Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 November 1908 — VOTE THAT ELECTED HAYES. [ARTICLE]

VOTE THAT ELECTED HAYES.

General Eppa Hunton, former member of Congress, died at Richmond, Va., recently. General Hunton uad not been in the public eye for some years, but his death recalls the fact that he was a member of the historic Electoral Commission of 1877, and that the only one survivin'., of the 15 members is former United States Senator, George F. Edmonds, of Vermont. The younger generation remembers .ittle of the si.mng political times of 1876, when the Presidential election of that year was in dispute. Was it Hayes or Tilden? That was the question. And to have this matter settled before March 4, 1877, an Electoral Comission of 15 members was provided for by an act of Congress, approved January 29, 1877. This Commission was to settle certain disputed questions as to the Electoral vote of several states in the fall election of 1876. The votes had been counted according to the usual custom before both Houses •f Congress, but it was discovered that there were conflicting certificates from the states of Louisiana, Florida, Oregon and South Carolina. The two Houses of Congress could ■ot agree in any case which was the genuine certificate, as the Senate at the time had a Republican majority and the House was Democratic. To settle these questions a commission, which was composed of five Senators, five members of the House and five Associate Justices of the Supreme Court, four of whom were named by the act of Congress and the fifth selected by the four. To this commission of 15 was referred for judgement and decision the question which of two or more conflicting certificates received from any state of the votes cast by the Electoral College of such state for President and Vice President in the election of 1 876 was the certitcate provided for in the Constitution of the United States. Unless set aside by the concurrent action of the Houses of Congress the judgment of the commission was to be Anal. ’ , The members of the commission were Justices Clifford, Strong. Field. Miller and Bradley; Senators Morton, Edmunds, Frellnghuysen, Thurman and Bayard, with Representatives Vayne. Hunton. Abbott, Hoar and Garfield., Senator Kernan acted in place of Senator Thurman, who was unable to serve owing to illness. Distinguished lawyers’ of both political parties argued the disputed questions, but, as will be recalled in the case of the Electoral votes of tho four states in dispute, the Republican certificate of Electors was declared by a party vote of 8 to 7, to be the lawful one. The Senate concurred in this vote, being Republican, while the Democratic House dissented. Thus the verdict of the commission became final, arid the disputed Electoral vote of the four states being given to Hayes and Wheeler as President and Vice President, they were declared elected by a majority of one vote tor four years from March 4. 1877. Naturally this decision was unsatisfactory to thousands, who believed and still believe that the Democratic candidates, Tilden and Hendricks, were the ones actually elected by the people. But the matter was settled, and is now a part of the political history of the country. This event was only about 32 years ago, yet i-il the distinguisheu members, with one exception, have passed away. Former Senator George F. Edmunds, of Vermont, is now the only survivor of the celebrated "fifteen.’ He is now 80 years of age. and has been out of politics since his retirement from the Senate in 1891. Senator Edmunds, one of Vermont’s "favorite sons," was born at Richmond, in that state, in 1828. He was educated for a lawyer, and was admitted to the bar in 1849. He settled in Burlington iu 1851, and for five years —1854-59 —was a member of the Legislature, being Speaker of the Lower House for three years. He was in the State in 1861-2. being President pro tern. After the Civil War. in 1866, Mr. Edmunds was elected to the United States Senate to succeed Solomon Foote, and he held office continuously until 1891. a quarter of a centuary. ♦ Senator Edmunds was a leading member of the Senate, and served on many important committees. He was the author of the anti-ogamypol act of 1882, known as the Edmunds act, and of a somewhat similar act passed in 1887. . He has attained eminence as a constitutional lawyer and in many ways as a shining light

in the politic! history of the country.