The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-06-27
The Presidents Title.

The following is the report of the House
title of President Hayes, which was submit
ted to the House. on Friday, by Mr.. Hart
ridge, OF Ga. in the absence of Mr.. Knott,
the Chairman of the Committee, who did
not sanction the report, and will give his
views in Il separate paper, as will Gen'l But
Ger, who opposed the bill as reported by Mr..
Hartridge:
1.-The Forty-fourth Congress selected commits
sion to count the votes for President and Vice
or reject such count in the way prescribed in the
act creating such commission. By the joint &C.
ton of the two houses it ratified the count made
by the commission, and thus made it the express
sion OF its own Judgment. All the departments
Of the Federal government, all the state govern
mentS in their relations to the Federal authori-
ty, foreign nations, the people of the United
States, all the material interests and industries
of the country have acquiesced, and acted in ac-
cordance with the pronounced finding of the
Congress. In the opinion OF this committee the
present Congress has no power to undo the work
of its predecessor in counting the vote to con-
fer upon any judicial tribunal the right to pass
upon and perhaps set aside the action of that
predecessor in reference to purely political
question: the decision OF which is contit1ed by the
Constitution in Congress. But apar. from these
fundamental objections. to the bill under con-
sideration, there features and provisions in
it which are entirely impracticahle. Your COM
mittee can find no warrant OF authority to sum-
mon the chief justices OF the supreme court of
the several states to sit at Washington as jury
to try any case, however grave aud weighty may
be its nature. The right to summon must carry
with it the power to enforce obedience to the
mandate, and the committee can see means
by which the judicial officers of the state eau be
compelled to assume the functions of Jurors in
the Supreme Court OF the United States. There
are other objections to the practical working OF
think it necessary to refer. It may be true that
the state of Maryland has been in the late elec-
ton for President and Vice President deprived
of her just and full weight in declaring who were
legally chosen by reason OF frauds perpetrated by
returning boards in some OF the states. 1t may
also be true that these fraudulent acts were coun
| in by some who are now enjoying high
offices the fruit of such frauds. Its due to the
present generation OF the people in this country
and posterity. and to the principles on which the
government is founded, that all evidence tending
to establish the fact Of such fraudulent practices
should be calmly carefully and vigorously ex-
| amined.''
Thereport closes with recommendation that
| ifthe evidence shows guilt on the part of the
| officials they should be brought To trial in the
manner provided by law, and tho following reso-
Resoleed. That the two houses of the Forty
fourth Congress having counted the votes cast
staes nd anu decarr af
| aud VIM. A. Wheeler to be duly elected President
and Vice President, there is no power in any SUBJ
Sequent Congress to reverse that declaration nor
can any such power be exercised by the courts OF
the United States or any other tribunal that Con-
| gress can create under the constitution.
Three republican members of the committee
| (Frye, Conger and Lapham) add as follows:
| I'VE agree to the foregoing report so far as it
! states the reasons OF the resolution adopted by
| the committee. but dissent from the concluding
| portion not pertinent to the inquiry before US,
| and as giving all implied sanction to the proprie-
! ty OF the pending Investigation ordered by the
I majority vote OF the House OF Representatives
| to which we were and are opposed"
The vote of the committee on the main question
| was animous, with the exception II Messrs
| Knott and Butler, and of Mr.. LyIide (Wisconsin)
| whose position is not ascertained
| THE report and resolution were adopted in the
| House by vote of yeas 234. nays ii.