The Portland daily press., 1877-10-27
WASHINGTON.
The Louisiana senatorship,

Senator dOar oHereu the following re S0lut0D,
which was unanimously agreed to:
Resolved, That the contestants file their re-
spective statements with the clerk, in order
that an opportunity may be given each gentle
man to examine the statement of his opponent
and prepare any reply thereto, and the commit
tee adjourn one hour
The committee adjourned until 10 30
p On Resembling the statements of the res.
pective contestants were received.
That of Kellogg after promising it is not in
the power OF any claimant or contestant for a
seat In the senate to waive or in any degree
control the right OF a state to her chosen repre-
sentative and that the COMMITTEES so understood
the matter and that requests of the contestants
will not be sufficient to control the COMMITTEES
in regard to the range which the evidence
shall be allowed to take, he goes on to say that
ne thinks the record evidence should be con-
curing further he will ask them to investigate
and report upon the following matters:
l. The violence and other revolutionary and
unlawful acts and influences resorted to, either
to prevent the organization of the legslature
by which L was elected or to deprive either
branch thereof of a quorum before, at the time
OF or alter my said election to the Senate.
z Inc violence and other revolutionary or
unlawful acts and influence resorted to to de-
prive of their offices the executive and judicial
officers of Louisiana belonging to what is
known as the Packard government.
3. The acts resorted to to secure an organiza-
ton of what is known as the Nichols legisla-
ture and the installment and continuance in
power of the Nichols executive.
4. The character, extent and effect upon the
election in Louisiana in 1876 of those offences
against the election laws which are enumerat-
ed in such laws. especially in the 26th section
of the act of 1872.
5. The action of the returning officers in MAX
Ing up The returns of all persons and officers
voted for, at the election of November. 1876,
in the state of Louisiana. [ shall also ask in
the event that the committee shall decide to go
behind the record evidence to which L have al
luded, that the testimony taken by the commit
tee of the Senate, of which Senator Howe was
chairman in 1877, may be ordered by the Senate
to be used for the purposes of such invest'ga-
ton.
Mr.. Spofford in his statement says:
Protesting that no evidence beyond his Gre
dentials and the historical facts, of which the
Senate will take judicial notice, is required or
demanded. and In obedience to the orders and
resolutions of the committee. he respectfully
proposes to prove:
/. That by the actual returns collected by the
parish supervisors of registration from their
appointees (the commissioners of elections)
showing the votes actually in the ballot boxes
at the close of the election in Louisiana on the
7th of November, 1876. it appears that enough
of the Senators and Representatives received
into the Packard Legislature upon the certif-
Gates of the so-called returning board were de-
lodtcu db bu6 pOllS W SuUW budl buGT6 D6N6E WdS
from first to last, quorum of elected members
in either branch of that Legislature.
2. That with Stevens holding over, the Sena-
tor adhering to the Nichols government was
captured and tuken by duress against his pro-
test into the Packard chamber on the LIST of
January, 1877, and kept there by duress and
against his protest Che refusing to participate in
their action and repudiating their authority as
Senate), just for the purpose of swearing in
as members of that pretended Senate, Baker
and Kelso, who had not only been defeated at
the polls as candidates for the Senate but were
SO reported by the returning board and their
competitors were actually elected, admitted so
to be by the returning board, and sat as mem
beers from their respective senatorial districts in
the Nichols Senate throughout the session, and
that there was no contest and no notice of a
contest over their seats, but the seating of Bak-
er and Keso as entirely unlawful, inexcusa-
BILE and of no effect; that the actual returns
as made in the duplicates by the supervisors,
showed majority of votes actually cast through
out the state of about 5000 for Nichols and
Wilt over Packard and Antoine for Governor
and Lieutenant Governor in the Louisiana cleo
ton of Nov 7, 1876.
In conclusion, the statement charges the Re
turning Board with changing the result of the
election in De Soto parish by the suppression of
votes SO as to return the Republican represen-
tatives, who were really beaten, by large ma
jorities, and which was admitted in letter
written by one of the Republican representa-
tives 20 returned. a copy of which letter will
hereafter be submitted to the committee.
In his supplemental statement, Gov. Kellogg
says he denies generally and specifically the
material averments of Judge Spofford. and
asks that in the event the committee shall de-
eide to take testimony in regard to who were
duly elected members of the Legislature of
Louisiana, that such investigation shall be
made thorough in obedience to the designs of
the election laws of Louisiana; that it shall
decide who were elected after excluding from
the election returns such polls as the election
laws of Louisiana designed should be excluded,
aad he states further that if such exclusions
are made as are required by the designs of the
law it will be found that the action of the Re-
turning Board in certifying the election of the
members of the Senate and House as they did
was justified by the evidence and law in the
case.
Judge Spofford, in his supplemental state
ment, says: The vagueness of the statements
of Gov. Kellogg as to what he desires to prove,
renders it impossible for me to specify what Fl
shall desire to advance in rebuttal. A suit up
on such pleadings could have no end and L as
sumo that it is the desire of Gov. Kellogg aud
of the com mittee, as it certainly is mine, that
this matter should be determined speedily, GER
tainly within few weeks.
AS to the specific document referred to by
Gov. Kellogg in his letter to the committee of
the 22d inst, | shall desire to prove that the
act creating Superior Civil Court fell through
and became an utter abortion; that it did not
require any repeal because it never went into
vital force; that protesting to abolish the Sixth
District Court of New Orleans it never did
abolish it, but that the court has continued and
still subsists in full exercise of its original
/ Jurisdiction though there has been no law re-
| vising.it. Ii it be deemed proper or material
to 60 into general investigation (whose hori-
zon is boundless) indicated by Gov. Kellogg,
| the only effect of which will be indefinite de-
lay and proftless wrangling, the undersigned
suggests it would not be proper to limit QUOTA
tiOns to the testimony taken by the "Howe
committee, but that the testimony taken by
the Morrison committee of the House should
10 common fairness to the other side be allow
ed consideration. Of course the journals and
acts of the assembly or the Nichols legislature
as printed in volumes by authority can be re-
ferred to and the undersigned in return argues
that the newspaper reports of the journals of
the Packard legislature maybe referred to by
either party.
The committee after hearing these state
ments held brief secret session, but took no
action further than 10 order that they be print
ed and then adjourned till Monday next.
.OmciaI Changes i'm the Navy.
Pay Inspector Edward Way is ordered to
duty as inspector of provisions and clothing at
Portsmouth navy yard. Pay Director G. j.
Emery is ordered to duty as purchasing pay
master at Boston. G. E. Thornton, pay in
spector, is detached from duty as purchasing
psymaster at Boston and ordered to settle ac-
counts. Paymaster Chas, T. Guild is detached
from duty at Portsmouth and ordered to settle
accounts.
The English Mission.
NEW YORK, Oct. 26-Washington specials
say that the country may consider it as settled
that Cameron will not be appointed minister to
England. The Herald says it is rumored that
the English mission will be rendered TO Gen.
Grant.
Pennsylvania Election.
The President assured Gov. Hartranft yes
terday that he felt deep interest in the Penn
syvania election and hoped the Republicans
would carry the state. No hindrancs will be
offered to the government employees going
home to vote.
Consultation ON the Presidents Policy.
The Republican members of the Indiana
delegation In Congress will have a consultation
at the residence j. L. Evans of that state to-
morrow eveningfor the purpose of discussing
the Presidents policy and determining what
course they will pursue in Congress in regard
to it.
Cabinet I'VE eetIug