The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1877-02-06
COUNTING THE VOTES.
No IndicaIon Yot How Soon Decision
Will be Reached.
SECOND DAY.

When tho Grand Commission met
the president announced that two
objoctors on each side would be
allowed to speak, ono in each case.
The word case was declared to mean
q State. There is no provision for
replies.
Mr. David Dudley Field opened
for tho Tilden Electors. After
alluding to the action Of tho Florida
returning board, which, ho said, was
shown by the evidence to include
tho throwing out of precincts upon
the nero belief that intimidation had
been practiced, he argued that the
paramount question before the Cons
mission was whether, in the face of
such testimony as this, it can bo
claimed that tho face of tho returns
is conclusive and binding. The
usual form Of stating the question,
"Can you go behind the certificates"
is On erroneous form. The question
should be revised SO rs to read:
"Cnn the certificate go behind the
truth and conceal it p There is no
tpretcnco that the vote Of the State
was not given for Mr. Tildcn, the
solo pretoxt for denying it being the
certificate of Governor Stearns.
Mr.. j. Randolph Tucker, of Vir-
ginia, followed Mr., Field on the
same side. In concluding his OBJ
jcctions he gave notice that, as soon
as tho Court should prescribe the
mode, they were prepared to
unkenncl the frauds, and the illegal
ity that attends the title Of the
Hayes claimants. Mcssrs Kasson
and Nc Crary followed for the Hayes
Electors. Kasson argued atrong gly
against going behind the decision
Of tho returning board. This closed
tho argument of the objectors.
THIRD DAY.
The Electoral Commission Court
allowed counsel to file evidence.
The question it's reception will be
decided hereafter.
Two hours were allowed to the
discussion whether the Commission
shall confine itself to matter laid
before it by the President Of the
Senate. In the preliminary struggle
the Republicans arguedsto oontine,
tho Democrats to enlarge the scope
Of the investigation. Nothing was
elected beyond Celebrations.
Merrick, Evarts, O'Conor and Mat.
thews each spoke for the admission
of evidence, when the Commission
adjourned to 10 o'clock Monday.
The Commission was called to
order by Judge Clifford, the prcsid-
ing justice. After few remarks by
the presiding Justice as to the order
of procedure to be observed, to the
effect that, in his view, it would be
in order for the Democratic counsel
t pres ent, in brio f,relsons why tn ,
Hayes and Wheeler electoral certiti-
cate should not not be received, and
that the Republican counsel might
follow with reasons why the Tilden
and Hendricks certificate ought not
to be received
OConor, Of the Democratic ooun-
sci, arose and proceeded to address
the Commission. He said he would
address himself to what seemed
most pertinent in the Florida case,
and would offer proof why the first
certificate of Hayes and Wheeler
should not be counted.
Evarts, of the counsel for the
Hayes and Wheeler electors, said
that if the order of procedure. .sug-
gested by the presiding Justice
should be followed it was the first
intimation the counsel on his side
had had of it and they would not be
prepared to go on to-day.
The presiding Justice stated that
his remarks We're in the nature of a
suggestion and did not embody a
ruling of the Commission.
O'Conor, after few preliminary
remarks rs to what he thought
would be the best method of pro
cedure, read brief setting forth
what he thought ought to be sub,
mitted as evidence. Ho said that on
December 9th last the electors for
Hayes and Wheeler and for Tilden
and Hendricks met and cast their
votes and transmitted the returns to
the seat of Government. Both sets
of electors complied with the re-.
quircments of law. a writ of quo