Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-02-15
WASHINGTON.
from our own Correspondent.

nc al absorbing topic OF interest
at this time is the action of the Joint
Commission to count the electoral vote.
They are now considering the returns
from the State of Florida from which
state there are three sets of returns.
One set giving the vote of the state
for Gov. Hayes which has the duly
certified authority Of the state one
set giving the vote of the state to Gov.
Illden without any authorized author
ity for so doing, and one set giving the
state to Gov. Tilden, authorized by a
Governor and Legislature elected at
the same election which was held for
the Presidency, and who, according to
all laws and presidents have nothing
to do regarding the presidential cleo
ton, as all duties under that election
under the Constitution Of the United
States have to be completed before
their terms of Office commence. If
this course can be pursued what is
to prevent one legislature from declar-
ing the election of United States
Senator by previous Legislature null
and void, and proceeding to elect an
other person in the place of the one
selected by the previous Legislature.
| have just heard that the joint Com
mission have decided in the Florida
case not to receive any testimony not
accompanying the returns made to the
President Of the Senate, but to receive
further testimony in regard to the al
legged inability of one of the Hayes
electors. This is looked upon as rath-
er indicating the election of Gov.
Hayes and the Republicans are jubi-
liant over it while the Democrats are
Respondent. The above while news
to day will be any thing but news when
it is published in your valuable paper.
That IS one of the great draw backs to
correspondents fo4 papers SO far away
from the seat Of government as is the
Reporter. One cannot but realize that
long before this is published the result
of the joint Commission will be known
and the country will know for a GER
tainty who is to be the successor of
President Grant.
There are some who find fault with
our respected Senator, T. 0. Howe
for advocating the formation Of joint
Commission to settle the question,
Who is the duly elected President?
These persons must have forgotten
that Senator Howe stands recorded, in
the Congressional Record upon the
debates to amend the Constitution of
the United States, to provide for the
election of the President, as denying
the authority of the President
of the Senate to open, count and de-
eide disputed points upon the electoral
vote Of state, OF they have forgotten
that he would rather be right than to
be Senator as was fully proven at the
time Hon. JAS r. Doolittle was first
elected United States Senator. Sena-
tor Howe by his sterling integrity and
ability has obtained an influence at the
Capitol of the Nation that Wisconsin
may well feel proud of.
While many friends of Hon. 7. O..
Howe would be greatly gratiied to see
him selected to fill the place of Asso-
ciate Justice of the United States Su-
preme Court soon to be made vacant
by the acceptance Of Judge Davis of
the office of United States Senator
from Illinois, as an appointment "of
the right man in the right place"
many others would regret to lose his
valuable services in the United States
Senate where his long continued expe-
rience is so valuable to the interests of
the entire country. Should Senator
Howe, as he deserves, be appointed
Associate Justice Of the United States
Supreme Court, [ would suggest Hon.
Chas. g. Williams, the able, infuen-
tial and worthy Representative of the
First Congressional District as Senator
Howe's successor.
THE last batch of dispatches
brought ont IN the Oregon investigA-
tien includes very pertinent and sug-
gestive one from Hon A. s. Hewitt
EVIDENTLY replying to an enquiry as to
| Gov. Tildcn's vote, he teiegraphs under
date of December Sth two days after
the meeting of the Electoral colleges,
@TiLdem has 1S5 Including one from:
Oregon Mark the figures, only 1856,
Including the fraudulent vote of Gro
niu No eiaim to Louisiana! No claim
10 Fierida No claim to South Carroll.
ma ! Mr.. Hewitt does not pretend tnat
Tilden nae carried the vote Of either
of these States. The colleges had met
and performed tiae;r duties under the
law; the result vas known; all the
facts we're understood thea as we'll as
they are ROW; and with full knoRledee
on the subject, the chairman eff the