New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-02-20

WASHINGTON, ~. O.y EtD. lo'-i ITO ih"'.'O ~
10 O'Clock took further until 1920 NO pshess
was transacted until IL the being occupied In pre-
pairing the hall for the reception Of tho Senate Inc gar
usual the days when the court
is to proceed At IL the arrival OF the senate was an
nounced and Senator's entered the hail. the mempcS
the House standing to receive them. Inc Prcsiu"s
officer then said
The Joint meeting OF Congress resumes Its session. The
objections presented to the certificates from the state Oh
Louisiana having been submitted to the Commission .o
TWO houses nave receive and consider the
decision of that Tribunal In writing by majority OF ,ho
com missi and signed by majority OF the comis
agreeing thereto 1t will now be read by the oec
rotary Of the Senate.
THE DECISION.
The decision then read as follows
ELECTORAL COMMISSION, wAsHISGToS. ID. c,
Feb lG; A. d. ISL e.. ,,o.Sa.
To the President me Senate Of the United States presd-
ing in the meeting of the houses of Congress. I'M
der the act OF Congress entitled An act TO provide
for and regulate the counting OF the votes Tor Pres
ident and vice-Presden and the decision OF qnes-
lions arising thereon. for the term commencing
The Mq ELECTORAL t. MENTIONED hav
ing received certain certificates and papers parpO,hs
TO certificates and papers accompanying the same OF
the electoral vote from he State Of Louisiana and the
REPORT that il has duly considered the pursuant to
said act and has by majority OF votes decne anu uoes
e apry RTcb PETER Joseph A. Sheldon Morris Marks
Aaron Il. Levlsse Orlando H. Brewster and oscar Jei
Governor said State, which votes are certified by SAD
persons, appears by the certificates submitted TO the
said Commission, and herewith returned are the votes
provided blythe constitution Oh
certified, namely: Eight votes for Rutherford B hayes
Wheeler Of New-York for vice-President The Commits
has by majority OF votes deeGea S @ Seore
named were duly appointed electors III and by the SAID
me b brief round of this decision that appears
unon such evidence as by the Constitution and the law
named in act of Congress Is competent ana pertinent
to the consideration OF the subject tnat the 6e0reneh.
TONED ecop a President and vicePresden Of the
STATE L 4, -
the State of Louisiana, and that they voted as suon a
tom Of the United States and law and the Commits
sion has, by majority OF votes decs1 tIa " ~ NOV
sed at the date the passage OF said act to 20 into
evidence a,de the papers opened Dy ihe rresidenl o
that other persons than those regularly certified TO by
the Governor Of the stats Oh ana according 10 Tue aeter
for elections said State prior to the time required ior
tho performance OF their duties mao Dee9 b d nor or
tors, by cOuner-proof TO show at thex nau not OF
that the determination Of said returning ocers was hot
in accordance with the truth and facts, the ConisslOn
by majority votes, being OF opinion That u is not
Within the jurisdiction OF the two houses OF oogress
President to enter upon trial of such question The
Commission, by majority OF votes is aiso OF opnon
so appointed electors as aforesaid held an Office
of trust profit under the United states tn at
they were ineligible under the laws s., Of the
sad certificate and papers The Commission is also OF
the OPINION by majority of votes that the returning
lion for electors in Louisiana lawfully constituted
hodv by virtue OF a constitutional law, and that
Commission has decided aud does hereby decide by
a majority Of votes and repor, as consequence OF !he
foregoing and the ground before statol that the
paper puIpOrlng TO be certificate OF tho ELECTORAL votes
state Of onsana objected to by T. o. nS%o s smd
herewith returned is not tho certificate OF the votes pro-
yided by Constitution OF the United States ana
| that they ought not TO b. counted rs such. .
Done at Washington the day and year iirst above writ
Wv sTRox ta''''-i' FREDK T. FRsLNGHUYsEs,
JosPpH r. BRADLEY, JAMES A. GARFIELD,
| Sro. F. EDMTYDs GEO. +. HoAa.
The decision having been read, the presiding officer
asked whether there any objections to the decision
DEMOCRATIC OBJECTIONS.
Mr. Gibson Dem. La) thereupon rose and presented
objections to the decision, the ground that the Com
mission had refused receive evidence which had been
offered and had decided that the votes mentioned in GER
tiacates Nos and should be counted for Hayes and
Wheeler such evidence to the contrary Notwithstanding
The paper reces at great length the proceedings OF the
Commission tho point OF the rejection of the evil
dence 1t signed by most OF the Democrats in both
| Houses.
The reading of the paper occupied just one hour When
tie reading was ended lat 1929 opportunity was
given members who had not yet signed the paper 70
step to the Clerks desk and append their signatures
At 12:45 the Joint Convention again called TO or
der and the pfedng officer asked whether there were
any further objections to the decision.
| Mr.. Wallace (Dem, PENN rose and presented objec-
! TONS which were read. They are:
First That the decision is in violation OF the Electoral
act in this that by the act the Commission Is required 10
decide whether any and what votes from such state are
the votes provided for by the Constitution and wna per-
sons duly appointed electors; yet the Commission
refused to examine and ascertain who were duly APP
pointed electors in and by the state Of Louisiana ana
what votes that State within the provisions OF
| the Constitution of the United States
Second Because the act creating the Commission was
passed to the end the Commission would hear ard
examine and honestly decide what electors IN
any disputed state we're fairly and legally chosen
evidence offered to show that the electors whose votes
the COmmissOn had decided should be counted were not
duly chosen but that they had falsely and lraudulenfy
acted az such electors and also refused offers TO show
that the pretended certificates OF election were procured
Third: Because decision is in disregard OF truth:
Justice and law and establishes the demOralizng and
omnos doctrine that fraud, forgery bribery and per
jury can lawfully be used as means to make Presl-
| easily ascertained will Of the people and of states
This paper is signed by senators Wallace PENN John
ston Val Bailey Tenn) Herman IN. ", Kelly (Oregon),
salisbury DELI, and other Senators and members
The presiding officer having called other objections
TO the decision, Mr. Cochran PENN presented oec-
ton and protest signed by himself and several Senator'S
| and Repre- sentatives, for the following reasons:
First: 1t was denied before the Commission that
majority OF the votes cast Second IL not denied
before the Commission that Wells and his associates,
Swing themselves a Returning Board, guilty or
cross fraud: that their certificates given TO the Hayes
false and fraudulent and that their action
in cauyassing the votes in violation oil the Constr
tuition and laws OF the State OF Louisiana. Third Inc
action Of the eight e@ 6 n 81 aTd oha Sr M s
Commission created ana OF the spirit OF the Con-
| stltution Of the United States
No further objections being presented the presiding
officer announced lat o'clock that the Senate would
withdraw TO ts chamber that the houses might
| separately consider and decide the objections.
The Senate having accordingly Withdrawn, Mr. Wood
Dem N " to make motion. but the speaker in
erposed aud ruled that a legislative day
commencing.
| ADJOURNMENT OF TIE HOUSE.