River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-02-22
TIL Presidential Tribunal.

/ 18th with arguments before the Commission
/ in the LOuisianacase. Senator Mcdonald and
| Representative jerks spoke in behalf of the
/ Democrats and Senator Howe and Represent
alive Hurlbut in behalf of the Republicans.
at the evening session Matt Carpenter spoke
/ in favor of counting Louisiana tor Tilden. He
said he voted for Hayes, and would do so
sgain, and that he did not appear for Tilden,
but tor 10000 legal voters I'm Louisiana who
had been DISTINGUISHED by the Returning
/ Board. The evening session terminated with
/ Carpenters speech incomplete.
The argument in the Louisiana case
was continued before the commission on the
I4th. Matt Carpenter concluded and was fol-
lowed by Lyman Trun bull on behalf of the
Democrats. Messrs. StOughtoA and Shella-
berger spoke on behalf of the Republicans.
Democrats endeavOred to have the report of
the House committee which went to Louisiana
received but the commission refused.
The main argument in the Louisiana
case was concluded ON the 18th, Evarts speak
ing tor the Republicans and Judge Campbell
for the Democrats. The question o. admitting
, evidence mas taken under Amusement by the
commission, and additional argument may
ensue on that point.
At p. m. on the 10th, the Commits
sion threw open its doors and made public
that the following business had been transact
ed in secret session:
Mr. HOar offered the following:
Ordered, That evidence be not received
Mr.. Abbott offered the following as a sub
stitute:
Resolved. That evidence be received toshow
that so much OF the act of Louisiana establish
ing the returning board OF that State is UncOn-
stitutiOnal, and the acts OF said returning
board are void.
This was rejected 10y the following vote:
YEAs-AbbOtt, Bayard, Clifford, Field Hun
ton, Thurman, Payne-7.
Nays Bradley, Edmunds, Frelinghuysen,
Garfield, Hoar, Miller, Morton StrOng.-S.
Mr.. Abbott offered another substitute as
follows:
Resolved, That evidence will be received
to show that the returning board OF Louisiana,
at the time of canvasSing and compiling the
vote Of that State, was not legally constituted
under the law establishingit, in this that it
was composed OF four persons OF one political
party, instead OF five persons OF different par
ties.
Rejected by the same vote.
Mr.. Abbott then offered another substitute:
Resolved, That JmmissIOn will receive
testimony on the S. Jet of frauds alleged in
the specifications o counsel for the directors
TO certificates one aud three.
Rejected by the same vote.
Mr.. Abbott then offered fourth substitute:
Resolved, That testimony tending to show
that the sO-called returning board OF LOuisi-
ana had no jurisdiction to canvass the votes
for electors for President and Vice President
IS admissible.
Rejected by the same vote.
Mr.. Abbott then offered fifth substitute,
which was rejected by the same vote, which
was as follows:
Resolved, That evidence is admissible that
statements and afiidavits purpOrting to have
been made and forwarded to said returning
board in pursuance of the provisions OF section
90 the election law oflS72, alleging riot, tu-
mutt, intimidation and violence, at or near
certain parishes were false and fabricated and
forged by certain disreputable persons under
direction and knowledge OF SAID returning
board; that said returning board, knowing
said statements and affdavits to Re false and
forged, and that none of such statements and
afidavits were made I'm the manner or torn, or
within the time required by law, did know
ingly, wilfuliy and iraudulently fail and re-
fuse TO canvass or compile more than ten
thousand votes cast, as is shown by Commits
siOneTs OF election.
HuntOn offered a sixth substitute as follows
Resolved, That evidence he received to
prove that the votes cast and given at said
election ON the 7th of Noyember last, as
shown by the return made by the Commission
ers of Election for said polls and voting
places, in said State, have never been COM
piled or canvassed, and that said returning
board never even pretended to compile or
canvass the returns made by said Commits
si0neTs OF Election, but that said returning
board only pretended to canvass the returns
Hlatle Nv the CutPfVlSUrS registration.
Rejected by the same vote.
An eighth substitute was offered by Bayard,
as fellows:
Resolved, That no person holding an Office
OF trust or profit under the United States is
eligible TO lie appointed an electOr, and that
this Commission will receive evidence tend
ing to prove such inehgibility, as offered by
counsel Ter directors to certificates No. and
3.
Rejected ty the same vote.
Justice Field offered the 9th and last sub
stitute, as follows:
Resolved, That in the opinion OF the COM
mission evidence is admissible upon the sew
+ eral matters which counsel for directors TO
numbers l and offered to prove.
This was also rejected by the same vote and
/ the question ON tire original order submitted
! by Hear came TIP, viz: ''That the evidence
offered I've not received"
Mr. Payne moved TO strike out the word not
Rejected by the same vote.
+ The vote on the original order was then Ia
/ ken, and il was adopted by the following vote.
I Garfield, Hoar, Miller, Morton, StronV-S.
Nays-AbbOtt, Bayard, Clifford, Field, Hun
ton, PAYNE, Thurman.
i Upon his action being made known to the
/ counsel, the Democrats declined to make any
further argument, and the Commission again
went into secret session, when Senator Morton
offered the following resolution!
Resolved, That the persons named as elect
OrS in certificate No. were the lawful elect
/ OTS Of the State OF Louisiana and their votes
are the votes provided by the Constitution OF
the United States and should be counted tor
President and Nice-Presi0ent.
This resolution was adopted by 3 vote OF s
70 :, as follows:
1eas--Bradley, Strong, Miller, Bdmunds,
Frelinghuysen, Garfield, Hoar and Morton.
Nays-Abbott, BayRrd, Clifford, Field, Nun
son, Payne and Thurman.
Justice Miller and Bradley and Representa-
tive Hear were appointed a committee to
adopt = report OF the decision 10 be submitted
TO Congress.
Upon the assembling of the Senate
on the 18th the decision of the Commission in
the Lonislana case was read, and the Senate
adopted m ton that il was ready to meet
the House Ind proceed with the count The
House, however, declined TO proceed on Sat-
urdaY, but by vote OF l52 20 III adopted a
resolution that they would meet the Senate
70 continue the count in Joint convention at
II A. II. on Monday the 18th
ACCEPTING THK RESULT
An exciting Democratic caucus was held at
Washington on the evening OF the nth Two
resolutions were offered refusing to accent the
decision of the Electoral Commission. but
they received lew Affirmative votes. After
an extended debate, the following resolution
offered by Reagan Of Texas with the last
clause added by Mr.. Bright, was adopted by
q vote OF 60to 90:
Resolved, That the count OF the votes
/ shall proceed without dilatory opposition to
81 e a..