The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-01-31
FROM WASHINGTON.

FROM WASHINGTON.
| THE MESSAGE on THE ELECTORAL BILL.
WASHINGTON, January 29.-The Presi
dents message accompanying his signature
to the electoral bill was read in the Senate
this afternoon, and was highly commended
on both sides Of the chamber for its admi'
rablc temper and the ability with which II
was written. The common inquiry was
who bad written the document for the Pre-
sident, as it was very apparent that 1T was
not his own production.-Specidt to Bait
more Sun.
INTERESTING AS TO THE CAUCUS.
The Democratic caucus tonight lasted
several hours. 1t was resolved in the be-
ginning that no nomination should be made
for the position. 1t required seventy-hve
votes to elect. Twenty or more gentlemen
were balloted for. On the second ballot
Representative Payne received 102 votes
and Representative Hunton 7S, and they
were thereupon declared elected On the
fifth ballot Representative Abbott, OF Mas
sachusetts, received majority, and was de-
clarcd the third member elected.
Fernando Wood received on the various
ballots n large vote, and would probably
have been selected but for the objection
| which was made that he was not lawyer.
1t had been supposed that Mr. Knott, OF
Kentucky, would have been elected as one
| of the members, but his strenuous oppoSi-
| ton to the bill had such an effect that he
did not receive on any ballot as many as a
dozen votes.
Mr.. Abbott, the third member selected,
is prominent lawyer of Massachusetts,, and
was the Democratic nominee in the recent
senatorial election in that State.
In the caucus mention was made OF the
selection Of General Garfield as one Of the
members OF the commission by the Repub-
lican caucus, and quite number OF those
present urged that his selection be not rati'
| fed by the House-frst, because he had pre-
! Judged the Louisiana case; and second,
because OF personal objections growing out
of the CreditMobilier affair and the DE
Goyer contract. The caucus declined, how.
ever, to take any action in The matter, but
it was understood that when the ballot is
taken in the House very many OF those pre-
sent will vote against Garfield. 49,.
David Dudley Field would have been Sc
lected rs one Of the commission but for :
suggestion which was made that possibly
the electoral tribunal would decline to al
low counsel to appear before it. In thi;
! case tue NOulu LltuaSCio "
represent it, and in this capacity it wa;
thought that Mr. Field would be OF much
more benefit than rs q member OF the com
mission. 1t was disclosed that Mr.. Hoar will
receive the unanimous Democratic yote.-Ib
MORTON.
! The Democrats are much better pleased
to have Morton on the commission thar
Conkling. Morton las not pretended t
practice law for many years, and his at
tempts at the display Of legal knowledge
&, have for a long time been the subject o
much amusement among all his associates
1t is we'll said that among theiudicial minds
which he will now meet in the electoral tri
bunal he will he no more than a cypher, fol
his sledge-hammer dogmatism cannot: pas
current there as it does in the politica
arena.-U. H..". ""
| CRAMMISG FOR THE OCCASION. ....
The Supreme Court justices who are tt
! sit on the electoral commission are already
beginning to /" cram" for their duties. To
day they called on the Librarian of Con.
gresS for copies OF the election laws OF Or.
| egon, Florida, and Louisiana, and iudicia
decisions bearing on the same.-lb. -:'aA
REBELLIoUs REPUBLICAN.
| Representative Henry L. Pierce, OF Mas
sachusetts, one Of the Republican repre-.
sentatives from that State, has for some
time been outspoken in the opinion thai
Tilden was fairly elected.-I6. ...H
PREPARING FOR THE ISSUE.
Secretary Chandler called a meeting o1
the National Executive Republican Com
mittee to meet at his house, in this city
yesterday, for the purpose Of making ar
rangements for the employment OF counse
in behalf OF the Republican candidates.
was resolved that the funds should be raised
by the committee to defray all the necessar,
expenses. Secretary Chandler was at th
Capitol to-day, and communicated the fac
to some of the Republican senators, b,
whom it was afterwards announced in th
Republican Senate caucus.-I6. 'd@opH
THE DEMOCRATIC COUNSEL. ''.''
In caucus, a resolution offered by Mr.
Randall instructing the chairman to appoin
three members to act as counsel for tn
House, was adopted. Messrs. Field, o
New York, and Tucker, of Virginia, vii
no doubt be selected, and several names ar
suggested for the third place. Washington
| Union.
fThat is, as managers.]
The only counsel who are likely to appea
before the commission in behalf OF th
Democratic candidates are Messrs. Trum
bull, Black, Carpenter, Merrick, and Bid
die. There is no authority for the publish
ed statement that General Butler has beer
asked to assist.-Ib. s@R't@- - .''',,3
TThis shows that the Union meant man
ayers aboye.l af..4e,}.s->t IA.
TIE ATTEMpT TO STEAL THE RETURNING BOARD
A runor prevailed tonight that Messrs
Shelabaroer and Wilson, attorneys for tRt
members OF the Returning Board @
Louisiana, now IN contempt OF tht
House Of Representatives, had made; ap
plication for O writ OF habeos corpus, tint
return for which was fixed for tomorrow
There seems no doubt that the application
was made to one Of the judges OF the Su'
preme Court OF this District, but up to
very late hour the clerk OF the court hat
not issued writ. Chief-Justice Cartier, Il
is believed, was applied TO, and refused te
grant the writ.
@ss POSTAL. }1i s5
Abraham A. Hess Is appointed postmas.
ter at Clover Hill, Rockingham county, Va,
vice r. NJ. Shefay, resigned. Sarah A,
Shannon Is appointed postmaster at Sun
HILL Wyoming, county, w. Va, vice w. D.
Shannon, resigned. Charles r. Robertson
has been appointed postmaster at White
Sulphur Springs 0iice Gresnbrier county,
w. Va.