The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-02-21
HOUSE.
The House met at 10 o clock.

certained, the regular business of the day
was introduced by Mr.. Gibson offering
an order that the Hayes electoral votes
for Louisiana be not counted.
Mr.. Hurl5ut moved to amend by strik-
ing out the word "not."
The discussion was opened by Mr.
New, who said that he had voted for the
electoral com mission, without hesita-
tion or misgiving, and be was not ssham-
ed of the support which he had given to
that measure; he accepted without quail.
fcation his humble share of responsibility;
but he would vote to sustain the objections
to the decision of the Commission. b Q
was in favor OF proceeding without any
unnecessary delay to the completion Of
the count.
Mr.. Kelley said that in the case of the
LOUISIANA election corruption on one side
seemed as heinious as cruelty on the
other side was horrible. He found it
quite impossible TO say which OF the two
sets of electors from Louisiana voiced
the true will of the people Of that State.
1t wonld have been hard TO fad wiser
and more considerate set Of men than
those who had onounced the decision
of the Electoral Commission. He sp-
precisted the strength of their position
Congress could not be too jealous of the
constitutional rights of States
to choose its Presidential electors.
Mr.. Joyce declared that the whole
scheme Of the election to the Presidency
oil the grand fraud of Grammercy Park
had been subject to Democratic cheating
from beginning to end.
Mr.. McMahon said the decision Of the
Commission in the case of Louisiana was
worse in its consequence to the Ameri-
can people than the decision in the
Florida case. As to Oregon no Demo-
crat looked forward with much hope TO
the derision in that case.
Mr.. Rice protested against the wrong
and violence embodied in the decision,
and argued that the whole subject should
bo referred back to the Commission.
Mr.. Wstterson rose to speak, and
Immediately the floor and galleries were
hushed into stiffness He said that if
the acceptance of the inevitable with
resolution and dignity be the highest, as
it is the rsrest, form of courage known
among men, il is made harder in this in
stance by the consciousness of double
dealing and foul play. Two courses are
open 10 the majority on this foor-on
one hand, a passionate outcry, at once
impotent and childish; on the other
hand, without Offering needless obstruc.
ton to the progress of events, an
earnest, manly, but temperate, protest
against what we believe to be great
and grievous wrong. la my judgment
the latter Is our clear and bounden
duty; We owe it to the necessities of the
case; we owe it to the country; we owe
it TO ourselves. Because we were
duped by false pretences into the snare
furnished, is that q reasonwhy we should
forget the obligations that press upon
honorable men2 In the very act Of pass
ing the Electoral Commission bill, we
provided for the contingency that has
come upon US. voted for that measure
in perfect good faith, the result ,s against
me, and despIcable as l must think the
means that brought it about, l accept it as
final. l shall go to my people and shall
tell them all, for as now advised they
know only part, and when they have
taken time for reflection they will, l am
very sure, illustrate the wisdom and
grace of moderation by doing nothing
that does not become good citizens. Life
will still go forward in spite Of all this
There are many things TO live for yet 10
this rough world, and among the rest
that the day of reckoning DIES ira, dies
lila, when the dark shall be light and the
wrongs be made right.
Mr. Dauford defended the decision as
one, which, outside of party feeling,
would meet the approval OF the whole |
A American people. Although there bad
been investigating committees into the
elections in Florida, Louisiana and
Oregon, which had found much crooked
ness, vet in all the words spoken, letters
written, kilograms sent there mad not
been traced to the President elect or
TO suy member Of his household one
word that would bring blush of shame
10 the Am ;rican people. Applause.
The Speaker here ammo, Iced that
the legislative session had begun and after
PRAYER and reading of the journal the
debate was resumed.
The debate closed at | o'clock. The
House then voted on Gibsons resolution,
ths, the decisi Of the Commission be
not agreed u, and it was adopted; yeas,
l72, nays SO. A party vote, except
Seelye and Pierce, Of Massachusetts,, vo-
ted with the Democrats. A message
was then sent TO the Senate that the
House was ready to meet that body In
ioint com mmittee.
In Joint Convention.
Atl:35 the Senate and House met IN
ioint convention. The presiding officer
s,sted that the two houses acting sepa-
rstely had considered and decided
the objections to the certificates from
the State Of louisiana, and that the &C
,ion of each house would now be read.
This having been doLe, the presiding
officer announced that the two houses
not having decided otherwise, the dtc.-
sion otthe Commission would stand IN
force. ard he directed the tellers 10 de-
clare the vote OF louisiana
Senator Allison, one Of the tellers,
thereupon announced that Louisians had
given eight votes for Hayes tor Presi-
1 -
dent, and eight votes for Wheeler for
Vice President.
There was no manifestation of any
kind at the announcement and the
counting OF the certificates continued,
NJ .ine giving seven votes for Hayes and
Wheeler, and Maryland eight tor Tllden
and Hendricks. When the certificate
from Michigan was read, giving
eleven votes for Hayes and Wheeler
Mr. Tucker, Of Virginia, rose and pre-
.ented objections TO the counting OF the
vote of D l.. Orrisnsn, one ol the cleo
tori, declaring that one Benton Hanchett
having been elected one OF the electors
for Michigan, and having held and Ia
still holding the office OF United state.
! Commissioner. had sbsented himself
from the meeting OF the electors on the
9Th of December, and his place had been
dlled BY another e!ector.
The objection claims the tact that
Hanchett absenting himself from the
meeting, did not create Q vacancy, aho
hSh