The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-03-16
THE ELECIOR.fL Law or 1871 Ex.fM-
INED .fxD EXPLAINED.
To TIE EDITOR OF THE srv-Sr,Iwill

provisions to the double returns from the State
of Florida as that case stood before the coun-
try and before Congress at the time OF the pas
sage of tho act. II was n public and notorious
fact at the time Of the passage Of this law. that
two electoral certificates from the same State "
Florida were in the hands Of the President Of the
Senate, awaiting the tim" for opening and count
ingthc electoral votes. Evidcna had been taken
hy a committee Of the House Of Representa-
tivos. which had made it certain that tho per-
sons claiming to b, ,hc Democratic electors had
horn appointed as such by thl people Of the
state in the manner directed 10y the Lcgisla-
turo and that they had at the proper time as
~'mblcl and east their votes for Samuel J. Til
don Pr d'nt and Thomas \. Hendricks n
Nicc-rrosidcnt. Evidence had also boon taken
which showed that certain other persons elaine
ing to Doe the Il publican electors of the state
had not harnappointcd ~ such 10y the people Of
the STATE in the manner lirccrdhy the Lcgisla-
uturr. Int tina, they hnd been falsely and fraud
ulontly certified by the Governor and the Re-
turning Board to have been duly appointed.
and that they had assembled and cast
tIcir votes for Rutherford b. Hayes as
President and William \. Wheeler for
president. Those facts being publicly
known before any ot the certificates had been
opened. or being publicly known TO hc charged
To Ice true on The ono Side and IN" other. Com
,,dniition Of the "lactorai VIII Of the State 81
Florida. That law directs that whom the double
certificates from that state are opened in the
presence 81 the two Houses. objections may be
malH o. thu counting Oi either ui them in "a pre-
scrlbod mangor:that thercupon thc ccrtiilcatos
themselves ihc electoral votes which they om-
brace. and all papers ~ 'ompanylng tn same.
WS"tlrr with the objections thereto shall ID, r.
icfryl u a commission who shall decide which
SGT Of electors were duly appointed electors of
that State; and shall in making their decision
take into view such petitions. 1crosltiOns. and
fIf ION i
now existing law hr competent and pertinent in
We consid ration. II q. rt arr any. Tnat the
now cxiS,ng law ss.iia"e tH,, ,ilIr' nav be-
evidence pertinent and competent 10 the trinl Of
w o,l,Tu rs TUT have been received, AMI that
-iiions. and other pnp'r~ " l. apparent from the
fact Mat the law its i hats allowed certain tori
maj I-eu TO he made upon the q, Mi ting ccr-
tiiicdtcs ~ objections taken ln a pro- .rihad
manner, and has directed the trial nf fhu-a is
sizes. Those i-~uos como on t. h. 'ricd before
Iii. tht tSn iiina, a NJ, i,il 'i on. IN,
u Yer duly appoint /. lui that they nave
been falsely ana fraudu,nilv returned H. If
issue 20 hr tried. l}ui say thr R.puiliaan law
ycrs. although this issue * H. rtrici II can 20"
tried only by an inspr ton Of the paper it, H..
and as thut shows thut the Governor and the
Returning Board have rrri licl that iha Rapub-
lean ell. tors wcrr duly app0.ntrl pic COM
mission can re.eivc n cVldancf Ia fnl- is that
certificate although the rIi fence might rrDs.
the most pgipablc frauds ayer uort. fr.tii on
thc luee ol the rnrth Tho commission lv "A
majority of one loci los that this /. ure,..-slv
80: and this concludes the farce. and ends III.
whole ll-iuess.
inf thor. comes whom an has hn.n Homo md
Tie Democratic. directors with an tna.r uroofs
luNe been turned ont If no "Reminiscences
al.- "a s,.i.r -nDr.iiiur ANIL s...tnn iu.uiiv
whrfhortu. statute, that ir,li,lri f,r No ffnl II
this issue rala' M, "a trfi al ,i,1f .rf ,,i,.
int "A lel that ~ mover -lDUil D.. MOL i'm, fii1,
10 should D, concluded iv fn. g--nrtrtiOn mat
the puurr smoke the truth whom il Vn- d.. N r,.,l
~ D. II wn tnal 10 ii.terod IA fals .N0lI If-i.l
wis the Intention of tho -'atlli. why
did II MAKE an cN.ept'onal mYle n
inquiry In casns wi, re- th,rr were,
two electoral certificates from the same
Siatcy II was perfectly notorious lelor,. the
law was pissed tAat ON, If the certificates from
Florida bore the attestation Of The Governor.
based on the returns made by the Returning
BOurl Why dit Congress 80 fnr alter tAr rrf-
existing lAwa- 10 send this rertiil cate iOng with
the Obj 'fiuns t. il. and along with tho rival
which set 4 claimants was entitled % cast the
aitostaiidn was conclusive of the constitutional
and legal title Of that 1T II electors. why I'D
Congress call Tor and allow objections TO Il, send
those objections b. Il commission to bee tried.
and make d!ret issue bctw en- the two rival
bodies of rlc tors VII 1t b. said that the corr
mission WIS raised and lrganiz 4 90 determine
to- preliminary question VIII tier ial-' a.
t.-iatlon &c % Governor and l. turning Board
Is not Conclusive against all eNIl,u.' what
evorl Thor is NOT a Syllable IN The .nw from
which any such iufrron .is can d.. ui-flg ifaWn