It did not appear to them necessary to do this in order to win their case. One single electoral vote from any one of the four "States," from which double returns had been received, would elect Tilden and Hendricks. It did not seem to them that the line between the powers of the "States" and those of Congress over the election of the President and Vice-President could under the existing facts be drawn anywhere without giving them at least this one vote. If the returns as certified to by the Governors and the "State" canvassing officer, officers, or boards, of these four {293} "States" should be received and counted they would have this one vote from Oregon. If, on the other hand, the popular vote for the electors as it came into the hands of the "State" canvassing officers or boards was to be received and counted, then they would have the electoral votes of at least Louisiana, Florida, or South Carolina, and perhaps of all of them. But the Republicans contended that the line between "State" control and Congressional control was to be drawn between the Governor's certification and the report of the "State" canvassing officer, officers, or board to the Governor of the result of the vote for the electors. The certification issued by the Governor, they held, was ordered by Congressional law and was under Congressional control, even when the "State" canvassing officer, officers, or board should join with the Governor in the certification of the persons chosen electors. The report of the vote for the electors by the "State" canvassing officer, officers, or board to the Governor was thus the final act under "State" control, was the final act in the election of the electors. This was unquestionably sound constitutional law. But it would give all the electoral votes from all four of the "States," from which double returns had been received, to Hayes and Wheeler, and would elect them by one vote. [Sidenote: The decisions of the Commission.]