The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-03-07

1uh ~ Nto GilC uf u VI
tho House, at the end of the two hours debate,
to vote on the main question, which was
whether the votes should be counted In con-
foIpity with the decision and that nothing in
the shape of delay, in whatever form presented,
could now arrest the wheels of its decision.
The debate closed after many exciting
speeches on both sides and the House pro-
cccded to vote on the question. The amend
ment offered by Mr.. Hale WIS rejected by yeas
nincty-scven, nays 1G7, and the original rcsolu-
ton offered by Mr.. Field was adopted by yeas
lGS. nays lob, a party vote, except that Mr..
Whitchousc, of New York, voted with the Re-
publicans. 1t was then ordered, on motion of
Mr.. Field, that the clerk inform the Senate of
the action of the House, and also that tho
House is now ready to meet the Senate in the
hall of the House..
Mr.. Seeley [Rcp.l, of Massachusetts, from
the committee on Indian affairs, reported a bill
amending the act authorizing the Seneca nation
of Indians of New York to lease lands within
the Cattaraugus and Allegheny reservations.
Passed.
The House proceeded to the consideration of
the report of the committee on the election in
Florida, declaring that the Tilden electors had
been elected in that State. Wilson [Rep.], of
Iowa, said he did not want to be bothered with
any such funeral business. Hopkins [Dem.],
of Pennsylvania, in presenting the report, spoke
upon it, and Dunnell [Rep.l, of Minnesota, who
llduc q lllllOlltS lCpoltY spOhC LII "a lhoV'
He defended the action Of the Electoral COM
mission in refusing to receive the report Of the
majority az evidence in the Florida case. No
tribunal in the world, he said, would receive it
as evidence. 1t was simply all investigation
carried on by a partisan majority, handled for
4 purpose, and handled solely for the accom-
~plishment Of that purpose.
MIR. Purman (Rep.5, of Florida, rose to de-
bate the report of the Florida committee. Up
to that time no interest whatever had been
taken in the debate, the other speakers having
principally addressed vacant benches. When
he began his speech, however, and it became
evident that he favored the resolution of the
majority. declaring the Tilden electors duly
elected, the Democratic members gathered
around him, and frequently interrupted his
speech by applause. He said it was, without
exception, the most peaceful election ever held
in the State ; and not one case of violence or
disturbance on election day has COM to my
knowledge. 1t seemed the peculiar privilege
of the Republicans to win under all these ad-
vantageous circumstances but it il a fact, sir,
which l cannot stand upon this floor and deny,
and every man, woman and child in my State
knows, that Florida was lost by the Re-
publican party in the late election, and
that the Democratic governor and the Tilden
electors were truly elected. / make this de-
c~laration now under the most solemn sense
of public duty, and from an irresistible feeling
of obligation to the people of my State who
have q right to expect that, howeve partisan
tier representative may be in his political
faith, lie should at least, on questions of public
fact, be an honest man. From the face Of all
the county returns the vote in the State stood
for Tildcn electors d, 439, and for Hayes cleo
tors "a, 349,- giving Tilden a majority of ninety.
He explained how the changes inthe votes were
made.
After further discussion the majority resolu-
no., Joolo,,pr tho Tr16op o1aoforu &c 1,1y o1ont-
ed i'll Florida vas then adopted-ycas, 142
nays. 80 a party vote, with the exception of
Mr.. purman (Rep.), of Florida, who voted in
the affirmative.
THE JOINT CONVENTION.
Mr.. Adams, clerk of the House Of Rcprescn-
~tatives, appeared ut the bar of the Senate, and
announced the decision of the House that the
counting of the vote of Florida shall not pro-
coed in conformity with the decision of tho
Electoral commission, and also notified tho
Senate that the House was now ready to meet
the Senate in joint meeting. The senators
then proceeded to the hall of the House, and
took their places. AS soon as order was re-
stored, the presiding officer, MIR. Ferry, arose
and said
"The joint meeting of Congress resumes its
session. The two houses separately have
considered and determined the objection sub
mittcd by a member of the House to the de-
cision of the commission on the certificates from
the State of Florida. The clerk OF the Senate
will now read the decision Of the Senate"
The decision of the Senate having been read
by its clerk, and that of the House by its clerk,
the presiding officer said:
1.-THE two houses not concurrirg in ordering
| otherwise, the decision Of the commission will
stand unrcvcrsed. The counting will now
proceed in conformity with the decision of the
commission. The tellcrs will announce the
vote Of Florida"
Senator Allison, one of the t~cllers, there
upon announced that the State of Florida had
given four votes for L. i. Hayes, of Ohio, as
| President, and four votes for William 4.
Wheeler, of New York, as Ticc-Presidcnt
The Vice-Presidcnt then preceded to open
the certificates and announce the votes.
Georgia, eleven votes for Tilden Illinois,
twenty-one votes for Hayes; Indiana, fifteen
votes for Tildcn Iowa, eleven votes for Hayes;
Kansas, five votes for Hayes and Kentucky,
twelve votes for Tilden.
Then came the certificate from the State of
Louisiana, showing eight votes for Hayes and
Wheeler, the presiding officer announcing that
the certificate had been received by mail, and
that no corresponding one had been received
by messenger. The messenger appointed for
that pnrpose was Thomas G. Anderson, of the
returning board. This was authenticated by
Kellogg as governor, he being himself one of
the electors.
The certificate having been read, the presid-
ing officer handed to the tellers another certiii-
cate from the same State, with a corresponding
one received by mail, showing eight votes for
Iilden and Hendricks. This was authenticated
by McEnery as governor Of the State. Still a
third certificate was opened and read, a CORE
spending one having been received by mail, with
votes for Hayes and Wheeler, authenticated by
Deslondc, secretary of State.
Another certificate, O burleSQue, every name
i'll it being that of John Smith, was read, crca-
ting comment and Indignation.
Senator Mcdonald 0em. }, Of Indiana, rose
and submitted an objection to the Hayes and
Wheeler certificates. The objection was based
on the ground that the Hayes electors had not
been duly elected, and that their election had
been certified by William 2. Kellogg, who
claimed to be, but in fact was not. governor Of
the State of Louisiana; that the returning
board of said State was without jurisdiction,
for the reason that the laws of Louisiana con-
ferrcd no power on said board to canvass or
compile the votes for electors: that the said
board constituted Lut four Of the five persons
required by law; that those four were Of the
same political party, and that there was n va
cancy in said board which the four iaembers
had refused to fill; that the four members of
the returning board had full knowledge that q
TRUE compilation Of the votes wOnld have
shown that the Tildcn electors had neen duly
clcctcu; that SAID DOard Iau offered lOr money
to sell the vote of Louisiana: and that a. Is.
Lcvisce and .. II. Brewster of the Republican
electors had held offices of trust under tho
government Of the United States at the time
of their appointment as electors.
The objection is signed by Senator's McDon-
AID lind J, Stevenson (Ky.l, Salisbury Qcl.),
and Bogy (Nlo.), and Representatives jerks
CPa.) Gibson (La.), Tucker (Va.), Levy CLa.),
Ellis Ua.l !, and Morrison Qll.)
Mr.. Gibson Dem, OF Louisiana, also sent
up objections to the Hayes and Wheeler certiti-
Gates. because: First. the government of
Louisiana was not republican in form second,
no can""sS was made Oh which the certificates
of election were issued third, any alleged
canvass of The votes was an act Of uslrpatlnn.
fraudulent and void fourth, some Of the cleo
tors were ineligible bv the laws of Louisiana,
and were disqualified from being electors as
holding State offices. Kellogg being acting 10
JGco governor; JciTrion, supervisor of regis
"tration for the parish of Point Coupec; Marks,
district attorney and Burch, a member Ut the
State Senate: a member of the board of con-
troll of the State pcnitcntiary an administrator
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