The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-01-04
4 Guarded sFataflgHE Or tigB Gf5s
gramme for ,Declarlng the Vote.
WAsHENGTON. December Is.

--------- w WA6HESGTON, December 70.
No publir officer has been mora per.
sistenily and more fruitlessly interviewed
than Senator Ferry. President pro tenn.
ofthe S55na.e. The Last reported cnn yer
sation with him WAS published in Bal
;iuj;Ta i;zcs. .h:s :mar;':ag, aud Senator
Ferry, after reading it, has taken oeci,.
sion to deny its statements seriatim. aud
pr0nounces 1t al. maze uIs.l in cnnversa-
lion with d friend tbfs !n1dfhing, Senator
Ferry defined his po,ition upon SOME dig
puted points, and, while moi constituting
an interview, the coDversatinn may ha
accepted as giving his views. It will be
remembered that in rcceipting. for the
sealed envelopes brought 10 him, SeHAtot
Ferry has adopted new form, designa
ting them as euyelQpea claiming TO cou:..
tain ;he Electoral vote.
In receiptihg for the packages received
by mail, he has taken similar cOurse,
describing the envelope aud lis marks in
his receipt. All these envelopes purport-
ing TO contain electoral votes he proposed
10 take ID the place of meeting for the
two Houses, and there to open them
without exception, treating all. 80 Far rs
their opening by the President of the
Senate in the presence of the two Houses
is concerued, in precisely the same man.
ner. This ends tolerably constant
rumor that only certain envelopes would
be opened by the President Of the Sen
ale, and insures that, instead Of 800 votes
coming before the two Houses for verifi-
cation, 39l will be handed 10 the te,icrs,
uf which 20G ;;li be counted f.r Tlden
aud Hendricks aud 1877 for Hayes and
Wheeler. What his action will be IN
the matter Alr. Ferry declines to say Ill.
the committee Of conference have reached
a decision or disagreed irrevocably.
Mr. Ferry's language upon the subject
is sufficiently significant TO deserve quo.
tation rs ap informal expression Of his
views: 81 hope tue two committees will
come to some plan. IF the two Houses
agree, nobody willrhave'any objection to
make. That will settle the matter. it
is not question that want TO decide.
II is not Ru envinble position for any
man to take. He is certain, however lie
decides it, to be hated by half the repuJ.
lie. But if tue two Houses fail 10 agree
| shall appear at their place of meeting
with all the envelopes and do my duty
under the constitution. l saail have no
hesitation whatever in doing my whole
duty. shall shirk no responsibility"
What Mr.. Ferry considers his additional
duty under the Constitution in the verifi
cation of the votes aud their count lie did
not this morning say. He has not YET
said, and, except to his immediate-pUiitis
cal friends, g clear, headed, reticent ippii,!
tician on the eve Of q recollection to- tlio
Senate is not likely trsaysthp February
II; but that he considers that he has "a
duty to perform beyond the mere open
ing, in ci.se the Houses fail to adopt some
plan before their joint meeting, nu listen
or To bis conversation this morning,
wilnse Use rs Il cunvt rsatiOn with IL friend
he permitted, could have any doubt,
Judging from his phrase and from the
evident and earnest desire that the two
HOUSES should deliver him of the respnn-
slbility of deciding the question before
they met IN joint session. Mr.. Ferry
said also tlnt the Senate committee i. mt
made up to favor reference To the Su-
preme Curt. He was a.xiuus simply
t" get a strong committee of lawyers
from The judiciary committee and the
committee on privileges and elections.
He claims the credit Of having insisted
upon the even division Of the commits
tee.-iSpeciai Dispatch to the Ne,c York
World