The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-01-23
THE eAProKrIoNMENT QUESTION.
FROM WASHINGTON.

FROM WASfaRNUaVN' ~
THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT BILL. ~
The Democratic and Republican senator's
+ held caucuses Saturday morning on the re-
port Of the Joint select committee on count
| ing the electoral vote. The Democratlc
caucus was brief and harmonious, ana alter
some explanatory remarks from Messrs.
Thurman and Bayard as to the views OF the
| joint committee, and a general interchange
| of opinions. it was decided to unanimously
support the bill The Republican caucus is
also understood to have been harmonious,
but it took no action to bind senators to any
line Of policy with regard to the measure
under discussion. 1t will be leftfor each to
act upon his own Judgment. Mr.. Edmunds
explained to the caucus the general ideas OF
the committee at their sessions, and referred
to the legal status of the case, rs seen from
their standpoint. He also discussed the
question OF eXpediency, which had operated
| in conjunction with other considerations TO
bring the Joint committee to the conclusions
| arrived at Mr.. Edmunds was listened to
with great attention, as he was later when
he addressed the Senate OH the same SUBJ
! ject. This speech is characterized by many
as the ablest effort OF his life.
| Contrary to current reports, MIR. Morton
will oppose the passage OF the bill, and IS
expected to address the Senate on the sub
ject to-day. 1t is mentioned as proba-
bility that should the bill not pass the Sem
ate Mr.. Edmunds will command enough
Republicans to defeat the conspiracy for
counting in Hayes, and throw the election
| into the House. But that the bill will pass
both houses, and at an early day, seems to
he generally conceded. Letters and tele-
grams are pouring i'll upon members
Democrats and epublicans-urging them
to vote for the measure. The senders of
these letters and dispatches, as rule, look
upon this bill simply as guarantee OF
peace, and do not concern themselves as to
its legal status. Among the Democrats OF
the House the opinion prevails that the bill
is unconstitutional, but that it must be ac-
cepted rs a lesser evil than those it is de-
signed to avert. 1t will be voted for by
many under protest. Washington Union.
[Thc Union opposes the bill editoraly.l
LOUISIANA. .
The House committee sent to Louisia0a
has completed its labors i'll that State, and
Mr.. Morrison and others arrived here yes
terday. The head OF the committee re-
NAMED in New Orleans and took testimony
there, sending subcommittee into the dis
puted parishes. 4 vast amount OF testl-
Inony has been taken, and it will require
some time to prepare IL. This committee
has clearly established the fact that great
majority OF the affidavits certifying to in
timidation were prepared in the New Or
leans custom-house and signed by the names
Of persons without their knowledge or
sanction, and in many cases the: reputed
signers could not he found or heard OF. The
committee will further show conclusively
| that Louisiana went for Tilden and Nichols
by large maiority.-U. 20
WITNESS INDEED.
j. Madison Wells is president Of the LOU
isiana Returning Board, and his value as a
witness may be seen from the following
questions and answers:
Mr.. Field asked the witness to please state
whether the records he refuses to produce
show the whole number Of votes cast in
Louisiana, and the witness replied that he
could not state, as he had not charged his
memory. ... -.... w.
Q. Did the subtraction the Board made
change the reslat of the vote in the State !?
4. 1t would be hard for me to say;
know it reduced the vote .-
O. That is not the question. Do you or
not know that the subtraction you made
changed the result?
A. 1t reduced the vote, and presume it
changed the result; do not know how
much-whether 1000 or 10000.
Q. Did you abstract Il hundred or thou
sand votes?
\. don't know.
@. You spoke of intimidation and muir
der. Did any statements to this effect ac-
company the returns of the supervisor of
election?
\. No.-I6.
ANOTHER REPORT.
| In the Republican senatorial caucus Mr..
Edmunds, rs chairman Of the committee
| which had reported the bill, made an expla-
nation OF the motives which Influenced him
and his party associates on the committee,
lasting a half hour. He urged upon the
caucus that the Republican vote in the SEN
ate should be given to the bill as matter
not only OF right but eXpediency. 1t mat
tered not how firm might be the opinions of
them all that Hayes was elected, a very
large proportion of the people OF the coun-
try did not think so, and would never
be satisfied If Hayes was declared elected
simply through the power possessed
over the returns by the Republicans.
Senator Morton opposed the bill in
the most decided language, saying that it
was cowardly surrender of the rights OF
| HAYES and trucking to Democratic brag-
! cadocio which he could not agree to-. The
bill was also opposed by Mr.. Sherman and
others. 1t was very plain, however, that
Mr. Edmunds had 4 majority Of the caucus
with him. Mr. Edmunds did not care to
make action on the bill the subject OF eau
Gus dctation, and Mr.. Morton, when he
found he had not a majority on his side, did
not care to press q vote before the caucus
adjourned. 1t is not unlikely that the Re-
publican senators will prefer to 90 into the
Senate and vote on their own individual re-
sponsibllity TO Baltimore Sun.
| ITS STRENGTH. =
| The volume Of public opinion in its favor
| is swelling stronger and stronger. Senator
Morton has exhibited number OF kilograms
| in opposition to the bill which he has re-
ceived from Indiana, but he does not state
the fact that they all emanate from and re-
/ fleet the opinions OF well-known partisans
like himself. But the rush OF kilograms
| from leading bankers, merchants, and busi-
ness-men OF the large commercial centres in
the North which come here not only urging
but demanding the passage Of the bill has
never before been surpassed. Massachu-
| sets members say that their kilograms in
dictate the almost universal approval OF that
Commonwealth. Memorials asking the i'm
mediate passage OF the bIll signed by the
largest firms in Boston will be presented in
both houses tomorrow, and they will be fol-
lowed by memorials from New York, Gin
cinnati, Chicago, St. Louis, and other cities.
There will be no alternative but for Con-
gress to adopt the measure with the least