, 1877-02-25
IN THE SENATE.

President Of the Electoral Commission, convey
ing the decision of the Commission regarding
The Electoral votes from Oregon.
Ms. Logan moved that the House be notified
that the Senate was ready to resume the Elect
oral count. Agreed TO.
Tue credentials Of Mr.. Ferry, reelected Zen
ator, were filed.
4 personal explanation was made by Mr.
kogy to the effect that be thought, when pre-
=eutlng the resolutions Grozing the passage o'
the Texas Pacific Railroad that ther had been
passed by both Houses Of the Missouri LegisIa,
ture.
The Senate marched to the hall oil the House
to resume the count.
. DEBATE ON OREGON.
Cpon the return Of the Senate Mr.. Sargent
submitted resolution that the decision OF the
Commission upon the Electoral vote Of the
State Of Oregon stand as the Judgment Of tue
Senate. Objection VAS made thereto to the
contrary Notwithstanding.
The debate was then opened BY Mr.. Kelly,
who denied that Watts was eligible as Presi-
1entia. Eiector.
Na. MoRrox's SPEECH.
a1r- Morton Raid:. believe 1t Was not argue d
BY anybody upon the Com1pission that Cronin
a:as elected that Tifden had vote in Oregon,
but The minority OF the Commission took the
ground that there were but two Electors chosen
fn Oregon, and that Hayes had but two votes IL,
that State. Watts xas Postmaster at lafayette
tn the 1th of November. 1t Was argued, there
lore, lie vas not elected; that the election was
j failure so far IS he was concerned; and that
but two were elected. On the 18th Of
Aoresaber WITS resigned. On the 14th his
resignation was accepted, and, on the same day,
TIE Office was transferred to another person and
to another building. When the Electors met
ou the 9Th OF December, Watts handed in his
resignation Is an Elector, and was afterwards
chosen to ill the vacancy, and east h,s yote
Although Watts was not Postmaster or an Of
hcchuIder on the 9TH OF December. when the
Electors voted, It was argued there was nc such
vacancy In the College OF Electors as that Col
leee had the right to fill aud therefore that the
elsction by the College was nullity. On the
other hand, Watts, odc(l, and Cartwright re-
criTed
MAzoR1r1rs OF THE PEOPLES VOTES f
ranging oEer 900 above. their highest COM
pctltors. The Secretary of State cauvassed the |
vote ON the 4th Of December and made his |
certificate of the result showing the election OF
pdelf, CARTWRIGHT, and Watts, winch was filed t
il the otite OF the Secretary Of State. The |
Secretary OF State was the canTassing or return
ing officer for the State OF Oregon.
Tie read from the Oregon statutes as to the
duty Of the..Seeretary Of State, and, resuming,
said: Now, in regard to the officers named,-
/
that the Secretary OF State shall canvass the
votes, and that the Governor shall
issue certificates to persons having the
highest number OF votes. He is mt
the eanv2ssing officer His duty is simply min
isterial and it is made bis pereInptory duty to
issue certificates to persons having
THE HIGHEST NCNBER OF VOTES,
lie !aR Esakt.s the declaration ns to who Is
elected. The law declares that the person hav-
ing the highest number Of yotes is eiected, and
f1t} q
officer OF that result
Then turn to the Electoral law Of Oregon.
first read the sixtieth section. ssThe votes
for Electors shall be given, received, returned,
and caovassed Tor members Of Congress"
That brings it directly under thelaw that harc |
read The Secretary of Stat4 as in case OF |
members OF Congress-, is to be the Te~
return Is elected the person having the highest
number Of rOtes, as IN tire case Of members OF
Congress. The duty Of ,the Governor Is i'm
peratire to sign the list which is made ont By
OF Congress-, Is made the canrassing
and returning officer. The Governor is no part
OF the Returning Board, has nothing to do with
The canyassiug of the votes. but is absolutely
required to sign the list made out by the secre-
;srr OF State. It was eontented By the majority
u the Commission that the law authorized the
College Of Electors or tho majority to fill |
Vacancy arising from any cause, from death, |
11usSl 10 att. 1al0re 10 attend, failure to clevt,
Y from any cause that can he imagined. It was
ue purpose to give the College OF Electors the
tight to fill any vacancy, so that the State Of
Oregon
snoCLD BE FULLY REPRESENTED
IN the Electoral College Tue College Of Elect
ors exercised this unqucstiouable right Waits,
On :. 1he esh o. December, was not a Federal cf-
He wss as completely qualified as
any citizen In Oregon. We hold, therefore. that
u was Wholly 1mmaterial whether he vas Post
of >1,or<. |
II he was not Federal otticel,older ou the 9Th
VI December, If he was then qualified. that |
brought him within the meaning Of tie Conssi-
tuti5n- Hts election was not fnvalidated any
more than the election Of Senator would be
before he was ~ years old, but WAS 80 wears old
when he took his scat. But that gues-
lion became t1nmatcrial, bccause he resigned
5hs os o. Postmaster s. bsfo5s the s'n Of
The College Of Electors had the right to elect
him to I'll the vacancy. To remove any doubts, |
he himself resigned the Office OF Eicctor SO as to
tain, aud then the College OF Electors under the
law, elected him to I'LL the vacancy, SO as to
make the Electoral College complete and law
ful under ill circumstances and IN any yicw Of
tae case.
4tr. Conkling said: Mr. PRESIDENT: Oregon
meant n 70 appoint Republican Presidential
Ih peqpe ct es@p s1 ey pa ~
voted for Republican Electors Two certificates
having been received from Oregon, the
question OF the count OF her rotes
Commission. 4 majority Of the Commissioners
hzve sent US two things; first, the decision taat
the vote ought to be counted, as the people of
The State really and honestly meant it to he
should be counted: second statement Of the
reasons By which the decision vas reached bv
lie Commissioners On first matter thus re-
korttd namely: the decision that oreeon's vote
fkHY kkAF&S tr<fne Il.