Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1877-02-09
THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION.

JUSTICE TREMBLING-DEEDs OF DARKSEss-THE
HIGHEST COURT IN THE LAND sUCCUMBNG TO
PARTISAN FEELISGs--ALL. CORRUPT.
The triparite commission appointed under
the provisions of the electoral act to hear and
decide all matters in dispute affecting the
presidency, consisting of .hreo Democrats and
two Republicans from the House, and three
Republicans and two Democrats from the
Senate, with five Justices of the Supreme
Court met at 3 o'clock p. NJ Thursday last,
in the room of the Supreme Court, ct the Cap
itol. Each wing Of the two parties represented
in the commission are provided with two OBJ
jectors, ard able counsel assigned on each side
to argue the merits of the several cases to be
presented. The first case in point, and which
was to decide the mode Of procedure in the
others, consisted Of three certificates from the
State of Florida referred 10 the tribunal, to-
gelher with the accompanying papers and OBJ
jectioLs by the joint convention of Congress,
The case was opened on the part of the Dem
ocrats by Messrs. Richard T. Merrlek, of
Washington, D. c., and O'Connor, Of New
York, and MesSrs. Kasson and McCrary for the
Republicans. The main object sought by the
Democrats was to secure a decision that the
commission had the power to take evidence
and by the Republicans that the tribunal had
no jurisdiction in the case. decision was
reached at o'clock, p NJ, Wednesday, when
Mr.. Justice Miller
Ordered, That no evidence will be received
or considered by the commission which was
not submitted TO the joint convention of the
two Houses by the President of the Senate with
the different certificates, except such as relates
10 the eligibility of F. c. HUMPHREYS, one Of
the electors,
which was sustained by strict party vote.
A resolution by Mr.. Abbot "That in the
case of Florida this commission will receive
evidence relating TO the eligibility of Frederick
G.. HUMPHREYS one of the persons named in the
certificate No. ! as an elector," was agreed TO,
Mr. Bradley voting with the Democrats.
HUMPHREYS is one of the Republican electors,
and the question raised as to his eligibility is
that he was at the date of his election United
States shipping commissioner, which is alleged
to be such an Office Of trust or profit as &c
disquaify him from acting as eector, but
which Office it is asserted by the Republicans
he resigned before the election.
The Republicans express qualification at the
decision Of the commission while the Demo
Gratis manifest some discouragement and disap'
pointment thereat. The Washington Union
foresees in this decision a Democratic triumph
while the Baltimore Gazette, which has beer
supporting the compromise measure with grea
zeal, says il lis great disappointment, and thai
the electoral commission now decides in effect
as follows: at is admitted that there were
frauds in the canvass of the Florida vote bu
we will give to those frauds the sanction o.
law" Having decided to receive evidence AZ
to the eligibility of electors, it is contendej
tina the commission must accept the certificate
of Oregon as binding, which will make Sam
uel J. Tilden the next President of the United
States.