The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-02-16

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THE ELECTORAL TRIBUNAL.
WEDNESDAY, Feb 7.-On motion Of Justice
Miller, ordered that no evidence will be re-
ceived or considered by the commission which
was not submitted to the Joint convention of the
two houses by the President of the Senate, with
different certificates, except such az relates to
the eligibility of +. G. Humphreys one of the
electors. The vote is as follows Ieus-
Bradley, Edmunds Frelinghuysen, Garfield,
Hoar, Miller, Morton, Strong-8 Ndys-Ab-
bolt, Bayard, Clifford Field Hunton, Payne,
Thurman. On motion Of Mr.. Abbott, re-
solved, that in the case of Florida this commits
sion will receive evidence relating to the eligi-
bility of Frederick G. Humphreys, or of persons
named in certificate No. l as elector. Yeas
Abbott Bayard, Bradley, Clifford, Field Hun
| ton, Payne, Thurman-S. Ndys-Edmunds,
Frelinghuysen. Garfield, Hoar, Miller, Morton,
Strong. The Secretary of the commission
was ordered to inform counsel that it will be
/ prepared tomorrow to hear argument touching
the eligibility of Humphreys.
/ THURSDAY, Feb. S.-The commission heard
testimony upon the question of the eligibility
Of F. G. Humphreys, of the Florida Re
publican electors. Humphreys testified that
he resigned the Office of United States Commits
sioner on the 9Th of October, and produced a
letter from Judge Woods, of that date, written
at Newark, o., accepting the resignation. Ar
gument upon the case was then opened, Judge
Hoadley, Of Democratic counsel, leading off.
He was followed by Messrs. Shellabarger and
Evarts on the other side, Mr.. Nerrick closing
the argument on behalf of the Democrats.
FRIDAY, Feb. 9.-The commission was occu-
pied, in secret session, from 10 a. m. to p M,
in debate upon the Florida case, in which
every one Of the fifteen members by turns par
tcipated. Two or three of the Judges and sew
eral of the Senatorial members read deliberately
prepared opinions upon the main points at issue,
and the discussion Is understood to have been,
from its commencement to its close, Of
extraordinary power and ability. At the
close of the debate Senator Edmunds sub
mitted a resolution declaring, in substance, that
the four Republican electors in Florida were
elected. Representative Hunton offered sub
stitute declaring the Tilden electors elected.
This substitute was rejected by the following
vote Yeds-Abbott, Bayard, Clifford, Field
Hunton, Payne, Thurman. Ndys-Bradley,
Edmunds, Frelinghuysen, Garfield, Hoar
Miller, Morton, Strong-S. Senator Ed
munds then withdrew his resolution, and
Representative Garfield offered the following
" RescLced, That four persons to wit: Frederick
G. Humphreys, Charles w. Pearce, William H.
Holden, and Thomas w. Long, were duly APP
pointed electors of President and Vice Presi-
dent fox the State of Florida, and that the votes
cast by the aforesaid four persons are the votes
provided for by the constitution of the United
States" This was adopted by the following vote:
feds-Bralley, Edmunds Frelinghuysen, Gar
field, Ho@- Miller, Morton, Strong-S. Nays
Abbot, Bayard, Clifford, Field, Hunton, Payne,
Thurman. On motion of Mr.. Garfield,
Messrs. Ednnunds, Bradley and Miller were APP
pointed oanmttee to draft report of the de-
cision of the commission, with brief statement
of the REASONS therefor, to be signed by the
members agreeing therein, and to be trans
nlitted to the Joint session of the two houses az
required by the Electoral act.
SATURDAY, Feb. 1O.-The commission reas-
seznbled in the afternoon, and, after the read
ing of the JOURNAL, adjourned until 10 q. m.
Monday.
MONDAY, Feb. l2-The commission assem-
bled in the afternoon, and received the certif-
Gates and accompanying papers in the case of
Louisiana from the presiding officer of the joint
convention of Congress. An adjournment till
Tuesday was then voted.
TUESDAY, Feb. 13.-The commission entered
upon the consideration of the Louisiana case,
and listened to the arguments of counsel
assigned TO the duty of appearing for the
directors Senator Mcdonald led on behalf
of the Democrats. He said in the election
of 1872 the vote of Louisiana had been re-
iected because the Retaining Board had not
complied With the law, and they now pro-
posed TO show the law had not been COM
piled with an the present case. A popular
majority had been reversed by this
board, through actual fraud. They had
tlnown aside the returns sent them by the
proper officers, and had taken the reports of the
Supervisors Of Registration in their place, but
even this they did not follow at all times The
people of sixty-lnine polls had been disfran-
chse9. Mr.. Mcdonald maintained that the COM
mission had the night, and it was their duty, to
consider the information i'll possession of the
two horses. Their duties were judicial, not
merely clesical, and he conjured them
To carefully weigh the evidence i'm
the possession of the two houses for
which they were acting. Mr.. jerks fol-
lowed on the same side, and proceeded to
review the election ia the several parishes,
taking as e basis Of facts the testimony be-
fore the Honse Louisiana investigating COM |
mittee, with the incidental claim that this
testimony was proper evidence to be consid- |
cred by the commission In conclusion, he |
asked that the moral light of the universe |
might be allowed to shine upon this trans
action, and the nation be free from the vile |
act of this Returning Board. Mr.. Hurlbut,
for the Republicans, argued that Kellogg |
was the legal Governor of Louisiana at the
recent election, and that McEnery had no
shadow Of claim TO the Office. Hence the
Hayes electors we're the only ones that were
properly and legally elected and certified TO.
lie also argued at length against the admission
Of evidence and going behind the returns
declaring that the Returning Board was legal
body. and its decision final Mr.. Howe next
addressed the commission on behalf of the
Republican DIRECTORS His argument was
directed mainly to showing the legality of the
Kellogg certificates, and the irregularity of
hose made up by man who had no valid
lain TO the Office. Senator Carpenter followed
IN behalf of the Democratic directors. He
aid be did not appear for Samuel J. Tilden,