Why didn the President of the Senate decide which were the legitimate electors?
The Vice-president is the President of the Senate, however Henry Wilson died in 1875. Senator Thomas Ferry, a Republican from Michigan, took his place as President of the Senate, however he was not the Vice-president. Ferry chose not to make this difficult decision on his own, citing lack of direction from the Constitution. Which party controlled the U.S. Congress in 1876? The Democrats had the majority in the House of Representatives. The Republicans had the majority in the Senate. What roles did Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel Tilden play during the maneuvering? Both candidates distanced themselves from the fray, leaving it to their representatives to do the work. They were informed of developments as they unfolded. How was the electoral dispute resolved? In December 1876 the House and Senate passed resolutions creating a fifteen man Electoral Commission charged with resolving the electoral crisis. The Electoral Commission was comprised of five senators, five house members, and five S