Year: 1877

FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.


WASHINGTON. Jan. 81, 1877.
OPINIONS AND sPEcULATIoNs OF PROMINENT


LAWYERS ON THE ACTION OF THE ELECTORAL


COMMISSION.


The principles on which the Electoral Commission
viii proceed closely discussed here ny eminent
lawyers Tho main question. OF course. is whether
The commission will 60 back OF the regular GER
tidcates given by the Governors OF States u
is known that Mr. Morton has held that
the Governors certificate Is final. Mr. Fre-
hnghuyscn IS understood 10 have held In his
speech on the Electoral bill, that tho commits
sion could not go behind the certificates, and
there may be a majority OF this view In the commits
sion. Its believed, however, that the memorial OF
the Florida Legislature would hardly be refused con-
sideraton It brought before the commission,
because It prayer of the constituted authority and
voice oil the State complaining OF fraud In the very
matter considered and asking for justice Hence,
probably, the vehement opposition OF the republicans
tonight to tho presentation OF the memorial IN the
House.


II the belief of some prominent lawyers here too,
that the commission will not in any case, change the
recorded or certified vote Of State: bur- II NANTES
fraud should shown will prefer to cancel the vote
Of the State Thus these gentlemen believe that ON
the whole, It is probable that II the Florida
memorial before the commission and II
the matters OF fraud charged were considered and
should be proved tho commission would still hold
that could only decide that the vote of the state was
forfeited that should be given to the demo
cratic side. This the ground that though fraud
be established it would require a complete investga
hon Of the and the vote to establish the extent
and the bearings Of the fraud and the State
vin mis- aued ito must
luences by losing Its vote.


Concerning tho Oregon case, the general opinion of
lawyers Is that II the commission holds that II
70 hehind the face OF the certificates 1t must
accept Governor Growers with the rest. but that
1t may and probably will hold, even then, that tho
Governor had right to appoint new eector, but
that the constitution having forbidden the
people TO choose federal officer to be
IN eector the votes cast for Postmaster
Watts were null and void and that tho State Is by its
own fault. entitled to but two electoral votes.


OF course these are but speculaions and there are
people who hold that the commission will act in the
capacity an equity and will strive to look into
the rights of the questions BROUGHT before them
Is seen that II should attempt to do this its abors
would be greatly prolonged


THE LOUISIANA INSTRUMENTATION


EFFECT ON THE ACTION OF THE ELECTORAL


COMMISSION.


The testimony Of Litteneld as to the forged parish
return and that of Colonel Pickett, which will bo fully
confirmed by Maddox tomorrow, and gains incidental
confirmation by the remarks Of Governor Kellogg
TO HERALD reporter to-day, sentiment of dis
gust with the Louisiana carpet bageers whose open
abandonment by Pinchback, sloanaker and other
prominent republican politicians shows that
they are no longer power in the
State. But Il Is not easy how all these develop
ments unless they followed by the confession Of
some one of the Returning Board. be effectively
brought before the Electoral Commission in shape
rs to compel them to give the State to rden.
That In OF these developments
and Of other yet come. they give 1t
Hayes seems impossible any theory of the commits
SION powers Tor, able lawyer remarked to-day
s'while the majority OF the members may hold, and
may perhaps rightly hold, that they have not power to
do absolute JUSTICE they will hardly hold that they
compelled to do injustice.


AN EVENING SESSION TO HEAR THE MEMORIAL


FROM THE FLORIDA LEGIsLATURE-THE


REPUBLICANS oBJEcT-AN EXCITING SCENE


OF CONFUSION.


There uproarious scene in the House this
evening An evening session called for the pur-
pose OF putting before the House te Of the
Florida Legislature with q view OF, by vote Of the
House, sending 1t to the Electoral Commission, as
stated in these dispatches last night When the
motion made to go TO the Speakers table with the
purpose Of taking up the memorial, many republicans
vehemently protested, saying that they understood
that the evening session called solely for the
sderation OF appropriation bills 1t was not charged
that any deception had boon practsed by the
democrats, but that there had been under
standing. In order to aIlay the excitement the
Speaker declared that the purpose OF going
10 tho Speakers table was only to get
Inc Florida memorial before the House, but this i'm
mediatcy increased the opposition Of the republicans,
though why they should be unwilling to allow formal
memorial from the Legislature of State to both
houses Of Congress- to be considered or even read IS
not easy to II the matters stated the memora
false, they can do no harm; II they are
true the Of the State ought be heard 1t would
SEEM Mr. Paige. OF California, moved to adjourn the
House to Friday, but the Speaker pointed out ut
once that a law compelled meeting OF the two
houses tomorrow Tor specified purposeto the
slectoral votc-and that Mr. Paige motion there
fore oil order Great confusion ensucd and at
last the Speaker ordered the Sergeant. Arms
10 march down tho asles with his and preserve
order. As this officer cannot, like the IrIshman's
bird. be In two places at once, he did not succeed IN
restoring quiet meantime the reading of Mr.. Thomp
sons Florida report begun, but neither the Clerks
voice nor Mr.. Thompson's could be heard amid the
din and cries of "Ioudcr s'order" and motions to ad
tourn from tho republican side.


Alter further confusion the House adjourned unit
twelve o. clock orrow. action being had thu
Florida memorial


FROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT


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