The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-07

counting of the electoral votes next
Wednesday. Representative George
Washington Murray, the only colored
member of the house, who represents
the Charleston district, will be the
chief actor. He has Just returned
from South Carolina, where he was in
consultation with the leading Repub-
leans of the Palmetto state He Is
armed with a petition, signed by thou
sands of Republicans of that state, pro-
testing against the counting of the
electoral vote, and asking for an in
vestigation of the election laws and
the state constitution.
Senator Hoar, chairman Of the sem
ate committee on judiciary, was asked
today to express an opinion upon the
effect of an objection to count the
electoral vote Of South Carolina, such
as threatened by Representative Muir
ray, of South Carolina, who has charge
OF a petition alleging frauds in the
South Carolina presidential election in
the joint assembly of the two houses
Of congress next Wednesday, He
said:
1.-THE whole matter IS covered by the
act of Feb. 8, 1887, which prescribes
very clearly the method of proceeding
in case objection is made to the count
ing of the vote of any particular state
1t is further provided that no returns
shall be rejected from any state I'M
less there is more than one return, and
when there is more than one. it Is
directed that those only shall be count
ed which shall have been regularly
given by the electors who shall have
been chosen according to law. Each
state provides it's fri do
termining the result of the election for
presidential electors, and when this tri-
bunal has made it's return, the COVER
nor is required to certify the result OF
this action. The vice president lays
all the papers before the joint as
sembly.
In case any objection is made which
renders it necessary for the houses to
separate to pass upon the question in
VOWED, the determination of the mat
ter must rest upon the judgment of
the returning board of the state. We
could not go into the legality of the
elections in the various states, nor at
tempt to determine the legality of the
returning board of any Of them. All
that was settled by the electoral COM
mission and Is now to be found in the
statutes"
The senator expressed the opinion
tnat II put to test the law would be
1ound to be adequate and that "all
would work out right" He declined To
express in more direct terms his opin-
ION as to the policy of making such
objection as Mr.. Murray is said to
contemplate.
The published assertion that Mr.
Murray would contest South Carolina's
vote was surprise to the members
or the house, even the prominent lead
ers on the Republican side protesting
complete ignorance Of such a move as
was suggested. 1t is pointed out by
leading members of the house that any
protest made by Mr. Murray even If
supported by a senator, on such
grounds, must necessarily prove abor-
tive and be nothing more than a. stage
performance, because no contest has
come up from South Carolina. There.
are not two sets Of returns, as there
were In the Hayes Tilden contest Of
1875, when there were double returns
from Florida, Louisiana and South
Carolina This lack of a contest from
the state Of South Carolina Mr.. Hop
kins, of Illinois, said made a deadlock
impossible, because the act of 1887 Is
mandatory In directing that the votes
of states properly certified shall not
be neglected.
Representative Mccall (Rep., Mass.).
the chairman Of the house elections
committee, which had charge Of the
contests from South Carolina in this
congress, expressed surprise at Mr.
Murray's plan. He said: "It hardly
seems probable that the Republicans
would care to delay or throw any COM
plfcations in the way of counting an
electoral vote which is to result in the
election Of the Republican candidates
/ doubt whether the party will sustain
Mr.. Murray If his protest Is possible"
Representative Strait. Of South Caro-
lima. said: II had expected that the
Republicans Of South Carolina might
try to bring their protest, which the
state board Of canvassers rejected. be-
fore congress. It's only effect can be 10
delay the election OF Mexin.e-.
the ssuate cared to carry partfsanshlp
to that point, II might delay the count
beyond the 4th of March and mak2
Olney president. But the whole thing
seems ridiculous to me"
Senator TilIman. Of South Carolina,
said today with considerable emphasis
that If Mckinley Is going to be inau-