The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-02-09
NEWS IN BRIEF.
Mems Sross the Captsal.

there is nothing in them, and explains that
s., ,OO0,O 900 or $1,000, 900 Of unclaimed inter-
est on bonds resting in the Treasury sug- |
gests extraordinary inducements TO claim |
agents constantly on the lookout for owners
of the bonds. A claim agent sometimes gets
hold Of the wrong party, of the same name,
from whom the agent procures a power of
attorney TO collect the interest. In this
way moneys have been enormously paid
out, but such sums have invariably been
refunded after the detection Of the mistake,
and the Treasurer has not lost a dollar.
Caucuses of the two Houses selected the
following as members of the Electoral Com
mission: Senators Edmunds, Morton and
Frelinghuysen, Republicans, and Thurman
and Bayard, acknowledgements
Payne, Hunton and Abbott Democrats; and
Garfield and Hoar, Republicans Supreme
Court Associate Justices Clifford, Strong,
Miller and Field; the fifth member to be
selected from among the Associate Justices
Swayne, Davis, Bradley and Hunt; the
choice fell on Justice Bradley.
The Supreme Court of Justices, to sit on
the Electoral Commission, obtain ed from the
Librarian OF Congress copies of the Election
Laws of Oregon, Florida, and Louisiana, and
the JUDICIAL 0eclslOnb tnefeOn.
The Senate Committee appointed to inves-
tigate election matters in Florida has SUBJ
mitted its report. 1t finds that on the
preliminary canvass, the Hayes Electors
had a majority of forty-fve, on the face OF
the returns. The Board then heard protests
and proceeded to second canvass, going
behind the returns, in accordance with
the statute and the practice OF the Board
in 1874, on the written advice OF
the Democratic Attorney-General and Dem
ocratic lawyers, and the result that time was
majority OF 103 for Hays. The report
continues at length to argue that the count
was legal and constitutional.
The Democrats selected Hon. Jere 5.
Black, Matt. II. Carpenter, and Richard T..
Merrick as counsel to present Mr.. Tilden's
case before the electoral commission. The
Republicans selected Hon. w. N. Evarts
and Hon. Stanley Matthews.
Z. W. Stoughton, of New York, and s.
S. Shellabarger, of Ohio, were engaged as
leading counsel, by the Republicans, before
the Electoral Commission, in addition to
those heretofore mentioned; and the Demo.
Gratis engaged Ashbel Green of New York,
and Lyman Trumbull, Of Illinois.
The House Committee on the Florida
election, on January 81, made a report
They are Of the opinion that the facts have
been judicially determined that the Hayes
Electors did not receive a majority oi
the votes cast at the election, and in this
is involved denial of their right to
cast their votes as Presidential Electors
and no determination other than that which
has been made by the Supreme Court o
Florida is required to show that these Elect
ors, in casting their votes for President ant
Vice-President, is illegal and void. All pa
pers before the Canyassing Board, applying
TO them, and all statutes of Florida, viii
give ninety majority for Tilden and Hen
bricks beyond dispute.
Before the Select Committee on Privileges
January 81, were two witnesses who CAV
testimony of a highly important characte
affecting the integrity of the Louisiana Re
turning Board. John L. Prickett testitie
that he undertook "to negotiate, if poss
ble," in New York, "money enough to pa
Governor Wells and his fellow members o
the Returning Board to do what he sor
sidered right and proper; that is to say, t
determine the State for Tilden." And o.
the LIST of February, before the Committe
on the Powers and Privileges of the House
J. III. Maddox testified that exGoverno
Wells offered to sell out the Louisiana Re
turning Board for one million dollars. Th
witness said he showed TO the President an
Secretary Cameron the two letters addresse
TO him by Governor Wells. He told tn
Secretary that Governor Wells wante
money, but the Secretary decline
to have anything TO do with the matte
What Governor Wells required was to pr
tao4 b;p, Tho prourauoma that th
vacancy on the Returning Board should |
filed, and Governor Wells shoul
resign 10 anger on some accoun
Witness did not know there wi
any special arrangement betwee
him and Gov. Wells about the details, b,
witness was required to submit plan whiC
would be acceptable.
The New York Herald's Washington CO
respondent had an interview with We'll
who said he did not know Pickett and hi
never heard of his name before, and pr
nounced Maddox's story false.
General Anderson, one of the four mel
bers of the Louisiana Returning Board, al
a man OF character, was under exsminatiC
before the Congressional Committee, on t
ID OF February. He contradicted t
Pickett-Maddox story. He knew nothing
an arrangement for the sale of the Electol
vote OF the State, but he ackDowledg
having been approached by DIR. W.
Robeson, Democratic State Senator, on t
Oath or 25tb of November, with the suggt
ton that it would be about $200, 900 in
pocket il he would make the State sure
Tilden.
The South.
Circuit Judge Carpenter, of South Ca
lima, rendered the following decision, on
return from Washington:
First-I find, as conclusions Of law, that D.
Chamberlain was not, on the 7th of December /;
legally installed as Governor Of South Carolina.
Second-Wade Hampton was not, on the 14th
Of December, 1876. legally installed into the ofic
Governor Of said State.
Third-The attempted installation OF d.
Chamberlain being illegal and void, it did not op
ate, in law, as a resignation of the office as G
tion, the Governor holds his office for two years
until his successor is chosen and qualified, and
there has been no legal qualification of his s
eessor, d. NJ. Chamberlain is lawfully in possess
OF the executive Office and entitled to discharge
functions OF the same until such qualification ia
place,
A case similar to one that induced
above is now pending in the Supreme Cou
The State house authorities in N
Orleans claim that Littlefeld's statemt
before the Congressional Committee,
January 80, that he was requested by We
to transPose one hundred and seventy-eis
votes in Vernon Parish, in order to ell
Hunter and Judge Andrews District .
torney, and Kelso State Auditor, is false
the face Of it. Hunter and Andrews w
elected without transposition by
rejection of three polls ordered
jected. Kelso was not returned elect
Texado, Democrat, being returned cleo
by 1873 votes over Kelso. The transpositi
affected no result in the State, Parish
District. Littlefeld held Office un,
Kellogg as Hay Inspector; was removed
Antoine, Acting Governor, to make way
Kenner, of the Returning Board, a
Kellogg refused to reinstate him.