The daily gazette., 1877-02-12
THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION.
rnE onsrcr1oNs no Irs pEcIsioN.

THE OBJECTIONS TO IT'S DECISION.
At one o'clock on Saturday, the two
Houses of Congress met in joint session
to proceed with the count of the Elec-
toral votes. After reading the decision
of the Electoral Commission, the presid-
ing officer arose, and asked whether there
was any objection to the decision.
Mr.. Field N. " then rose and present
ed objections, which were thereupon
read by the Clerk of the Honse, as fol-
lows:
An objection is interposed by the un
dersigned Senators and Representatives
to the decision made by the commission
constituted by an act entitled can act to
approve and regulate the counting of the
votes for President and Vice-President
and the decision of questions arising
thereon, for the term commencing March
4, A. ID. .1877," as to the legal electoral
vote of Florida, on the following
grounds:
FiTst-That the decision determi ned
that the vote cast by Charles H. Pearce,
Frederick G. Humphreys, VIM. HI. Hol-
den and Thomas w. Long, as electors Of
President and Vice-President of the
United States, In and for or on behalf of
the State of Florida, Is the true and legal
electoral vote of the said State, when in
truth and fact the vote cast by Wilkinson
Call, James E. Yonge, Robert Il. Hilton
and Robert Bullock is the true and law.
full vote of said State.
Second-For that said commission re.
fused to receive competent and material
evidence tending to prove that Charles
III. Pearce, Frederick c. Humphreys, W
IL. Holden and Thomas w. Long were
not appointed electors in the manner pre-
scribed by the Legislature State of Flori-
da, but were designated as electors BY
the Returning Board of said State cor
ruptly and fraudently in disregard of law
and with the intent to defeat the will of
the people expressed in the choice of
Wilkinson Cali, James E. Yonge, Robert
E. Hilton and Robert Bullock, who were
legally and regularly appointed electors
by the State of Florida in the manner
prescribed by the Legislature thereof.
Third-For that the decision aforesaid
was founded upon the resolution and or
der of said commission previously made
as follows: "Ordered, that no evidence
Will be received considered by the COM
mission which was not submitted to the
Joint convention of the two houses by
the President of the Senate with the diff
ferent certificates, except such as relates
TO the eligibility of f. c. Humphreys,
one of the electors"
Fourth-For that said decision excludes
all the evidence taken by the tive houses
OF Congress by the committees of each
house concerning frauds, errors and ir-
regularities committed by the persons
whose certificates are taken as
proof OF the due appointment of cleo
tors.
FgW-For that said decision excludes
all evidence tending to prove that the
ceruhcate OF Stearns (Governor), as also
| that of the Board of State Canvassers
was procured or given in pursuance of a
Irauuulent and corrupt conspiracy to
cheat the State of Florida out Of lis right
inl choice of electors, and to substitute
tnerefor those who had not been chosen
or appointed electors by said State in the
manner provided by the Legislature there
S'TW-For that the said commission re-
fused to recognize the right of the courts
OF the State of Florida to review and re-.
verse the judgment of the Returning
Board or Board of State Canvassers rem
dered through fraud without jurisdiction,
and elected and refused to consider the
actlon OF said courts after their decision
that Charles III. Pearce, f. G. Humphreys
w. H. Holden and Thomas w Tono
were not entitled to cast the eleetora
vote OF the State of Florida, which said
declslon was rendered by court of said
state in a case lawfully brought before
SAID court, which court had iurisdiction
over the subject matter thereof and
whose jurisdiction over the said Charles
n Pearce, f. G. Humphreys, w. II
Holden and Thomas w. Long has at
taeheh before any act was done by them
as electors.
,Serenh-For that said decision exclude,
az evidence tending to prove that the
state OF Florida by all the department,
of its Government, legislative, executiy VI
and Judicial, had decreed as traudulen
all the certificates of Stearns (Goyerporl
as well as that of the State cauyassers
upon which certificates the said commits
sion has acted, and by means of whlcI
the true electoral votes of Florida hav
been rejected and false ones substitute
, in their stead and
Il ghh-For that to count the votes c
GnarIes II: Pearce, f. G. Humphrey!
W II. Holden and Thomas w. Long @
eieotorS Tor President and Vice-Presider
would be violation of the Constitutio
of the United States.
n olSneu Dy senators JONES' of Florida
: Cooper, of Tennessee; Barnum, of Coz
nectlcut; Kernan, of New York; Saul
Dury, OF Delaware; NJ McDonald, of indians
e Representatives Knott, Field, Holman
tucker, Thompson (MassD, jerks, FL
ley, Sayler, Ellis, Morrison, Hewitt. {,
Y.) and Springer. v
: The objections having been read, IL
t presiding officer asked whether the
# were any further objections to the d
l. cision After pause he said, there bell
j none, the Senate will retire to its Chai
It per- SO that the houses respectively mi
i consider and determine the obectio,
ele e The Senators thereupon withdrew.