The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-05-01
CORRESPONDENCE.
w ARLINGTON,
April %, 1881


or day that he believed his tariff bill
will pass the House by good ma
iority, and that there win he no such
falling off in revenue under it as is
shown by the figures sent out from
here by enemies of the hill. He is
In favor, if his bill is so amended as
to lead to reduction, of suspending
payments of the sinking fund. a
measure proposed by Senator Beck
sometime since. This sinking fund
is many millions of dollars larger
now than the law requires, and sus-
pension of payments to 1t would not
necessarily create any distrnst
abroad. However, Mr.. Wood does
not believe that this will be ne
cessary.
In the report of Senator Conk-
liDg's late interview, published this
morning, the most notable things
are these. He announces himself as
the man who first suggeste the
Electoral Commission. He says:
"No reasonable man can doubt that
there was some kind of a bargain
between Nichols and that man
Hayes, and that Stanley Matthews
and Sherman were privy to it," He
said that "never in the history of
the country had there been during
four years of an Administration 80
much corruption, bartering, reward
ing of favorites, traffic with leaders,
and bargain and sale of the execu,
tive franchise as during the past
year"
Every man of intelligence living
here will confirm what the Senator
says of the degradation of the civil
service by the administration. On
other points mentioned the people
are waiting for light, and this the
Senator promises them. The re-
ported utterances of the Senator
seem to show considerable i'll tenn
per, and if he were not man who
usual weigh his words one would
be sure to say that he had heen mis-
represented or that he had given cur
rency to mere rumor.
The Senate Committee to consider
the subject Of the election of Presi-
dent and Vice President have pre-
pared report the more important
provisions of which are given below.
1t is very favorably received.
SEC. 4. Each State may by law
provide for the judicial determine
ton of any controversy concerning
the appointment of electors, before
the time fixed for the meeting of
electors. Every such official deter
mnation by it's highest Court made
prior to the said time of the meeting
of the electors, shall lie conclusive
evidence Of the lawful title Of the
electors whom such Court shall have
so decided to have been appointed
and shall govern in the counting of
the electoral votes, rs provided in
the Constitution and as hereafter
regulated.
SEC. 5. In all cases of a disputed
appointment of electors not so judi
cially passed upon as herein before
authorized, the certificate or judy
ment of the board or tribunal EN-
powered by the Legislature of any
State to canvass the returns of votes
for electors and certify or declare the
result, shall be conclusive evidence
that the persons so certified or de
clared to have been appointed were
lawfully appointed such electors,
and shall govern in the count of the
electoral votes as provided in the
Constitution and as hereinafter regu-
lated.
Ii but one set of returns come from
q State the adverse vote of both
Houses of Congress acting separately
shall be required to throw out such
returns. If there are two or more
sets Of returns, that set received
from the board Or tribunal mentioned |
IN Sec. 4, above given, shall be ac. |
cepted; but if returns are received
from more than one board or trlbu-
nal in a State, the Houses shall sep
arately consider the matter and only
those returns shall be counted which
Doth Houses agree upon.
The Committee is said to be unan-
imoas and has given great attention
70 the subject. The members of the
Committee are Edmunds, Conkling,
howe, Mcmillan, Teller, Davis, of
Illinois, Bayard, Thurman, and Nor.
gan MEMO.