West Feliciana sentinel. (St. Francisville, La.) 1876-1877, 1877-02-24
INELIGIBLE ELECTORS.

Senator Mitchell, from the COM
mittee on privileges and elections,
made report to tho Senate to-
day under the lest clause of the
Edmunds resolution, instructing
tina: committee to inquire into the
ineligibility under the Consti,ut-
ion Of any persons alleged TO have
been Ineligible as Presidential Ell
ectcrs on the 7th Of November last,
70 whom certificates OF election
have been issued by the
executive authority Of any State.
The report covers three cases OF
alleged ineligible electors: First,
that OF Benjamin Williamson :;
second, that of Genera! u. NJ.
Frost. and third, that of F. W. N. =.
Halliday, of Virginia. In the case
of the New Jersey eiec,or, the COM
mit,ee find that Mr.. Williamson
was aboat twenty-five years ago
appointed by the Circuit Court of
tho United States a United States
Commissioner, and that he never
resigned the office.
The committee find, therefore,
that said Williamson was inelig: bic
as an elector on the 7;h Of Novem-
Der last. Mr.. Williamson resign
ed and did not attend the meeting
of the Electoral College, aad hi<
vacancy was filled by the Electoral
College, and his vacancy was Glled
by the electors present. Commit
tee iud uuGer the statute of New
Jersey that tho electors could le-
galIy fill such vacancy. IN the
case of Daniel NJ. Frost, Of Mis-
sonri, the committee find that prior
| TO the rebellion he was an officer in
the United States Army, and had
taken the oath required; also, that
he had been a member Of the Mis- =
souri, Legislature prior 20 that time,
and as such had taken an oath to
support the Constitution of the
U. s.; also, that he was an officer OF
the Confederate army. The Com
mittee further find that these facts
rendered him eneligible to be an
clector, under the third section of
the fourteenth amendment to the
Constitution. The committee also
find that Mr.. Frost received par
don from the President of the Unit
ed State on the 23d of October
1865, I he committee also hnd as a
conclusion of law this pardon did
not effect or remove the disability
as imposed by the fourteenth
amendment, the repert holding
that the disability could only be
removed by two-third vote o.
both houses Of Congress. They
also fipd as matter Of fact thai
Mr.. Frost did not attend the meet
ing of the Missouri Electoral Col
lege, and that the alleged vacancy
was filled, or attempted to be fin
ed, by the electors present. IEe
committee find as a conclusion o'
law that under the statute of the
State Of Missouri the electors pres
en-: had no power whatever to iii
the vancancy occasioned by tht
absence of Mr.. Frost, and tha
their action in attempting to 90 sc
was void. The committee find tina
inasmuch as Frost was ineligible tt
be an elector he was also ineligible
to be appointed.
In the cese of Halliday, Of V ir-
giuia. the committee find he was
Centennial Commissioner at tn
time of the election that such o.
| fee is one OF trust under the Con
stituticn, and he was therefore in
eligible TO be an elector. haii'da.
did not attend the meeting OF tn
Electoral College and those presen
filled the vacancy, which the com
mittee find they could legally d
under the statutes of Virginia.