Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-29

leve he was democrat Probably Sena-
tor Allen G.. Thurman of Ono, the nobleSt
Roman of them all" who was afterward
candidate for Vice President in CleVeland s
unlucky year had more to do with forming
democratic public sentiment in Congress
at that time than any other man. But tie
bill finally formulated was reported
from the special joint Senate and House
committee on counting the vote Tor PreSi-
dent and Vice President, and to inquire and
report on certain propositions in connection
herewith" Senator George +. EdmundS
OF Vermont. the ablest republican lawyer
and politician then in Congress, was the
chairman of this committee, and the other
members Were: On the part of the Senate
Senators o. P. Morton of Indiana, Fred
erick Z. FIelinghuySen of New Jersey, KOS
coe Conkling of New York republicans,
and Allen G.. Thurman of Ohio, Thomas +.
Bayard of Delaware and NJ. w. Ransom OF
North Carolina (democrats). Francis "a
Herman of New York succeeded Mr. Thur
man. when the latter retired because of his
wife's serious illness Senator John A
Logan was originally appointed one of the
republican members but declined, as he
was absent from the city, engaged in the
Illinois senatorial contest, where he was
defeated by David Davis. On the part OF
the House of Representatives Henry b.
Payne of Ohio, Eppa Hunton of Virginia,
Abram S. Hewitt of New York and Will
lam NJ Springer of Illinois tdemocrats),
George W. McCrary of Iowa, George r
Hoar of Massachusetts, and George Willard
was thus equally divided pol. tically.
The bill establishing the commission
passed both Houses by majority of large
sze and comparatively few democrats OPP
democrat voted no" This was William
w. Eaton of Connecticut, peppery old
gentleman, who generally did as he pleased
without being too particular to listen to the
crack of the party whip. Eaton saw, in
the proposed method of settling the dis,
puted question of the presidency. only a
republican scheme to declare Hayes and
Wheeler elected, and he said so in no I'm
certain language. Afterward, when the b.il
had become law and the commission was
in session. Mr.. Eaton tainted with
being the only democrat in the Senate WHO
had voted against the bill.
''Yes, and thank God l did vote against
it," shouted the old man, who lived to be
congratulated by his party. colleagues for
his good sense and clear Judgment.
But on January q the electoral commits
sion bill was passed; on January % it was
signed by President Grant, and on Thurs
day, February 1. 1877. the commission met
for the first time and organized in the Su-
preme Court chamber at the Capitol; and
from that date until March the two
houses of Congress were in continuous ses-
sion.
The order of procedure was for the Senate
and House to meet daily in joint session.
and whenever a dispute arose to the
validity of return from any state that
could not be determined by the joint body
which was, of course, divided politically, it
should be referred to the commission, and
the joint session should adjourn to await
the verdict. The decision of the commits
sion was to be final, unless reversed by the
concurrent action of Senate and House.
This was, of course. imposs BILE, as the Sem
ate was republican and the House demo-
cratic. All went merry as the traditional
marriage bell until those states were
reached where dual sets OF electors had
been chosen, or where the eiigi !l!ty> of one
or more of the electors was - oned. The
Florida case came within .irst-named
category, and it is the on of the COM
mission at which 1t was argued that was
chosen for the subject of the historical
painting that las found a resting place on
the walls Of the Capitol