The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-02-12
The Electoral Count.
THE HOUSE OBJECTS TO THE
FLORIDA DECISION.
Democrats Becoming
Discouraged.
President Grants Views,

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10.--The two houses as
sembled in the hall of Representatives at l
o'clock, to hear the report of the Electoral Com
mission.
After the report had been read, written OBJ
jections were presented by Mr.. Field in behalf
of five Senators and twelve Representatives,
and thereupon the two houses separated, to
consider the objections in their respective
chambers.
After the Senate had returned to its cham
bers, aud the objections had ben read, Mr.. Stew
euson moved to take recess until 10 O'Clock
Monday morning. The motion was defeated
by strict party vote, q to a.
by Mr. Sherman was agreed to by party vote
Resolved, That the decision OF the commits
sion upon the electoral votes of the State OF
Florida stand as the judgment of the Senate
the objections made thereto to the contrary
Notwithstanding.
A lengthy debate took place on the form of
question sustaining or overriding the objections,
filed by Mr.. Field.
An order submitted by Mr.. Whyte that the
Senate do not concur in the decision made by
the commission, but that the votes cast by
Wilkinson Call, Robert Bullock, j. E. Yonge
and r. B Hilton as electors for the State OF
Florida, are the true and lawful votes for Pres
| ident and Vice President Of that State, was de-
| feated by strict party vote.
The Senate then agreed to an order sub
1
| should be counted for r. B. Hayes for Presi-
| dent and W. A Wheeler for Vice President,
| as determined by the electoral commission.
The vote upon this was yeas 43, nays, 26
| "a strict party vote.
On motion of Mr.. Sargent, at 2 IS the
| Secretary was directed to notify the House
| of Representatives that the Senate had reached
| determination in regard to the decision OF
| the electoral commission and was ready to
| meet the House of Representatives for the
| purpose of proceeding with the count
| At three o'clock the Senate took recess until
| 10 o'clock Monday morning.
A motion was also made in the House to
| take recess till Monday The Republicans op
| posed il, and argued that under the electoral
| law the House had no power to take a recess,
but should consider the objection to the decision
| of the commission for two hours and then vote
| upon it. The Democrats pressed for a recess
and denied the correctness OF the position taken
by the Republicans.
| The Speaker overruled the point of order
/ against the right to take recess, and accord
| ipgly the House took recess till ten O'Clock
Monday morning.
The temper in which the House took recess
| occasioned much comment, some persons sup
| posing the Democrats intended at the mex
meeting to engage in dilatory motions concern
| ing the decisions OF the commission in tht
| Florida case and thus obstruct the proceedings
| but prominent and active Democrats say moth
| ing of the kind is intended: that the House hai
| right to take recess, and this was done tt
enable their political friends to carefully ex
anime into the pending question and to rea(
| the papers as they will appear in print, an(
that on re-assembling Monday, after the neces
| sary preliminaries the House will vote withOu
factious opposition, and thus complete the
action on the Florida count.
Next will be counted the vote of Georgia, tx
which there will be no objections, and follow
| ing it Illinois when objections will be made tt
| eector Chaffee on the ground Of iheligibility
| and proofs will be presented to establish tht
fact. The two Houses will separate on this oh
lection. When it shall be disposed of TIT
| votes of Indiana, Iowa. Kansas and Kentucky
to which there are no objections, will be count
ed. After these comes the State of Louisian;
| which some persons regard as the most import
| ant point in the contest. Twelve other states
intervene before Oregon shall be reached. A
conclusion on all the disputed points may no
be consummated for week or ten days.
The electoral commission re assembled thi
| afternoon, and after the reading of their Jour
nal OF yesterday adjourned until Monday.
Mr.. Tiiden Not Discouraged
NEW YORK Feb. 10.-Mr Tilden says b,
| expected the Florida verdict to 90 against him
| but urges his friends not to be Respondent a.
there are other points in his favor and he be
| lieves the final decision will confirm his cleo
| lion.
Chief Justice Church Gives Up Louisiana
Chief Justice Church of this state, is em
phatic in stating that the plan for an electora
commission is destitute of either constitution
ality or expediency, and that the stand taker
| by the Democratic counsel in the Florida cast
is as subversive of Democratic principles as wa
| the creation of the commission ITSELF Judge
| Church is perfectly clear that the action 10
| state authorities in Louisiana as wellas
Florida must be accepted as final.
| Congratulations for Hayes
COLUMBUS, Feb. 1O.-The Republicans her,
are Jubilant, and Governor Hayes is in con
| slant receipt of kilograms copgratulating hin
on the favorable course Of events.
The President's Views.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 1.-THE President to
| night in the course of conversation said it ha
| appeared to him that the Democrats of tn,
House by abruptly taking a recess yesterda,
intended to obstruct the counting of the cleo
taaal vote, but Oh his being informed tina
many prominent Democrats had disavowel
any intention to engage in mere diitory pro-
| ceedings that tomorrow they would tax,
action in the Florida case, and that their DELAY
was merely for the purpose of carefully exam
ming all the papers as they appeared THU
| as nothing could be gained by resisting TIT
| regular order of business. In speaking OF the
intention of the Democrats to MAKE an obiec
ton to the counting of the electoral vote Of
Illinois on account of the alleged ineligibility
of Mr.. Chatfee. one Of the electors, he said ht
did not see how the vote of the state on that &C
count could be rejected. or if the rejection were
made to Chaffee only the Democrats could de-
wise no benefit from it, He thought it but fail
tnat II the state had voted for either Hayes OIL
| Tilden the full vote of such state should be
counted according to its political coplexion.
| Although he hoped Hayes and Wheeler
would be declared elected, he felt somewhat
uncertain as to the result because be could mo-
| oresee what wsuld be done in the case of Lou
isiana. 1t would be recollected that -four
| years ago after his canvass for re election
| the two houses resolved not to count the electo
raj vote of that State. Although the reasons il
the two cases might not be similar, there
seemed to be some uncertainty upon the sub
| Ject. Should the vote possibly be excluded
Hayes and Wheeler would, in that case, be de-
feated, and Tilden and Hendricks not elected
| the latter not having received majority of the
| votes OF all the electors appointed, and there
fore the election of the President would bt
| thrown into the House of Representatives
leaving the Senate to elect Vice President
| But be this as it may he was satisfied there
| would be no disturbance of the peace as both
| parties had committed the deter mination of thf
| disputed points to the tribunal constituted fol
that purpose.
Democratic Sentiment.
| There was no unusual excitement to night
| concerning the counting of the electoral vote
and but few members of Congress were seen al
the hotels, though many other persons were
engaged in discussing the political situation,
Prominent democrats repeat the assurance that
they do not intend unnecessarily to postpone
actlen on the Florida case, and that the cues,
ton as to whether the vote shall be counted
will be taken tomorrow. The Democrats de.
pended on counting this vote for their candi.
date, but the decision of the commission being
otherwise, some of them express hope that
what they have lost in Florida NAV be retrieved
by rejecting the vote of Louisiana
The Republicans are in better spirits than the
Democrats, in view of the final result.