1t Is not probable that the last named view
will receive much favor In the commission. While
The commission is engaged upon tho vote OF Florida the
Two houses will separate, and may, until they receive
report upon the State, proceed with other business
II Florida should be decided for Mr.. Tiden that would
Of course decide his election II II should DO given TO
Mr. hayes the count would then proceed until, after
Xix more States had been counted, Louisiana was
reached. Here another sct OF double returns would
be submitted to the commission Louisiana being do
cided Oregon would be the next State turned to
the commission and South Carolina the last.
The peculiar condition of tho Florida vote, as well
as the that 1t is tho first State to up with
double returns. makes tho verdict in that OF
common interest. The Florida committees have not
yet reported facts officially belorc Congress
about the vote or tho conduct of the Return
ing Board, except the statement OF Senator
Jones, made on Friday. The commission
will como to some definite conclusion as
TO Its powers and plan of action for the first time
when Il gets the Florida returns Hence there Is
likely to DO delay about this case than any or
perhaps all the Others because when they have
laid down their course OF action, they rapidly
decide all the other cases on the principles they
have LAID down for their own guidance
hence, whilc Florida will be reached Thursday,
the decision may not DO reported TO the joint
meeting until the following week. There seems to be
no reason to doubt. however, that the whole count
will be completed by the 14,h of February at furthest,
and by that time tho country may hope to have rest
from the excitement which has greatly injured all
business interests since the 10Th Of November.
II Will be noticed that the Electoral bill pro-
vIdcs that the JOINT meeting shall be held In
the Hail Of tho House OF Representatives,
This Is in accordance with an almost unbrokcn
CUSTOM tho two houses having met in the Senate Hall
only i've times and then only In the earlier period Of
our history. Senator MOrton's electoral bill last scs
sion also provided that tho meeting should be in tho
Hall of and 1t Is curious TACT, which
has been much remarked on here, that the present
BILL which he so vehcmen'iy opposed, contains many
bill of tho last session aud differs from
IL manly this particular, that II does
not allow the vote Of State sending double returns
10 be thrown out by one house. Under Mr.. Morton's
bill tho vote OF housc snliccd to throw out the
vote OF State where double returns were sent Mr.
Morton even offered all amendment 10 his own bill
last session making judges OF the supreme Courta
comm ission decide disputed votes, and gong much
further in this instance also. than The present b LOT
no was willing to allow the decision OF tho Supreme
judges to DC final and rrcvcrsblc by the two houses
In fact comparison Of ths bl'l win cuncr SENATOR
Morion's with the twcntysecon Joint rule shows
that II 10 Ear conservative of the rights OF tho
States, and moro strictly IN accordance with tho con.
6ttuttOn tuan cIncr Ot tnc oticIs WIZ"
Mor;ons approval at time, and that OF almost all
tho republicans of the Senate only threc-Mcssrs.
Conkling Edmunds and Howc-votng against Dir.
Morton's bill last March.
THE COMPOSITION OF THE coMMIssIoN-wILI
SENATOR MORTON DE MADE MEMBER
OF IT?
There is naturally great curiosity felt here by both
parties as to the membership Of the Electoral Com
mission 1t is held certain that iu the Senate tho
democrats Will select Mcssrs. Thurman and Bayard.
IN The House they determined TO select the best
and not extreme partlsans. whom the Senate rcpub-
licsns will choose remains to bo seem There arc
rumors that Mr.. Morton intends TO insist upon him.
.1.tl,or IN he