The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1877-02-08
THE ELECTORAL TRIBUNAL.
[The court, as organized, consists of the follow
ing officials

1.-THE court, as organized, consists of the follow
ing officials:
JUSTICES OF THE SUPREME COURT.
Justice Clifford, of Maine
Justice Strong, of Pennsylvania
Justice Miller, of Iowa;
Justice Field of California.
Justice Bradley, of New Jersey.
SENATORS. REPRESENTATIVES,.
Edmunds, of Vermont; Hoar, of Massachusetts ::
Morton, of Indiana; Garfeld of Ohio;
Frelinghuysen, of New Payne of Ohio;
Jersey; Hunton, of Virginia;
Bayard of Delaware; Abbott, of Massachu-
Thurman, OF Ohio. sets.
The following are the counsel employed: Re-
pabHcGns-William NJ. Evarts and E. W. Stoughton,
Shellabarger, of Ohio. acknowledgement Trum-
bull, OF illinois; Matt a. Carpenter, of Wisconsin;
jeremiah s. Black, of Pennsylvania; Ashabel
Green, and Charles O'Conor, of New York;
WASHINGTON, Wednesday, Jan. 31.-The
Tripartite Commission assembled at noon in
the Supreme Court room and organized. The
special oath of Office was administered to JUS
tice Clifford by MIR. Middleton, the Clerk of
the Court. and Justice Clifford, who, by the
Electoral act, is the presiding officer of the
commission, then administered the oath to the
other fourteen members. James Fl. Nc
Kenny was then appointed temporary Clerk to
the commission. series of rules for the
government of the body, drawn up by Mr.
Edmunds, were adopted. It was decided that
the sessions of the board should be public
all discussions and consultations between the
members Of the commission, however, to be
held in private. Speeches Of counsel were
limited to two hours on the main question, and
fifteen minutes in interlocutory questions.
The President of the commission was invested
with authority to regulate all arrangements
affecting the attendance of spectators.
THURSDAY, Feb. 1.-The commission met at
8 o'clock p. m. in the room of the Supreme
Court, at the Capitol. A communication from
the two houses of Congress was received and
read, as follows:
HALL OF House OF REPRESENTATIVES,, Feb. 1,
18T.-To the President of the Commission:
More than one return or paper purporting
to be return or certificate of the
electoral votes of the State of Florida
having been received and this day opened in the
presence of the two houses of Congress, and obec-
ton thereto having been made, said returns, with
all accompanying papers and also objections there
to- are herewith submitted to the Judgment and
decision of the commission, as provided by law.
T. W. FERRY, President Of the Senate.
There was consid cradle discussion in regard
to the propriety OF printing the objections
accompanying the returns from Florida, and |
the matter was finally postponed for
5hS 9Gord pe esed i 1ne the presans
side, and Mr.. Field, for the Democrats, and |
EYarts, for the Republicans, anno1nced the |
names of the attorneys for their respective |
sides. The presiding Judge then announced
that counsel, not exceeding two in number on
each side, would be allowed to participate in
the argument. The room was cleared and the /
commission went into private consultation,
and, after some time spent in delberatisn adj
journed until Friday, at 10 o'clock, a. m.
FRIDAY, Feb. 2.-The Florida case was
opened before the commission by four hours
Of argument from the DIRECTORS to the con-
aicting sets OF returns. The Democrats had
the floor first, Mr.. Field speaking an hour and
q quarter, and Mr.. Tucker filling up the rest
Of the two hours allowed. They argued that
there was gross and inexcusable fraud in the
counting Of the Florida returns, particularly
in Baker county, and that the commission
should examine into the facts. They claimed
that the vote Of Florida was legitimately cast
for Tilden and Hendricks, and that il was
the right and dnty OF the commission to go
behind the Governors certificates and 80 de-
eide. Messrs. Kasson and McCrary followed
on behalf Of the Republicans, who argued
against the power of the commission
TO constitute itself national returning
board, go behind the returns, and
overturn the electoral vote Of State, when
corf II, accordance with fha constitution opd |