The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-02-13


December, 1t followed that a similar
judgment in any or all Of the other Statei
might be certified to the President Of The
Senate and must go before the court
he wanted 10 know II by IN ex post iaclC
judgment In one State one party SHOULD
secure an advantage, why by a similar
movement in another State correspond
ing advantage might not be made for an
other party, and claimed as the result Of
such n policy that instead OF counting
the votes under the Constitution and Law
at the time prescribed, 1t would becomC
necessary 10 count the judgments in que
warranto rendered in the various States
and enter into an inquiry as to the
regularity or conclusiveness OF these
judicial proceedings. There must bt
authority somewhere and at somC
time to decide who were duly ap
pointed electors, and the only safe, OF
sOnnb, or constant rule that conld bt
found was that adopted by the Commits,
sion, to.wit: That the decision made by
the proper State authorities prior 10 Mt
time fred BY The Constitution and lqp joi
eleeting President and Vice President o.
Me United States was final and not sub
ject TO be set aside by Congress. The
power Of Congress was to count and not
10 reject duly certified votes Of States.
Mr.. Tucker followed on the opposite
side, lie said the members Of the Com.
mission had taken an oath to render judg'
ment according to the Constitution and
law. The Commission in passing on the
eligibility Of Humphreys had declined to
pass on the question Of the validity
OF the vote OF an incompetent
elector Did the Commission mean tC
decide that the ineligibIlity oil an elector
was 10 have no effect on the validity OF
his vote; il the State affirmed the ineligi.
Die elector, was he, Notwithstanding, TO
be declared by the commission, and by
the two houses, to be u competent elector
and his vote TO be valid vote? II so
then the act Of the Canvassing Board OF
that State was valid and the Constitution
quOd hoe was void in regard TO the main
question. The decision Of the commits.
sion was TO the effect that the only voice
permitted To speak for n State in the mat.
ter Of the Presidential election was the
voice Of Canvassing Board, and OF an
Executive, and the voice Of the Judiciary
and Of the Legislature must be husheCl
into silence. He contended that all or
ganism Of a State must speak its voice.
Mr.. Banks spoke in (avor.ot the re.
portland MeSsrs.Springer and Hurd In Op.
position. Mr., Carr said: ! have no hesitanCy
in saying thatmy convictions arethat un.
tier palpable facts behind the Governors
certificate, the vote OF the State Of
Florida should have been returned for
Tilden and Hendricks, but sir, at the
same time, | hold that the Democratic
majority OF this House has no right
to complain that this Commission has
rendered u partizan decision in reporting
the four electoral votes OF Florida for
Hayes and Wheeler. arise TO remind
you, the Democratic majority, that
in common decency your votes
on this occasion have stopped
you from indulging in even one
word Of criticism against the decis.
ion Of that tribunal. Sirs, is your own
offspring; you brought it into being; you
gave it life and power, and You alone are
responsible for the result. 1t is no ex-
cuse for you 10 assert that you did not
anticipate such result that you expect.
ed higher and better things. No sirs.
The wrong is great and burning, but the
outrage lies at your hands and your
hands alone, nor will the people be slow
in ascertaining the true source of their
defeat. It may subserve your purpose
for brief time 10 attempt to shield your
selves under cover OF hollow and use
less denunciations OF your tribunal,
but when mad populace shall have vent
ed unmeritcd anger upon this Tribunal
fora brief hour, it will seek the true OBJ.
jects OF its just Indignation, and the
blame will at last be where II belongs.
Here then in the name OF the Democracy
of the whole country l absolve that
Commission from all charges and in the
name ol same great power, | denounce
the majority OF this house as being re-
sponsible for the wrong and recreant, ig.
norantly or corruptly recreant to the conf
dence which has been reposed in them
aud iaithless TO the trusts confded to
them. [Applause.l
Mr.. WelEin, of Virginia, said he was
one OF the Democrats who had supported
the electoral bill in good faith and he
would say to the gentleman from Indiana
(Carr) that it would take more than him
and the few Democrats who voted with
him against that measure TO read the ma.
jority OF the House ont Of the Democratic
party.
Mr.. Field said that the decision OF this
tribunal as it had been made, was entitled
TO no respect. 1t is as unfounded IN
morals as it is unsound in law and inju.
rious and pernicious in its consequences.
The spectacle OF successful villainy is
corrnpting in proportion to the extent OF
the theatre on which it is enacted and TO
the prize which it wins. The Presidency
OF the United States has never yet been
won by fraud. II it is won now the ex.
ample will be more injurious to our good
name and more corrupting to our people
than all the peculations and frauds OF all
our history.
Debate closed AT ll:jO an the House
proceeded TO vote.
Mr.. Hale's amendment was rejected, 81
TO l57, and Mr.. Fields resolution adopt.
ed.
1t was then ordered that the Clerk in
Iorm the Senate OF the action OF the
House, and also, that the House is ready
10 meet the Senate in the hall OF the
House. AT 2:25 the Senators arrived
and took their place. The presiding
officer rose and said, the joint meet
ing OF Congress resumes its session. The
two llouses separately, have considered
and determined the objections submitted
by the members Of the House to the de.
cision Of the Commission, on the ccrtifi.
Gates from the State Of Florida. The
Clerk Of the Senate will now read the
decision Of the Senate.
The decision Of the Senate having been
read by the clerk and that OF the House
by its clerk, the presiding officer said, the
two houses non concurring in ordering
otherwise, the decisiono OF the Commission
will stand unreversed. The counting will
now proceed in conformity with the deci.
sion OF the Commission. The tCllers will
announce the vote OF Florida. The State
ot Florida has given four votes for X. B.
Hayes, OF Ohio, rs President, and four
votes for Wm. A. Wheeler, Of New York
as Vice President.
The Vice President then opened the
cert itira 10 frnn, Nha CIoNn ~ I!nn.nsa 81