The daily gazette., 1877-02-13


WASHINGTON, Feb. 12.-The House
was occupied nearly four Hours to-day in
disposing Of the question whether the dis
cussion Of the electoral commission in the
Florida case should be sustained. Tie
electoral bill permits only of two hours
discussion, but the call of the yeas and
nays occupied almost as much more time.
The most peculiar speech in the debate
was that of Mr.. Carr, of Indiana, the sue
cessor Of the late Speaker Kerr. He ad-
ministered very severe lecture to his
democratic associates, land bull-dozed them
at great rate for voting to create the
electoral commission and then expressing
disappointment at its findings. His re-
marks were constantly greeted with roars
of laughter from the republican side,
where his lecture was enjoyed amazingly.
The democrats. however, Joined in the
merriment. The House by vote of 1GS
to 103 decided that the decision of the
commission should not stand, but that the
democratic electoral vote should be coun-
ted. This only served Of course, to ex-
press the opinion of the House, as the
decision ofthe commission stood by reason
of the Senate on Saturday voting to sus-
tainit.
The Senate was then notified that the
House was ready to receive it. That
body had been sitting idly since 10 O'Clock
in the morning, waiting TO be called over
to the house, as the presiding officer had
decided that no business could be trars-
acted. The Senators received the mes
sage with alacrity, and took very little
time in getting over. When they had
entered the House hall and were seated
the President of the Senate took the chair
of the Speaker and opened the proceed
ings of the third day of the joint conven-
tion for the count of the electoral vote.
The Florida vote was then counted for
Hayes. Then came Georgia with eleven
votes for Tilden, and Illinois with twenty
one votes for Hayes. Statements had
been made that objection would be raised
, to the vote of one of the Illinois electors
on the ground that he was ineligible, anG
. there was some curiosity to see from
whence the objection would come.
, But no such motion was made. The
fifteen votes of Indiana were then record
ed for Tilden, the sixteen of Iowa and
| Kansas for Hayes, and the twelve of Ken
lucky for Tilden. The next certificates
that were opened were from Louisiana.
There were two republican certificates
!, from Louisiana which seemed to read ex-
! actly alike, and then the democratic GER
} tificates. Then, to the surprise of every
one, the President of the Senate stated
that there was fourth certific, which
will be laid before joint convention.
This was opened and read, found to be q
burlesque account of the proceedings of
an imaginary electoral college, composed
entirely of John Smiths, and who cast
eight votes for Peter Cooper.
The reading of the paper produced
much merriment. and several men,
bers arose at different periods of the
reading to demand that it be discon>
, tinued, TO whom Senator Ferry stated
| that lie had no discretion but to order
the reading of all papers regularly ad-
dressed to him as President OF the
! Senate, and purporting to be the GER
,, tificates of electoral votes. After
wards, by unanimous cousent, he or
dered that all mention of the paper be
suppressed in the official record. Oh
jections were severally presented to
the reception of the democratic and
The republican vote from the two sides
of the chamber. These, with all the
papers In the case, were then ordered
to be transmitted to the electoral
commission, and the joint convention
| once more separated.
There was quite a crowd in the gal
leries to>day, but not so large as GA
the two former occasions, and long
before the proceedings were at an end
the galleries had thinned outvery per-
ceptibly. The reading of the certifi.
Gates took up very long time, and
was very dry reading at that. The
, electoral commission met to receive
the papers in the Louisiana case, and
then adjourned Immediately until to-
morrow morning ,swhen the arguments
of the objectors will begin.
AS already stated, it is not antici-
pated that decision in the case can
be reached before the end of this
week, if at that time The points
raised are numerous and important,
and it will be seen that they involve
various questions which were not COW
cred at all in the Florida case. It will
be noticed that one of the points
raised against the Hayes electors is
the ineligibility of Kellogg, who is one
of the Hayes electors at large. In the
Florida case the republican counsel
maintained in the strongest terms
that an elector was State officer, and
even if ineligible under the constitu-
ton of the United States, there must
be State provision to make his'ineligi
biIity of effect. Article III of the con-
stitution of Louisiana provides that
"no person shall hold or exercise at the
same time more than one office of trust
; or profit except that of justice of the
peace or notary public"
Kellogg as Governor certified to his
own election as elector, and while Gov.
ernor exercised the Office of of an elector
by voting for Hayes and Wheeler. His
case will be a nice nut for the republican,
counsel and for Justice Bradley to crack
| MORE TESTIMONY.
Col. George p. Kane was here to-day,
summoned as witness before the House
committee on privileges, but was not ex-
amined, as the members of the committee
were employed in the joint convention OF
the two houses.
| ARRANGING THE CABINET.
1t was mentioned night or two since
that the friends of Gov, HAYES were so