Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. III.djvu/217

 JAMES ABRAM GARFIELD 179 encountered him here without regretting the con test. In 1876, Gen. Garfield went to New Orleans, at President Grant s request, in company with Sen ators Sherman and Matthews and other Republi cans, to watch the counting of the Louisiana vote. He made a special study of the West Feliciana parish case, and embodied his views in a brief but significant report. On his return, he made, in January, 1877, two notable speeches in the house on the duty of congress in a presidential election, and claimed that the vice-president had a constitu tional right to count the electoral vote. He was opposed to an electoral commission ; yet, when the commission was ordered, Gen. Garfield was chosen by acclamation to fill one of the two seats allotted to Republican representatives. His colleague was George F. Hoar, of Massachusetts. Garfield dis cussed before the commission the Florida and Louisiana returns, on February 9 and 16, 1877. Mr. Elaine left the house in 1877 for the senate, and this made Garfield the undisputed leader of the Republican party in the house. He was at this time its candidate for speaker. The struggle began in the second session of the 45th congress (1879), when the Democratic major ity sought to control the president through the appropriations, gave Garfield a fine opportunity to display his powers as a leader in opposition.