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Show j THK COHJIISSIOX. j The IJiiaifid Itodj in Settaiou. The Iliyh Joints (.t iling l"p to Their Work. Washington, 1. The electoral 'commission met at 3 o'clock te-day. The journal ol the preceding session was read, corrected and approved. A communication from the two houses of congress in joint eeseiou was presented by Gorhaui, secretary Ot the senate, and read as follows: '. Hall of the House of ReprescoU- tivea, February 1, 1S77. Iu the 'resident of the Commission: More than one return or paper ! purporting to be the return or certili- cato of electoral votes tronj the state of Florida having been received, aud ! this day opened in the presence ol ' ttie two houses of congress, aud objections objec-tions thereto having been made, said returns with all accompanying papers and also objections thereto, are here with submitted to the judgment and decision of the eommiaaion as provided pro-vided by law. T. W. Febry. Thi; Presiding Justice said: It is ieuggeated, aud I think very properly, j that the doors may now be opened I and proper peraons admitted. Justice Bradley I understand there are three certificates from Florida. I ! should think the proper course would I be to have these three certificates read j and then as each is read let parties be I called upon to state whether they aro objected to, and who are the objectors. (Until vie read these certiBcates or , hear them read, we do not know what i we have beforo us. After that time it will be lime to take such other order in regard to the proceedings as may be necessary. Presiding Justice I will adopt that Buggeation without a vote. Juntiue Mille-r I bad tho pluanurc, sir, if it was a pleasure, of listening to the reading of these documents in tho bouse ol . representatives. If the papers about the state of Florida are read it will take an hour to read them. The objectors names are to the papers making the objections. I presume they will be printed. They certainly ought to be printed and than everybody every-body can read them without consuming consum-ing on hour. I think it Brother Bradley knew, as I know, tbe length of tho papers, ho would perhaps withdraw his motion. Presiding Justice Does Justice Bradley withdraw his motion. Justice Bradley I did not make a motion. I merely mado a suggestion. sugges-tion. Representative Payne I move the certificates with the papers be printed us early as possible. Presiding Judge The motion be-fora be-fora the commission is that) the certificates certi-ficates in the case of Florida he printed, with the objections thereto. If that is your pleaBuro .you will say ayo (putting the question). It is agreed to. How soon can they ho printed? Justice Fiold Should wo not havo copies of tho papers presented? Presiding Justice I suppose the certificates aud objections may be printed iu a very short time. The secretary will understand that the motion was intended to include the certificates, tho objections and the papers that accompany the certificates certi-ficates and nothing else. It is desirable desir-able that they should be printed with as little delay as possible. That matter being disposed of, I am requested to inquire if there aro counsel present who will take part after the managers or objectors have stated tho case on one Bide and . the other. ' ' Evarts Mr. President, Mr. Senator Sargent has come and will state what he has to Bay in that regard. Presiding Judge I will withdraw the inquiry, as put and aay to Mr. Sargent, inquiries have been made aa to the objectors. ' Sargent The objectors, tho persons per-sons whose names are Bigned to tho papers, are. Senators Couoyer, Sargent Sar-gent and Sherman, and McCreary, Kasson, Wood burn aud Dunnell, members of the house. There has been no opportunity hitherto ot consulting con-sulting with these gentlemen to ascertain ascer-tain which of them will state to the commission their objections. Presiding JuBtice Two objectors may represent the case in this tribunal. tri-bunal. Sargent So we understood by tbe rules. Presiding Justice Who are the two? Sargent There has been no opportunity oppor-tunity for consultation to ascertain which of the objectors would present the matter to the court. Presiding Justice PleaBe make it known to the commission as soon aa convenient. Sargent We will do bo. Presiding Justice Will Mr. Field stats the uameB of objectors on the other side ? Field Tbe objectors to the first return re-turn are Senators Jones of Florida and Cooper, and'1 Representatives Thompson, Jenks and myself. 1 Abbott Mr; President, I dosiro to inquire whether the motion made in reference to printing covers the printing of all papers sent herewith the objections? It seems to mo we are to consider all the papers sent with the objections, and it iB just as material for us to have these papers printed, bo that we can consider them, as it is to have the objections themselves. ' Presiding Justice I do not under-Btand under-Btand the vote in that way. At present pres-ent it is that the certificates, with tho objections and papers which accompany accom-pany the certificates, shall be printed, not all tbe papers that may have been eent. Abbott I suggest then that if we are to consider the papers accompanying accom-panying the objections they may some time bo made part of the cause. The objections themselves would hardly be understood without the papers, and we should have those papers printed or put in such a form1 as will enable us to act on them. Presiding JuBtice There is no motion on that Btibject. Abbott I move, then, tbat the papers accompanying the objections be also printed. Edmunds Mr. President, and I submit that it is possible under the statute under which we are acting there may be no papers lawfully and within the statute accompanying an objection. The statute provides for papers that accompany the certificates, certifi-cates, but as I remember at this moment mo-ment (I speak subject to correction) it does not provido for papers accom-.panylug accom-.panylug the objection, so I think it will bo a matter for tbe consideration of the eommiaaion in consultation how far in printing print-ing the testimony that - may be ottered, whether by objectors or anybody any-body else, we ought to go. It may be a question ' for consideration whether the time would warrant us in receiving and printing everything that may be proposed on either Bide. ! Sherman Mr. President: It is true the statute requires the papers ao-'companyiug ao-'companyiug the certificates to be laid before the commission, but it also authorizes the commission to Uko into view all documents, depositions and other papers that may be competent com-petent and pertinent to this inquiry, and if we have received papers from either ot the houses, which in the estimation ot the houses it is proper to send us, we mmst look a.t them and jee whether they arc competent anu p.-minent. I think, therefore, the motion to print ought to bo adopted. j Xnatw:ii not delay us in having be I lore us to-morrow morning aa early as we soe fit to meet, printed cnpie.s nt the certifiVati-s and objections. I We can gire directions that they shall be sent to us immediately, and Uie printing of these other papers can go on. Knowing the great rap.Jity with which the work is donu at the government gov-ernment printing cilice I do not think we should have to wait very long. Finally Abbott withdrew hts motion temporarily, and tbe president called tor the aames of counsel on either side. Field named O'Conor, Black, Trumbull, Merrick. Being reminded that not over two counsel would be allowed to participate iu the argument on each side, Field said lh-y bad not yet selected tiiose two! but would this evening. Evarts I named as republican counsel Stough ton, Stanley, Matthews, Snelenbarger aud himself. Alter some desultory converaation Sargent n ud it was do-; eided that McCreary and Kasson j would present each, aaide from coun- j sel on conference. ! Edmunds moved that the commia-1 eioii adjourn till 10.30 to-morrow. j Garfield asked if any alluiion h-jd been made to the remarkable objec- tion of the senator of Florida, which j had a distinct character as compared i with the otners and perhaps merited being considered as a separate case. The presiding justiee said it was! his impression that the several objec-1 lions of a state formed one case, and two objections would be heard upon one side and two on the other, and then two counielors would bo heard on each side. Unless otherwise ad vised he would rule that way. Field made a statement in tenor that he thought Jones' objection hould be mado a separate case, and naid they would name Thompson and Jcnks objectors on that case, and tomorrow to-morrow he would say what counsel would argue it. The presiding justice suggested that ho would submit the motion tomorrow, to-morrow, but at present he would maintain his previous ruling. Tho motion to adjourn was agreed to with the understanding that the remainder of the day might be spent in cousultatiou, but not in any public session. Field said in answer to a question that they wero ready to proceed at any moment. After the room was cleared the committeo held a consultation for some time and then adjourned till 10 to morrow. .' |