The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-02-26
OI IELEAhAHH.
ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORT.
TO THE DAILY LNTELLIGENCER
- - 1-'-.-----.- .---------- .-----------
CONGRESS.
THE OREGON DECISION.
JOINT CONVENTION ON SATURDAY.
The House FIIIibustors Defeated.
But Keep Up DiIatOry Motions.
DEBATE IN THE SENATE.
Mr. Conklinn DAfinea HE poeit;on
The House FiIlibusters Defeated
But Keep Up DiIatOry Motions
DEBATE IN THE SENATE.
Mr.. COnkIins Defines His Position
SENATE.
WAsnrN0roN, Febrllnry 24

der consideration the objection 10 count
ing the electoral vote Of Oregon, had
come to conclusion thereon, and wa!
ready To communicate the same to III,
two housrs in joint convention.
Mr.. Logan moved that the House b,
notified that the Senate is ready to NEE
the House in joint convention for the pur
pose Of receiving the report OF the Com
mission. Adopted
Mr.. Christiancy presented the creden
tials OF Thomas W. Ferry, OF Michigan
Senator elect from that State for six year
from March 4, 1877, Read and placed OIL
file.
At ll:50 the clerk OF the House an
peared and notified the Senate that III,
House was ready 10 receive the decision
OF tie Electoral Commission, and there
upon the Senate Immediately repaired L
the hall Of the Honss.
ARGUMENT ON OREGON.
The Senate returned to its chamber Il
ten minutes past twelve, and the chai
announced that the Senate having me
the House in joint convention and III,
House having objected to the count Of III,
electoral vote ofOregon the Senate there
upon withdrew and ne chair laid befor,
the Senate the objections which wert
read.
Mr.. Sargent submitted resolution tha
the electoral vote Of Oregon be counted
Notwithstanding the objections.
MIR. Kelley opposed the count on tn,
ground that Watts, one of the electors
was postmaster at the time Of the cleo
ton, and he cited laws to support his op
position.
Mr.. Merrimon said he could not Civ,
his assent on the several decisions OF III,
Electoral Commission. He read u speecl
Of ten minutes in length, giving his con
struction OF the constitution and law,
governing the appointment OF Presiden
tial Electors, and reviewed the Florida
Louisiana and Oregon decisions OF th,
Commission.
Mr.. Morton said that after the election
it was asserted that TiIden had one yot,
in Oregon, and was elected, but the mi
nority OF the Commission took the groun,
that Cronin's vote was illegal and Watt
was ineligible. 40 there were but tw,
votes cast in Oregon. Mr.. Morton thel
reviewed the case and the law on the sub
ject, and held that Watts was perfect,
eligible.
MIR. coNKIIEO SAID
the State of Oregon intended to appoin
a Republican e!ector, and the people o
Oregon intended to elect Republican
elector, and voted for Mr.. Watts. The
Commission had given its decision, anC
he disclaimed any intention Of alludins
to any OF the reasons which promoted thl
decision OF the Commission, and belieyin,
that the State OF Oregon intended to ap
point Republican electors he should voll
to sustain and affirm that intention ant
the decision OF the Commission. He wa
also opposed to impeding in the slight
est degree the operation OF the decision
OF the Commission, and on the contrar,
was in favor Of aiding it and consum.
mating it at the earliest practicabl,
moment.
Mr.. Salisbury demurred TO the con.
clusions Of the Commission as bein,
monstrous and unjust.
Mr.. Bogy said he could not let the oc
casion pass without offering his protes,
lie said the Republican Reiurnin,
Boards had robbed Mr.. Tilden Of tn
votes justly belonging 10 him in Florida
Louisiana and Oregon. He said the tri
bunal was us much under the influence
oil party as were the Returning Boards
and even more so, and he and those wht
voted with him for this tribunal were dis
appointed, and he believed the peopl
and the country would be disappointed.
MIR. Mcmillan said he approved OF tn,
decision OF the Commission, and arguet
to show that all objections thereto werI
without foundation.
Mr.. Wallace submitted a resolu,io,
that the votes cast hy Messrs. Odell AM
CARTWRIGHT were The uroper and mi,
Illegal votes cast in Oregon for Hayes an,
Wheeler, and that those two voies nm,
those onIy should be counled on whicl
debate ensued.
n,,,.,,,,s -, ma, :, ,,.,,,
"Ss'""N9 VI sh""ioN MoSFoN'
Mr.. Morton said: / believe il wa
not atgued by anybody upon the Com
mission that Cronin was elected-tha
TildCn had a vote in Oregon-bnt tn
minority OF the Commission took tn
ground that there were but two elector
chosen in Oregon and that Hayes ha,
but two votes in that State. Watts wa
postmaster at Lafayette on the 7th O
November. It was argued, therefore
that he was not elected; that the election
was u failure as far as he was concerned
and that but two were elected. On "
18Th Of November Watts resigned; on tn
l4th his resignation was accepted; on tn
same day the office was transferred to an
other person aud to another building
When the electors met ON the 9th OF DE-
Cember Watts handed in his resignntiol