Year: 1877

what President Grant Expects.


CONGRESS WILL FAIL TO DECLARE EITHER
HAYES OR TILDES ELECTED, SENATOR FERRY
WILL BECOME THE TEMPORARY EXECUTIVE,
AND A NEW TRIAL AT THE POLLS WILL BE


ORDERED.


Especial dispatch to the Philadelphia Press


WASHINGTON, December 31.-The Presi-


dent in conversation to-day alluded with


particular emphasis and detail to the politi-


cal situation in what he called the contested


States South. He said he had received no
letters or kilograms from there for at least
ten days, which indicated to him most
satisfactory condition Of things with refer


ence to the results of the recent elections !;


that Governors Chamberlain, Stearns, and
kellogg had made no requisition in that


time upon him for aid in any shape what


ever, which was sufficient evidence to him


that they had confidence in a continuance
of the present state Of affairs. In speaking
more specifically, he said that while he had


heard nothing directly from the authorities
Of those States, he had been fully advised


OF the progress Of events by persons who
had been requested to go there, and who


had Just returned. In regard to South


Carolina, the result, so far as the Republi-


can electors were concerned, seemed to be


conceded by all parties, and the facts elicit


ed in the case OF Edgefeld county were
sufficient to vitiate the election there, and
that the casting out of those returns was
justified in the fullest degree by the law


Of the State. In regard to Florida,
he was informed that on the face
of the returns originally there was
shown majority Of AZ for Hayes and
Wheeler, but that upon subsequent exam
~ 1iSpnynro6


which was promptly corrected, which gave


Tilden and Hendricks 1873 majority; but as
the examination continued it was discover
ed in the returns in one OF the counties


that there had been no registration nor


other legal measures taken to hold an cleo
ton: that these returns showed over 240


majority for Tilden and Hendricks, which


were, under the exact provisions OF the


election-laws of Florida, discarded, leaving


majority OF over 100 for Hayes and
Wheeler.


In regard to Louisiana, it was the opinion


of all who had been there and who had been


subsequently conversed with by him on the


subject, that the action of the Board was
final, and that there is no appeal from
its decision. He said that there always
had been trouble in that State on account Of
frauds committed at elections, and it was a
fact that the electoral vote OF Louisiana had


not been counted in any presidential cleo


ton since 1860. In speaking generally, he


said that he did not think there had been a


fair election where people would not come
| to the polls and vote as they pleased, as they
would in Pennsylvania, in any OF the south
ern States, except, perhaps, IN Delaware !;
that in Maryland, if there had been Il free
election, at least three Republican congress
men would have been elected; that
in Mississippi there is Republican ma
iority of at least $4,000, instead OF
which at the late election there
was Democratic majority Of about IS, 900,
and that in Alabama and Arkansas there is
also legitimate Republican majority. In
reference to the Democratic contestants for


authority in South Carolina and Louisiana,
he thought that they would continue to hold


out until the presidential contest was finally
disposed Of, and, il favorable to the Repub-
licans, they would quietly disband; but if,
on the contrary, favorable to the Demo


they would, under the auspices Of the Ma
tional Government, doubtless make sum-


mary disposition OF the Republicans, and


the latter might consider themselves fortu-
nate If allowed to leave at all. In speak
ing OF Hampton's letter to Governor
HAYES, as he had seen it printed in the
newspapers. he thought it was in keeping
with the other acts Of that person. He did
not think, as matters now stood in South
Carolina, that they could be legally re-
versed; that the decision OF the Legisla-


ture, which was empowered by law to can
yass the vote for Governor. and other State
officials, could not be set aside, and it
seemed to him that the question Of admins
tration in that State had been definitely
settled. In further reference to the situa-
ton in Louisiana. he does not share in the
belief that there will be trouble on the
meeting OF the Legislature and the inaugu-


ration OF Governor Packard. In this con-
nection it has been ascertained that the


orders issued to the military commandant in


1872 have not been modified in any particu-


lar, and in case of trouble the military will
certainly interfere for the purpose OF pro-
| tecting life and property and preserving the


peace. r..-.


The President, in referring to the presi"


Dental question in Congress, and the exist
ing differences between the two houses as
to the mode Of counting the electoral vote,


and as to their respective powers and pre-
negatives, said that he had no disposition to
Judge the case, but as natter of opinion it
appeared to him as il the question OF his
successor would not be disposed OF by the
time OF tile expiration OF his term OF Office


at noon ON the 9Th Of March, 1877, at which
hour all power and authority vested in him


would cease. To his mind the law and the
precedents gave the president Of the Senate
the power to, open and count the vote, but


that, the. precedents also established the


right OF either house to object to the count


ing of the electoral vote Of any State, the
first instance OF which occurred in 1919 in


the case OF Indiana, which it was declared


was not legally admitted to the Union. The


vote, however, was counted. In that case.


as, has been the uniform practice since, the


two houses separated and took action in


their independent capacity. 1t appeared to


him as II one or the other OF the two houses


in the joint convention on the count Of the


electoral vote on the 14th OF February


would early fall into an objection to the


count of the votes OF some Of the States,


which would lead to a separation OF the


two, and when this Is once commenced it


would be difficult TO say Where itWould


end. BE very much feared, in such an


event, that the less than three weeks inter-


yening between the counting and. the expi-


ration by Limitation Of the present :Execu-
tive term would be consumed before final


settlement would be reached, in which case,
In his Onfnfns1 nm der the apt