Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-03-01
THE ELECTORAL COUNT.

The Electoral Commission remained in
secret session from eleven a. m. until five p. M,
on the 10Th. At the latter hour counsel were
sent for, and they entered the room in 5ody.
The following report was made to counsel: Mr..
Hoar submitted the follow ng: ordered, That
evidence be not received Mr.. Abbott offered
substitute a resolution that evidence be received
to show the unconti ii u ionality of the act Great
ing the Louisiana Returning Board, and that the
acts of SAID Board are void. This was rejected
by vo e of z TO s Mr.. Abbott offered another
substitute that evidence be received to show that
said Returning Board was not legally constituted
under the law creating it. Rejeci ed by the same
vote. Mr. Abbott offered third sub tituLe, that
same vote. Mr.. Abbott offered a fourth subst-
tute, that evidence be received to show that the
Returning Board had no jurisdiction to canvass
vote. Mr.. Abbott offered fifth substitute, that
evidence be received showing the false
and fraudulent character of the afhdavits
charging intimidation and violence at the late
election. Rejected by the vote. Mr. Hun
ton offered sixth substitute. that evidence bere
ceived to establish the fact that the votes cast in
November had never been canvassed. Rejected
by the same vote. Mr.. Bayard offered a seventh
substi ute that evidence be received as to the
eligibility Of the Ts. Electors Rejected by the same
substitute that evidence is admissible to prove
the allegations of counsel in the objections to the
vote of Louisiana. Rejected by the same vote.
The question recurring on the adoption of the
original order offered by MIR. Hoar, Mr.. Payne
moved to strike out the word mot" This mo-
Hoar was adopted by the following vote:
Yeas-Bradley, Edmunds, Frelinghuysen, Gar
field, Hoar. Miller, Morton and Strong-S
Nays Abbott, Bayard, Clifford, Field, Hun
ton, Payne and TLurman-7. After some de-
bate as to the continuance of the discus
sion, the Commission went into secret session,
and a resolution was adopted that the per-
sons named as Electors in Certificate No
were the lawful Electors of the State of Louisiana
and that their votes the votes provided by the
Constitution of the United States, and should be
counted for President ana Vice-President This
resolution was adopted--s to land Justices
committee 10 draft report of the decision to be
transmitted to the Joint session of the two houses
as required by the Electoral act. such draft
was subsequently submitted, and the Commission
adjourned.
The Joint Convention of the two houses
of Congress did not meet on the 18th, although
the Senate sent notice TO the House of its readi-
ness to proceed with the count. The House not-
fed the Senate that it would receive it on the 10Th
at eleven a. m.
At eleven O'Clock on the morning of the
18th the Joint Convention of the two Houses of
Congress resumed its session. to consider the
question of continuing the Electoral count The
decision of the Electoral Commission on the OBJ
jections filed to the count of Louisiana was read
being in language similar to the decision in the
case of Florida, and signed by majority of the
Commission. The Presiding Officer having asked
whether there were any objections to the
decision, Mr.. Gibson presented a paper signed
6y most OF the democrats each house,
giving in detail various objections, based mainly
on the fact that the Commission refused to
receive evidence OF fraud, etc. The reading of
the paper occupied just one hour. Senator Wal
lace presented further objections, reciting that
the decision was in violation of the Electoral
act, and that the Commission had refused to
to hear and determine. These were signed
by Senators Wallace, Johnston, Bailey, Ker-
nan. Kelly, Salisbury and others. Mr.. Cochrane
presented tur, her objections signed by himself
and other members. No fur her objections
being presented the Presiding Officer announced
that the Senate would withdraw, that he
two houses might separately consider am decide
in respect to them. The Senate then withdrew
The decision o. the Commission was sustained by
the Senate, despite the objections by vote of Il
to 2S. The House to * no action.
The House, on the Goth, voted-172 to
99-not to sustain the decision of the Electoral
Commission. II was nearly strict party vote.
two Republicans, Messrs- Seeley and Pierce. only
voting with the majority. little after one
O'Clock message sent to the Senate an
nouncing that the-House was ready TO meet thst
body in Joint Convention to continue the Elect
eraI count. About half-p st one the Senate
reached the hall of the House of Representatives
when the Presiding Officer stated that the two
houses, acting separately, had considered and de-
cided the obi ectiOns to the certificates from
the s ate of Louisiana, and directed that the ac-
ton of each house be read. This having been
done. the Presiding Officer announced that. the
two houses not having decided otherwise. the de-
eision Of the Commission would stand, and di-