The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-03-08
CONGRESS-.

lay was consumed IN awaiting the readiness
# the House to receive it in Joint ConYen-
ion, and it was not until 6 o'clock that
legislative business was resumed. Several
conference committees on the Appropria-
ion Bills were appointed, and other minor
transacted, and the Senate ad-
the House no legislative
was transacted, the time being con-
,umed in discussing the Electoral vote of
Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.
In the Senate, February 81, a bill was
passed authorizing homestead and pre-
settlers whose crops were destroyed
by the grasshoppers in 1876 to leave and
be absent from their lands until 1878.
The report of the Committee on Chinese
immigration was presented, signed by Mr..
Sargent, of California. Mr.. Morton was
leave to file a report that he will make
at the close of the session ......In the House,
the sundry civil appropriation bill was con-
sidered and several amendments made to it,
among which was an appropriation of $780,
600 for the payment to mail contractors for
mail service performed in certain Southern
States in '59'60'61, before the
States engaged in rebellion. A bill pre-
scented by Dudley Field, of New York, was
passed, providing that, in case of a failure
to elect a President and Vice-President, the
President of the Senate, or in case of q
vacancy in that Office, then the Speaker of
the House, or in case of there being no
Speaker, then the Secretary of State shall
assume the Office of President until a Presi-
dent has been elected. A resolution recog-
uizing the Hampton Government in South
Carolina, and the Nichols Government in
Louisiana, was defeated, less b two
thirds voting in the affirmative. The con-
ference report on the Indian appropriation
bill was agreed to. By a majority of one
the House voted to take a recess until ten
tomorrow.
In the Senate, February %, no legisla-
tive business was transacted. The decision
of the Electoral Commission in the case of
South Carolina was adopted as the decision
of the Senate, by a party vote. The vote of
Sollace, the Vermont E~lector, objected to in
the Joint Convention, was, by unanimous
vote, counted for Hayes and Wheeler. Ad-
journed..-"-..In the House, the hlibusters
made a gslIent fight, and it was not until six
o'clock that the joint session took place,
Immediately after it was over the House ad.
journed
In the House, on March /, after many
dilatory motions, a quorum was announced
and the Electoral vote of Vermont, which
had been objected to in the Joint Session
was brought up for consideration. Mr.
PoppIeton obtained the floor, and presented
aresoiution Directing to the vote of Vermont
which was read by the Clerk. 1t recites il
the form of a preamble, that a sealed pack
age, addressed to the President of the Senate
purportiDg to contain the Electoral vote o
Vermont, was delivered yesterday to til,
President of the Senate by Mr.. Hewitt; tina
it appears by a telegram from the Clerk o
the United States District Court of Vernon
that a duplicate of such return was depositet
in that Office the 18th of December, 1876
that such package had been made part of tn
objection to the certificate of Vermont, an,
still remained unopened, and that objection
can not be considered until such package j
opened according to law that such packag
is retained by the President or Secretary O
the Senate, and therefore resolving that tn
refusal of the President of the Senate t
open such package in the presence of tn
{ two houses was a violation of the law an
of the privileges of the House, and unit
such package shall be opened, the countin
of the vote can not proceed further, accorC
ing to the Constitution and law, and tbs
) the Senate be requested to meet the HouE
in joint session, so that ouch packag
may be opened, and the proceet
ings had thereon according to Law
The resolution created a great deal of excit
I. ment, and was debated amidst great col
fusion, many members being on the floor
once, and some standing on their sea
: demanding the attention of the Speake
who found it difficult to restore order.
, The debate being closed, and the questio
being on the resolution offered by Mr.. Pc
: pleton, Mr.. Knott moved he followir
amendment:
/: "Resolued, That this House requires tn
8 the package rendered by the member fro
/, New York MIR. Hewitt to the President
i the Senate in the presence of the two house
yesterday, and purporting to be a certica
. of the Electoral vote for Presidentand vi
President from the State of Vermont, shs
4 be opened by the President of the Senate
: the presence of the two houses, and, if four
to be such, a certificate of the same shall
submitted, together with the c~ertiica
read in the presence of the two houses,
the Electoral Commission, for its judgme
and decision, and that the Senate be I
quested to make a like order requiring Il
President of the Senate to open SUI
e package in the presence of the two house
q and that until such order be made Il
House will not be ready to meet the Sena
u and proceed with the count of the Elector
votes"
e As the vote progressed on this resolutio
and as there was al apparent prospect of
n having a majority in its favor, Il
most intense excitement prevaile
L Finally the vote was announced as--ye
1l6, nays 148. A vote, at length beil
taken on a resolution that the electoral vo
If Of Mr.. Sollaee, of Vermont, be not counte
it was carried, which brought the questi,
to 8 close.
) Joint SssSion.--At II o'clock the Senate
entered the hall, and the action of eai
e house on the objection having been rea
V the presiding officer announced that t
two houses not concurring otherwise " t
Electoral votes of Vermont would
u counted, and they were, therefore, declar
e as five for Hayes and Wheeler. Then &
1t certificate of Virginia was read, and t
votes of that State were announced as eley
for Tilden and Hendricks. The votes
: West Virginia were next announced
J. five for Tlden and Hendricks. Then car
lie the last State, the State of Wisconsin, wi
d ten votes for Hayes and Wheeler.
n The certificate of Wisconsin having be
,e read, Mr.. Lynde presented objections sign
by Senators Barnum, Mcdonald, Kell
Cooper, and Johnston, and Representatiy
n Lynde, Burcbard, Phillips, Tucker, Sprir
lie er, Rice, Vance, Young, and Morey,
counting the vote of Daniel w. Dow
4 one of the Electors for the State
Wisconsin, because he held the Office
Penson Surgeon and Examining Surgeon
IS the Pension Office prior to November z, 1S'
h the day of the Presidential election, and
the 9th of December, 1876, on which day
70 assumed to cast his vote as an Elector, a
that said Office was an Office &c pro
IL and trust, and that said Downs cou
E. not, therefore, be constitutionally 6
pointed an Hector for the State
Wisconsin, or vote as such under the CT
stitution of the United States; that Sc
Downs was not therefore duly appointed
~ Elector for said State and that his vote c
not be constitutionally counted. The Sen,
at 11:25 retired to its chamber, SO that t
70 houses might separately consider an9det
n. mine the objections.
HOuse.-As soon as the Senate withdre
!" Mr.. Mills rose to a question Of privilege, a
sent up a resolution to be read. This reso
N ton contained a preamble stating that I
i. Governors of the States of Louisiana a
at Florida falsely and fraudulently gave C
~tiicates to persons who were defeated
er Electors at the ballot box, and that t
10 Tripartite Commission refused to investig;
the question as to who were the true Cons
M ~tutionai Electors, chosen by the quslif
a voters of said States; and, therfore,
= solved, that the House of Represent atty
u proceed Immediately, in obedience to I
Constitution, to choose a President from t
n persons having the highestnumber of vot
K not exceeding three, on the list of these voI
for as President. Mr.. Lynde was ~recognil
by the Speaker as an objector to the Wise
sin vote, and offered a resolution that