The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-03-14
action Of the State officers concerns the State

\ Ou lllC SolllllbDkSk4s w kAS
efforts in behalf Of justice, for it seemed to him
not only did this decision Of the eight members
Of the commission level in the dust all the es-
sential safeguards thrown around the election
of a CHIEF Magistrate, but it announced to the
people of this land that truth and justice, hon:
esty and morality were no longer the central
basis Of their political power.
Mr.. Wallace (Dem.) }. of Pennsylvania, said
The senator from Ohio (AIr. Sherman) sayn
that no LAWYER asserted the right to 60 behind
the returns, but the record shows that he HIM
self said that this bill gave that right when he
resisted its passage, and two of the commission,
! Messrs. Morton aud. Garfield, in the debate
opposed the bill because it gave that right.
The rejection Of the proof Of fraud by the
commission admitted its truth.
Mr.. Sargent (Rep.), of California, argued
that the decision of the commission only sus-
tanned the right of the State III selecting its
electors.
Mr.. Withers Dem.), of Virginia, said this
decision demonstrated the fact that the mem-
bers of the highest tribunal in the land could
not rise above party. This decision that Con-
gress could not inquire into fraud in the cleo
toral vote of the State was asserting q doctrine
| of State sovereignty never advocated by its
widest adherents.
! Mr.. Kernan's substitute was then voted down
by a strick party vote, and Mr.. Shermans reso-
luton WAS agreed to.
The Senate having concluded its action on
the vote of Louisiana, the secretary was i'll
! structed to inform the House Of the Senate
, readiness to go on with the count.
House.
Mr., Whitthorne DEM, Of Tennessee, Offer
| ed as all independent section to the Naval APP
preparation bill the amendment authorizing
the appointment of a commission to decide and
report upon the future naval policy Of the
United States, said commission to consist OF
the admiral of the navy, the general OF the
army. two naval officers to be designated by the
President, two senators, and three members of
the House. Adopted, with an amendment offer
ed by Mr.. Beebe Dem, of New York, provid-
ing that all the expenses incurred by the COM
mission shall be borne by the members thereof.
Mr.. Gibson Dem J, of Louisiana, offered all
order that the Hayes electoral votes for the
State of Louisiana be not counted.
Mr.. Hurlbut Nep.), OF Illinois. moved to
amend by striking ont the word "not."
Mr.. New Oem.), Of Indiana, opened the
discussion. and advised that the House submit
to the findings Of the commission.
Mr.. Seelye lind J. of Massachusetts. said he
found it quite impossible to say which OF the
two sets of electors coming up from Louisiana
voiced the true will of the people Of that State.
It would have been hard to find wiser and more
Ca0QlQ men (Qun tuOSe VIII IldO plolpOuLiSSu
the decision OF the Electoral commission.
Mr.. Joyce: {Rep.), of Vermont, supported the
decision Of the Electoral commission, and asked
whether anybody supposed that, if the decision
had been the other way, the objections would
have been heard from the Democratic party.
! Mr.. McMahon CDem.) J, Of Ohio, said be had
been to Louisiana, and could say that Samuel
J. Tilden had carried Louisiana as fairly and
! honestly as Hayes had carried Ohio.
Mr.. Rice (Dem.), Of Ohio, protested against
the wrong and violence embodied in the de-
cision, and argued that the whole subject
should be referred back to the commission. By
this decision n government OF order was 10 De
supplanted by a government of fraud and vlo-
leicc, and he feared that it was but the Begin
ming Of the end Of the Republican institutions
Mr.. Foster (Rep.), Of Ohio, spoke OF the duty
Of both parties to abide by the decision, and
; said this is not O time for mere party Xulta-
ton. He said that he lived in Gov. Hayes dis
trict. and that the people OF all sections of the
county may confidently expect from him not
only fair but generous consideration. He
added: l say that his highest ambition will be
to administer the government so patriotlcally
and wisely as to wipe away every necessity or
excuse for the formation Of parties on q Sec
tional basis and all traces Of party color lines ;
that thereafter We shall hear no more of q solid
South or a united North. The flag shall float
over States, not provinces-over freemen, not
subjects. When Gov. Hayes appealed to tue
people of the South in his letter Of acceptance,
he addressed them a. my countrymen and
why not his countrymen? Are not the Southern
States the equal of those i'll the north, east or
west. and is not the South m integral part OF
the nation? It has been said, sneeringly, and
Il. the purpose Of stirring the wild passions Of
the human heart to bad actions, that the South
under President Hayes must SUBMIT to an I'M
conditional surrender to the Republican party.
No. sir no such demand will be made. All
that will be expected is the patriotic co-opera-
ton of Southern patriots in the great work OF
restoration through tho Union, the Constitu-
ton, and the enforcement Of the laws. In this
great work the representative men of the South
have already distinguished themselves for
patriotism and craftsmanship during the penr
dcncy of the present crisis in OUR history.
Messrs. Grape (Rep.], Mass, Waterman
[Dem.l, Ky, Cox lDcm.b n. T., Donford
[Rep.l, Ohio, Ellis lDem.] ], La, Kelly [Rep.l,
Pa, Wood [Dem. !, \. Y, and others took part
in the debate. When the debate closed the
House proceeded to vote or the order submit
ted by Mr.. Gibson that the Hayes electors be
not counted IMr. Hurlbut having withdrawn
his an!endmentl, and it was agreed to. yeas,
172; nays, ga party vote, except that Hessrs.
Seclye and Pierce of Massachusetts voted with
the Democrats.
THE JOINT CONVENTION.
The Electoral convention having given Its
decision relating to the Louisiana matter, the
Joint convention Of the Senate and House met.
The presiding officer said The joint meeting
Of Congress resumes its session. The objec-
tons presented to the certificates from the
State of Louisiana having been submitted to
the commission, the two houses have recon-
vened to receive and consider the decision Of
that tribunal il writing by a majority Of the
commissioners and signed by a majority of the
commissioners agreeing thereto. 1t will now
be read by the secretary Of the Senate" The
decision was then read es follows The Electoral
commission mentioned in said act having re-
ceived certain certificates and papers prrport-
ing to be certificates and papers accompanying
the same Of the electoral vote frsm the State Of
Louisiana and the objections thereto submitted
to it under said act, now report that it has
duly considered the same, pursuant to said act,
and has by a majority Of votes decided. and
does hereby decide, that the votes Of William
p. Kellogg, J. Henry Burch. Peter Joseph, L.. 4.
Sheldon. Morris Marks, Aaron B. Levisee.
Orlando n. Brewster and Oscar JefTrion, named
in the certificate of William =. Kellogg, gov
ernor of said state, which votes are certified by
said persons as appears by the certificates sub
United 10 the COMMISSION aB aforesaid, ana
marked Nos. / and 8 by said commission and
herewith returned, are the votes provided tor
by the Constitution Of the United States and
that the same are lawfully to be counted Al
therein certified, namely Eight votes for
rutherford L. Hayes. Of Ohio, for President
and eight votes for William 4. Wheeler. Of New
York. for Iice-President.
Tie commission has, by a ma jority Of votes,
decided and does hereby decide and report.
that the eight persons first before named were
duly appointed electors III and by the said State
Of Louisiana.
III. brief ground Of this decision il. that i.
appears upon such evidence as by the Constitu-
ton AMI the law named in said act Of Congress
is competent and pertinent to the consideration
Of the subject, { at the before mentioned cleo
tors appear to have been lawfully appointed
such electors Of President and Vicc-President
Of the United States. for the term beginning
March 4. 1877, OF the State Of Louisiana. and
that they voted as such II at the time. and il the
manner provided for by the Constitution Of the
United States and the las.
And the commission has, by q majority Of
votes. decided that it in not competent, under
the Constitution and the law Us it existed at
the date OF the passage Of the laid SCI. t. 90
into evidence uimds the papers opened h.y the
Al -