Year: 1877

Commission had decided not TO go behint
the returns. Appsren;ly he did not add ths
qualification aboutthe eligibility business, fol
wherever he went be left smiles like streah
of sunshine behind him. One of the Senators
was so rejoiced Us to wave his eye glasses,
and then his pocket handkerchief, while the
Republicans were gathering in groups to dis
cuss the event. Unmindful of the remarks Of
Sherman on the Printing bin, Thurman strodt
in with ciouded brow, walked hastily to hii
desk, seized some papers, and was boiling foI
the door when three of his brother Democrats
captured him. he told them in single
phrase the result, and then broke away from
them, and left the chamber As he was GO
ing out, Motion hobbled in on his two hick-
ory canes, his face beaming with good hu-
NOR. He was at once surrounded by dozen
Republicans. The Democrats meanwhile be-
gan to rally in their corner and talked over
the decision with dissatisfa tim which their
-couutenances clearly betrayed to the galleries.
When the Republicans understood the full
meaning of the vote, they were not as jubi-
liant "a at first, but they still felt pretty well
satisfied with the reflection that the first bat
tie of the legal war had gone in their favor.
Even the stoical Edmunds, who set about
opening his mail with an appearance of per-
feet indifference, could not repress an occa-
sional smile.


IN THE HOUsE.


Hoar took the news to the House, and al
most instantly the Speaker lost all control of
the body. On both sides members crowded
into the area back of their seats and into the
cloak room, and for few minutes the room
was hushed, as the crowd leaning towards
those who had the points of the decision, and
attempted to gather them. In five minutes
there was loud hum of excited talk, rising
ominously almost 10 moan as the Demo-
cratic side became aroused with further
knowledge of the bearings of the decision.
Business was at an end, and all were actively
discussing the greater and overshadowing
matter in hand. The Democrats were first
astonished and then engaged. They could not
at first believe the reports heard on all sides.
Springer rushed over to the courtroom, pro-
cured copy Of the decision, and hurried back
to the House, where it was read to half the
Democratic members, who crowded around
him, and many were the constructions given
to the language, in vain attempts to extract
comfort from it.


But in no part of the great building did the
news strike with greater force and more dis
astrous effect than in the courtroom where
David Dudley Field was bullying witness
who had opposed some of Littlefield's false
statements.


WHAT The EFFECT WILL BE.


The decision of the Electoral Commission,
that it has no Jurisdiction to take testimony
or consider any evidence not submitted to the
two Houses of Congress by the President of
the Senate when opening the Electoral votes
Of States, except to inquire as to the eligibility
of persons who were chosen to be Electors,
greatly simplifies the Presidential controversy.
II the principle thus laid down is sustained in
the case of Louisiana, as il undoubtedly will
be, all questions relating to the jurisdiction of
the Returning Board of that State, and to any
of its proceepings may be considered as settled.
The only remaining question in the contro
versy is the effect Of the appointment of an
Elector who is ineligible to hold the position.
The States in which this question may be
raised are Louisiana, where two of the Elec-
tors on the Republican ticket were on the 7th
of November United States oficeholders, and
that Of Oregon, where Watts was chosen and
the certificate was given by Governor Grover
to Cronin. In Louisiana the two ineligible
Republican Electors resigned their Federal
offices before the day on which the Electoral
College met, and failed to appear at that
The remaining Electors, therefore,
declared that vacancies existed, and proceed
ed to choose the same two persons who origi-
nally had been placed upon the Elestoraf tick
ct, to fill these vacancies After such choice,
hey participated in the proceedings of the
Electoral College.