American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1878-05-25
FoRTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.

err In any Of the States Of that Republic.
FORTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.
In the Senate, on the 18th, a number of
bills of no general interest were introduced,
and referred, after which the Post office APP
preparation bill was taken up and consider
ed but not finally disposed Of. in the House,
Mr.. Potter. of New York. as question of
by the Maryland Legislature. acoenipanied
by a resolution directing an Investigation by
Florida and Louisiana at the late Presiden-
tfal election, said committee to be author
send eRRSss ana pspa sna to
II p ass s sne Of
read, Mr.. Conger said they did not present a
proposed in the rssointion co@ia not Be Civ
Equ re a suspension of the rules. Mr.. Potter
said. one would suppose that II there was
preferences In this House in respect of order
of business. it was the subject brought to its
notice BY the memorial OF a sovereign state
officers of the Government, and relating to
frauds alleged to have occurred, changing
GERS Of this Government. Mr.. Hale argued
rem the rules and manual thasthe reso-
Of tSe on
was intended to subvert the accepted result
in the Presidential election, then there might
ph e % nge
resolution being a privileged one.
The. Speaker. after some preliminary re-
one here involved, and broadly and directly
presented as to the rightful occupancy of the
Chief Executive Chair OF the Government,
able to conceive. The Chair finds enumer-
Gection '1s Presadent ne The CHAIR
resolution embrace questions of privilege of
the highest character. and the Chair recog
YorE to answer Il the s The Other points
are, of course, held in reserve. Mr.. Conger
appealed from the decision of the Chair. Mr..
Potter moved to lay the appeal on the table,
and the motion was agreed to-yeas 12s,
nays 1os-a party vote, with the exception OF
Democrats, ana Buciner and Mis- Ills. who no" vot
ed with the Republicans. Mr.. Reagan, desir-
luton, stated while he agreed with his
colleague (Mflls) that a retrial of the Presi-
House, the resolution, in alleging that great
frauds had been perpetrated, raised a ques-
ton OF the highest privilege. Points OF order
giving the committee power to sit during re-
cess. and against the right of the chairmen of
sub committees to administer oaths. both of
which were overruled by the Speaker. MIR.
Garfield then made point of order that it re
auired two. thirds vote to give the commit
sustained the point. whereupon Mr.. Potter
struck ont that part of the After
publican members withheld their votes and
the result was 116 ayes to mono quorum
A call of the House was then ordered and all
the Republicans answered to their
ceedinss under te can nc cold be had Mr
Potter then asked the Speaker whether
would come up ru as unfinished business. The
Speaker informed him that IL would remain
ter ther re1 moved the House adjourn. and
it was carried-yeas lis. nays ITO.
Following is the full text of the preamble
and resolution for the Investigation of the re-
suit of the late Presidential election in Flori-
da and Louisiana, introduced in the House by
Mr. Potter of New York:
WHEREAS, The State of Maryland has, by
its Legislature, formally declared that due
effect was not given to the Electoral vote cast
by the State on the 9Th day of December, 1876,
by reason of fraudulent returns in the Elec-
toral votes from the States of Florida and
WHEREAS. An AFFIDAVIT by Samuel B McLin.
Chairman of the Board of state Canvassers
in that State in November, 1876, for the cleo
ton of President and Vice President, has
voe sneh IN
that State, whereby the choice of the people
the acion Of tae saas Board a
in making such returns was influenced by the
conduct and promises of Hon. Edward +.
Noyes, now Minister to the Government of
WHEREAS, 1t is alleged that conspiracy
can vote in ali the precincts Of the the parish of
East Felfciana and IN some precincts of West
Der, 1876. was purposeIy withheld from the
polls to afford a pretext for the exclusion by
the Returning Board of that State of the
vote cast in these precincts for electors of
PRESIDENT and Vice President, and that
James =. Andersoni snperintendent of
Weber, Supervisor of Registration in
the parish OF West Feliciana. in that state, in
tested that the election in such precincts had
not been fair and free, and that the State Re-
ientIy excluded the votes of said precincts,
and by means thereof and of other false and
t ira ac ITO OF saia he,urnng Board
nulled and reversed, and that such action of
said Weber and Anderson was induced or
encouraged by the assurances of Hon. John
sherman, secretary OF the Treasury of the
United States; and
WHEREAS, The gravity of these charges,
the nature of the evidence upon which they
are reported to be based, and the official
connection with said frauds, make it proper
that the same should be inquired into to the
end that the honor of the Nation NAV be vim
dicated and the truth as to such elections
made known,
Resolved, That a committee, consisting of
eleven members of the House. be appointed
to inquire into the aforesaid allegations as to
the conduct of persons in office aforesaid,
y cspCCtOi Sdiu cicCtiolsdnu INTO Lne alleged
false and fraudulent canvass and return of
votes by State. county. parish and precinct
officers in said States Of Louisiana and Flor
ida, and into all the facts which, in the tudg-
ment of said committee, ARE connect ed with or
pertinent thereto. and that said Committed
for the purpose of executing this resolution,
shall have power to send for persons and pa
mony, and I'm their discretion to detail sub
committees, with like full authority of said
committee M In every particular. with power
70 SIT IN lorida ana Louisiana; which sub
committees shall be committees of this
House, and tho Chairnen thereof shall be
authorized to administer oaths; that said
committee and sub committees may employ
stenographers and be attended each day by
deputy Sergeant at Arms, and may sit dur
ing the session Of this House and during va
cation, and that said committee proceed in
| their inquiry, and have leave to report at any
time.
In the Senate, on the 18th, the House
amendments to the Senate bill authorizing