Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-02-09
THE FIRST DECISION OF THE

fh1OAY MORNlNG. FEB. -. lo1I.
THE FIRST DECISION OF THE
ELECTORAL Confession.
The Republican Chapman has again
crowed too soon!
The first act Of the Electoral Commits
sion to vote on the case is important in two
things; First, In putting the Democratic
and Republican certificates for the State
on the same footing, and; secondly, That
the Electoral Commission does not propose
to vote a party vote straight through. To
understand it, the reader must recollect
that there are two sets of certificates for
Florida-those given by Coy. Stearns rep,
and those given by Gov. Drew dem, and also
cult Court ordering a recount of the vote,
and the subsequent legislative action.
The Electoral Commission resolved to con
slider only these three papers, and not go
behindthem into an investigation of the
election frauds, which would have been an
endless task. Their resolution as adopted.
reads as follows
Ordered, That no evidence will be re-
ceiYed or considered by the commission
which was not submitted to the joint COM
mission of the two houses by the president
of the Senate with the different certif-
Gates, except such as relates to the eligibi-
lity of E. q. Humphreys, n Of the Flor
ida electors.
T.. The Electoral Commission has in no
sense of the word accepted the HAYES re-
turns from Florida, and they and the TIL
DEN returns are now being discussed.
Had any other course been adopted than
the resolution passed, there would have
been no possibility Of hearing the mass Of
evidence that would have been produced
by Republicans and Democrats, by the
time for the Inauguration of either candi-
date-or their children after them. An un-
pleasant feature of the act was the strict
party vote, as is alleged, in the judiciary
lit would not excite apprehension else
where)Ethe ayes being Judges BRADLEY,
MILLER and STRONG, and the hayes,
Judges CLIFFORD and FIELD. But this
is redeemed somewhat in that on the next
vote, on a resolution to admit evidence
with regard to the eligibility of electors.
Judge BRADLEY voted with Judges CLIFF
FORD and FIELD. This resolution is fatal
to the claims of WATTS, the Republican
elector from Oregon, and also to those Of
LEvIsEE, the Republican elector from
Louisiana.
will be a new point-the constitutlonality
of the canvassing board, and, we believe,
two or three other legal questions which are
not in the Florida case.
The fact that the first order regarding
the certificates was prepared by Senator
EDMUNDs, and the second regarding the
ELIGIBILITY of electors was submitted by
ABBOT a Democrat and voted for by
BRADLEY, shows that the action was not
of the partisan character Oh rather not &C
tuned by the partisan motives of which
MORTON is the apostle.
The fact that CHAs. O'CoNNoR, RICH
ARD MERRICK, the two Democratic coun-
sci and Judge BLACK say they are perfect
ly willing to rest their case on the evidence
as ruled in the resolution, that Chairman
VI tll0 CAOA
mittee and such men as JOHN GooDE and
Gov. WALKER of Virginia are satisfied
with the action of the Commission, and
that everybody was in high spirits at Col.
PELTON's headquarters Wednesday night,
should be enough to keep those Of smaller
opportunities for information in good
heart.
We nave great faith in the honesty of
the five Judges of the Supreme Court and
their fairness, and in the strength of the
Democratic case and we have an abiding
faith that SAMUEL ]. TILDEN will be seat
ed on the 9Th Of March. The Democratic
disappointment at not being allowed to
turn on a flood of evidence of corruption
and fraud will pass away when they fnd
that permission to follow such a course
would have been disastrous, by delay, to
the speedy realization Of their hopes.
The sudden flood of Republican rejoicing.
lust after the Commission rose, appears to
have come through wrong information, OBJ
tanned through Garfield. A Washington
telegram to the Baltimore "Sun," Wed
nesday night, says:
1.-The Democrats, who had been thrown
into a panic by the belief that the effect of
the decision was the acceptance of the
certificates of the Hayes electors, were
much relieved to hear that the orders
would really have the effect to permit a
presentation of the whole Democratic
case, as every necessary paper and docu-
meht to sustain that Case Was included in
the mass of evidence transmitted to the
President of the Senate and by him laid
before the Commission. 1t was said also
that the Democratic counsel were entirely
satisfied with the decision of the Commits
sion."
Below we give a description of the scenes
attending this first DECISION Of the ~elector-
al Commission:
THE POPULAR EXCITEMENT.
The excitement in regard to the decision
OF the commission which was SO manifest
last night continued throughout the day.
MI. Justice Strong and Mr.. Justice, Brad
ley had preserved such discreet silence
during the discussion by members of the
commission that their purpose was not
known until they spoke themselves this af-
ternoon. Thr0ngs of people were at the
capitol early this morning, and continued
to lOiter around the building all day. But
little attention was paid to the proceedings
OF either house, and members were contin-
ually passing to aud fro between the ball
of the House and the Senate chamber. Re
pubiicans and Democrats appeared equally
anxious and equally ignorant as to what
the final decision would be. AS 8 O'Clock
approached a great throng of people gath
cred in the passage way leading to the Su-
preme Court chamber, and three of the
special capitol police were kept busy keep
ing the passage way clear. Three O'Clock,
the hour indicated at which the final
vote would be taken, and still there
was no announcement made. The
minutes dragged along. seeming to
the anxious and expectalt throng hours,
until, at twenty minutes past three, the