Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-02-17
The ELECTORAL Commission.

After the Gazette's report Of The proceedings
Of the Electoral Commission closed, yesterday
afternoon, the counsel were admitted, and the
resolutions were read by the secretary. As
soon a. the foal vote had been taken MIR. jus.
tice Field moved that the Injunction OF secrecy
be removed from the proceedings OF the COM
mission, and it was adopted unanimously.
Judge Clifford inquired If counsel were salts
fed to rest their case.
Mr.. Evarts said they were satisfied With the
case as it stood.
Justice Clifford asked if opposing counsel
agreed 10 it?
Judge Campbell said they had nothing 10
add under The circumstances.
Commissioner Abbott understand you,
Judge Campbell, to say that the Commission
having ruled out all the evidence sou offered
YOU have nothing further to urge!
Judge Campbell. sir.
Justice Clifford said the motion was then
Withdrawn.
hIr. Hoar then moved that the Commission
90 into secret session for the purpose OF consul:
tation on the main question. This was adopted
and the crowd vas directed to leave the room.
Immediately after the doors were closed
Senator Morton offered the following rcSolu.
| ton: ~
Rs0lce9, That the persons named as Elect
oTs in certificate No. l were the lawful Electors
CT the State Of Louisiana, aud that their votes
| are the votes provided by the Constitution OF
| the United States, and should be counted Tor
| President and Vice President.
This resolution was adopted by vote Of
eight to seven, as follows:
Yeas Ncssrs Bradley, Edmunds, FREEING.
huyseu, Garfield, lIoar, Miller, Morton and
Suong-S. ~
Nays-Messra. Abbott, Bayard, Clifford,
Field, Hunton, Payne and Thurman.
Justices Miller and Bradley aud Representa-
tive Hoar were then appointed committee to
draft report Of the decision, with brlet state
EFT Of reasons therefor, to be signed BY the
members agreeing therein, and 10 be transmit
ted to the joint session OF the tw0 Houses, as
required hy the Electoral act.
\ recess OF an hour was then taken TO afford
time fol drafting report, which, upon the re-
assembling Of the Commission, was presented,
and, after being read, was signed BY Nlessrs.
| Miller, Strong, Bradley, Edmunds Morton,
Frelinghuyscn, Garfield and l0ar, and IL to
the following effect:
The Electoral Commission having received
certain certificates and papers purportlDg to be
certificates Of the Electoral votes Of the State
OF Louisiana, aud certain papers accompanying
the same and The objcciohs thereto, report
that il has duly considered the same and has
decided and does hereby decide that the vote:
Of Nm. Fit Kellogg, o. II. Brewster, y. i.
Layiscc, Oscar JoiIrion, Peter Joseph, j. II.
Brick. l.. A. Sheldon aud Morris Marks, banned
in the certificate Of W. p. Kellogg, Governor
OF said State (which votes are certified by said
persons, as appears by the certificate submitted
to the Commission as aforesaid and marked
No. | ty said Commission and herewith re
turne,l) are the votes provided for by The Con
sIilu!lou Of the United States, aud that the
same are lawfully 10 be counted as therein ties
tilted, namely: Eight votes for Rutherford Is.
Hayes, Of the State Of Ohio, for President, and
eight votes Tor William y. Wheeler, Of the
State Of New York, for Vice President. The
Commission also decides and reports that the
eight persons just beolrt named were duly ap
pointed Electors IN and by said State Of Louis
)iaoa. The ground Of this decision stated
briefly, IS substantially as follows:
That it is not competent TO go into evidence
aliundc as to the paper opened BY the Prcsl'
dent OF the Senate in the presence OF the two
Houses, to prove that other persons than those
regularly certified b. the Governor Of the State
Of Louisiana. in and according to the determi-
nation and declaration CT their appointment;
10 Other words, to 20 behind the certificate OF
the Governor, 80 faras it is founded upon the &C.
ton OF the Returning Board. The report will
also state that the Commission will not receive
any evidence to show that any Elector was in
eligible on the It'll of November, The day Of
election, on the ground that it was not essen
ial to show that az Ecctor vas eligible on that
day, so long as he was eligible when he cast his
vote 10 the Electoral College; and tue fact ap
pears that the alleged ineligible Electors Brew.
stcr and Lcvisee were chosen 10 gill vacancies
caused BIZ their cwn absc eco from the College,
and there Was no allegation Of ineligibity al
the time they cast their vote.
The commission remained 10 session until 9
o'clock. when, On motion Of Mr.. Edmurds,
an achievement 70 / @ clock y. u. to-day was
ordered.
The secretary of the commission will, this
morning, deliver to the President pro tenn. oil
the Senate the formal decision above described,
together with ali The certificates and accom-
paying papers On the Louisiana case, which
were referred to the commission, and the sec.
rotary will deliver to the Speaker OF the House
the commission, that tncir decision had been
communicated to TIC president pro ten. Upon
the rcasyembIing Of the two houses il joint scs.
sion the decision will be read and entered upon
the respective iourGais, and thoreupon, in ac.
cordance with the electoral act the vote OF
Louisiana must be Immediately couGteI for
Hayes and Wheeler, unless upon objection be-
ing made ia writing by at least five Senators
and five members Of the House Of RepreScn-
talives, the two houses shall separately concur
10 ordering otherwise.
There will be caucus Of the democratic
| members Of the House this morning, when
they vii! determine whether they will act upon
the commissions report to-day or defer pro-
cecdiogs until Monday, Tic latter being more
probable There are 10 present indications,
however, that any attempt will be made to de-
fer final aciaa upon the report beyond Mon.
days session. The electoral act Limits the
time ior debate 10 either Of the two houses
upon the question Of sustaining decision Of
the commission 10 The Two hours.
Representative Field, Springer, Abram Hew
tit, NIr. Mcrrck, Of counsel, and several other
prominent democrats, after the decision OF the
commission. held brief consultation in one of