The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-02-02
OUR WASHINGTON LrTrFR.

! POi1i SOuIdlulug HV6 TeSOluIlODSt OF
which the following is a synopsis. The
first declares that the President of the
Senate has no power to ascertain and
decide what electoral votes shall be
counted; the second, that the only Office
of the acting Vice-President in the mat
ter, is to receive and guard all the re-
turns presented to him, and to present
all he receives to the House at the spec
flied time; the third insists that the
Senate and House possess the power to
examine and ascertain the votes; the
fourth asserts that the House has, at
least, equal power with the Senate in
making the count; and the fifth and
last declares that no electoral vote shall
be counted unless with the concurrence
OF the House. These resolutions were
adopted in the committee by a strict
party vote, and they doubtless will be
so adopted in the House. 1t is not
known as yet whether the Republican
minority of the committee will submit
any report or not. The resolutions will
come up for action by the House on
Tuesday next, when an interesting de-
bate may be expected.
The Senate committee on the electoral
vote has agreed upon a bill, but the
members decline to make its provisions
public before submitting it to the Sen
atei but it is supposed that the commit
tee has adopted the main features of the
bill which passed the Senate at the last
session, which assumes the converse of
the House proposition, and declares that
the vote of no State shall be rejected
without the concurrence of both Houses
of Congress. The report of the COM
mittee will undoubtedly be adopted by
the Senate, and thus the issue will be
Joined between the two Houses, and, at
present, an amicable adjustment of the
difference of opinion seems to be as re-
| mote as ever.
The lack of men at the head of affairs
who are great and patriotic enough to
lay aside their partisan feelings and look
at these questions as they affect the
country, instead of looking only to the
way in which any given policy affects
their party, is deeply felt by those who
desire peaceful solution of our present
difficulties.
The Democrats held grand demon
stration in this city on Monday last, at
which Henry Watterson, member of
Congress from Kentucky, announced
that one hundred thousand unarmed
Democrats would assemble here on the
fourteenth of February to petition Con-
gress to witness the counting of votes,
and to see to it that the Republicans
took no unfair advantage. This speech
is regarded with disfavor by the peace
ably inclined of both parties, for it is as
serted that if the Democrats assemble
in large numbers, the Republicans will
be likely to do the same, and the danger
of collision would be very great. The
Republicans are to hold quiet mass
meeting here on Wednesday, at which
time some of their prominent leaders
WIN PAOOoOiy SCb lOA III bhGAl
Many good citizens deprecate both of
the assemLlages, and assert that the set
tlement of the matter should be left
to Congress, untrammeled by public
clamor.
Much solicitude is felt in official cir
cles here in regard to the state of affairs
in Louisiana. President Grant and
Generals Sherman and Sheridan are un-
derstOod to be holding daily conferences
about The matter, and it has furnished
considerable food for discussion in Cabi-
net meetings. Thus far, the President
has decided not to interfere, except to
prevent actual bloodshed; but it is now
intimated that the Attorney General is
preparing report as to which is the le-
gal State government, and that upon its
reception the President will direct the
partisans of the other to disperse.
The local administration of the Dis
trict has again become a subject of ma
tional Importance, and divides public
attention with the electoral muddle.
The President has appointed and COM
missioned the new Board of Commits
sioners, and the two Houses of Congress
have passed a bill abolishing the new
Board and transferring its functions to
the commissioners of the District.
Doubt is expressed as to whether the
President will sign or veto the bill. The
House has appointed an investigating
committee, which is now engaged in
taking testimony. The chief of police
testified that Mr.. Murtagh, the Presi-
dent of the Board, endeavored to enlist
a detective to seduce Mr.. Whitthorne,
chairman of the committee investigat-
ing affairs in the Navy Department,
into house of ill-fame, that he might
be arrested there and the force of his re-
port broken by the publicity given to
his arrest. Mr.. Murtsgh denies the
story, and will doubtless endeavor to
show that it has been concocted to offset
the attacks his paper has been making
upon the gambling fraternity. Mean
while the occupation of the gamblers is
suspended, and many are leaving for
other places. The excitement attending
this Investigation ia OF vip0 fEa ,o,bl;. =