The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-02-22
Signed by Two Hundred Members
fCOngreSS'
THE SENATE CONCURS.
BY a Party Vote of Al to 9S
THE JOINT SESSION.

First-That the decision is in violation
of the electoral act in this that by the act
the Commission is required to decide
whether any, and what votes from such
States are votes provided for by the Con-
stitution, and what persons were.duly ap'
pointed electors, yet the Commission re-
fused to examine and ascertain who were
duly appointed electors in and by the
State of Louisiana, and what votes from
that State are within the provisions Of
the Constitution of the United States,
Second-Because the act creating the
Commission was passed to the end thai
the Commission would hear and exam
inc evidence, and honestly decide what
electors in any disputed State were fairly
and legally chosen, whereas the Com
mission refused to hear and consider the
evidence offered to show that the electors
whose vote the Commission had decided
should be counted, were not duly chosen
but that they had falsely and fraudulent
ly acted as such electors, and also refused
the offer to show that the pretended GER
tifcates of election were procured by cor
ruption and were wholly untrue.
Third-Because the decision is in dis
regard of truth, justice and law, and es'
tablishes the demoraliSing and ominous
doctrine that fraud, forgery, bribery and
perjury can lawfully be used means to
make a President of the United States
against well known or easily ascertained
will of the people and of the States, This
paper is signed by Senators Wallace,
Johnston, Bailey, Herman, Kelly (Oregon)
Salisbury, and other Senators and mem
bers.
More Objections Presented by Mr.. COchrane.
The presiding officer having called for
other objections to the decision, Mr..
CoChrane presented an objection and a
protest signed by himself and several
Senators and representatives for the fol-
lowing reasons:
First-It was not denied before the
Commission that the Tilden electors in
Louisiana had received large majority
of votes cast
Second-It was not denied before the
Commission that Wells and his associates,
styling themselves a Returning Board,
were guilty of gross frauds; that their cer-
tifCates given to Hayes electors were false
and fraudulent, or that their action in
canvassing the votes was in violation of
the Constitution and laws of the State.
Third-The action of the eight mem
bers of the Commission, in declining to
hear the evidence of those and facts, was
in violation of the letter and spirit of the
act under which the Commission was
created, and Of the spirit of the Consti
tuition Of the United States.
No further objections being presented,
the presiding officer announced that the
Senate would withdraw, so that the two
houses might separately consider and
decide the objections.
The Senate having withdrawn, Mr.,
Wood moved the House to take recess
till 10 to morrow.
Proceedings Of the Senate.
After the Senate had returned to its
chamber, the president pro tenn said: OBJ
lection having been made to the decision
on the vote of Louisiana, the two houses
separated to deliberate in regard to that
decision.
Motion not to Count Louisiana.
Mr.. Herman submitted substitute for
the resolution of Mr.. Sherman as fol-
lows:
Ordered, That the votes purporting to
be the electoral votes for President and
Vice President and which were given by
VIM. P. Kellogg, w. j. Burch, Peter Jo-
seph, L, A. Sheldon, Morris Marks, A. B
Levissee, 0. H. Brewster and Oscar Jaf-
roin, claiming to be electors for the State
of Louisiana, be not counted, the decision
of the Commission to the contrary not
withstanding.
Remarks OflIr. Maxey.
The question being on the substitute
of Mr.. Herman, Mr.. Maxey of Texas,
spoke of the electoral Commission being
invested with the same power as the two
houses of Congress in canvassing the
electoral vote, and said it was entrusted
with the duty of deciding who were true
electors, but this duty had not been per-
formed. The Commission was directed
to ascertain the true vote of State. but
instead of that they had brought forth a
reeking with fraud and offens-
i've in the nostrils of all honest people.
The judgment of the commission had
been weighed in the balance and found
1t could not stand the touch
stone of truth, justice and fair dealing.
If the law organizing this commission did
not authorize the Commission to ascer.
tain the true vote ofa State, it was the
most cunningly devised pitfall that ever
mortal man fell into The judgment of
this Commission was founded on denial
of the right to prove fraud. 1t was an ad
mission that the fraudulent certificates of
the notoriously corrupt Returning Board
were good, valid and true. This judgment
bearing 50 heavily in favor of fraud and
against truth and justice would never be
approved by the American people, but it
would be condemned for all time. Truth
had not been sought by the Commission
but all its avenues were closed. The evil
dence was shut out and thereby the law
was perverted. In conclusion he said
The Democratic party counselled lawful
and peaceful submission to the decision
and confidently relied upon the will of
the people and merits of their case.
Remarks Of Mr.. Herman.
Mr. Herman said the Senate should not
and he trusted it would not, affirm the
decision which had been made by the
Commission. He then spoke of the offer
ofthe Democratic counsel before the Com
mission to prove that fraId existed in
Louisiana, and that certain electors in
that State were ineligible, and com
menting on the decision of the Commls-
sion, said ifa file ofsoldiers should threat
en- to murder the Governor of State
unless he signed certificate of certain
electors, and the governor yielded, under
this decision there was no power in the
two Houses of Congress. to inquire into
the matter. The decision was to the ef
feet that there was no mower in Congress