The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-01-31

The preliminary proceedings under the
Electoral bill by the Senate, the House and
the four designated Justices of the Supreme
Court were nearly perfected yesterday, the
two Houses choosing by pira voce vote
the five members of the commission to
which each is entitled; but the four
judges have as yet failed to select
fifth. The ten legislative members were
chosen in accordance with previous
caucus arrangements, the Senate electing
Messrs. Edmunds, Morton and FIRE.
linghuysen, republicans, and Messrs.
Thurman and Bayard, democrats all
five having been members of the
joint committee, and all having signed it's
report except Mr.. Morton. The House
elected Messrs Payne. Hunton and Abbott,
democrats, and Messrs. Hoar and Garfield,
republicans; Payne, Huuton and Hoar
having been on the joint committee, so that
eight of the ten Congressional members are
taken from the joint committee, Mr.. Gar
field, republican, and Mr.. Abbott demo-
crat, being the two exceptions. Senator
Morton and Representative Garfield are
for the Electoral bill. The four Su-
preme Court Justices will, it is ex-
pected, select Justice Bradley as the
fifth, it being understood that Justices
Swayne and Davis peremptorily declined
to serve. OF the fifteen members Of the
commission eight are classed as republicans
and seven as democrats, but as they are all
to be sworn to do impartial justice accord
ing to law the slight republican preponder-
ance is Of little consequence. We believe
that the board, when completed, will
act in the spirit of judges and not as parti-
sans, and that the other two will be more or
less restrained by their oath and their re-
sponsibility.
The process of counting. under the new
law is to begin Immediately on the formation
of the commission. The Senate and House
will assemble in the Hall Of the Representa-
tives, and the votes will be opened and ex-
amined in the alphabetical order of the
States. There will be no hitch at Colo
RADIO, because an objection would be
o futile exhibition of bad temper,
prejudicing the public mind against the
party making it. The Senate has decided
that Colorado is State in the Union by adj
hitting her Senators, and the votes of no
State sending but one electoral certificate
can be submitted to the commission or be
rejected, except by vote of both houses.
Colorado will be counted for Hayes, and
the business proceed smoothly until Florida,
the seventh State in the list and the first
which sends two certificates, is reached.
The count will then be arrested, the
Florida certificates be referred to the
commission, and several days be consumed
before decision is reported, the two houses
proceeding with their ordinary legislative
business during the deliberations of the
commission. When it has been determined
which is the true vote of Florida the count
will again run on smoothly until it comes
to Louisiana, the fourteenth State, which
will also be referred to the commission,
causing another interruption of several days.
But if the votes of Florida are given to Til
den there will be no temptation to spend
time on any other disputed State, since Til
den needs but one electoral vote in addition
to his conceded 1874.