Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-02-14
liz IL Cents Sanglel

the sacrifice of the rights Of the house.
10 some gentlemen it might appear to be
unimportans, but it was not so in his view
OF the subject. He wished it not to be en-
tered OH the journal of the senate as a right
which they possessed. In every thing tha.
related to the privileges of the house, he
would sickle for the ninth part @, hair.
1t was well known that encroachments,
inch by inch, had been made pn legislative
privileges in Great Britain, until they be-
came nearly extinct. These impercepti-
Die encroachments may, one by one, even.
tually deprive the house of It's rights and
dignity; because power begets power as
money begets money. AS one body relax
es, SO til: other may and doos,ireo,aentiv
encroach. The pres, eSRs u tie senate is
70 count tie ye.es sSt & e nor thence i'm
81 q sssss ~ eiias he.s to preside at
fkissitstlg OF the two fouses IN TINS hall. 1.-The
comes INTO this housa he shalt come here,
on courtesy !; he shall not assume your
chair as matterot right, but he may be
invited to 1t as a matter of favor. A
committee ought to be appointed TO an
aounce To HIM as matter of courtesy. IF
ne is to preside) that it is the will of this
mouse TO invite him TO preside. He would
squaoble forever, before he would Weld an
inch OF the privileges of the representa-.
tives OF the people.
Mr. Smile remarked, that as the two
houses would be IN convention, and as the
constitution assigned the duty OF counting
the votes to the president OF the senate, II
was TO be presumed that that officer was
expected to preside; and the speaker of
TINS house could be considered i'm no other
grade during the counting than any other
member of the house.
| Mr. Macon observed that he had under.
STOOD that MIR. Adams, when Vice Presi..
oent, presided at counting of the votes pre-
V,ous 20 ms election to the presidential
chair. lie never knew before that there
was doubt as to its propriety.
Mr. Lyon wanted to know what was To
DC done II there should DE proposition &c,
| maze by any member of this house con,d
mat proposition be made to z gentleman who
was not its speaker? Il this house were TO
go TO the senate on such an occasion. thew
won'd so as spectators; and, consequently.
the person who usually presided in the
mousse where they convened ought to pre-
side m such case. He thought the spea-
he' .le most suitable character to preside
in this case.
me question being taken on Mr.. .N;cho-
lass motion, there were 9S in the afirma-
tive.
MIR. Randoihh now moved that the Sc
nate be informed of the above resolution :al-
So mat the house are ready TO receive
ensn, and that the president of the senate
wan please to take the speakers seat for
tue purpose OF counting the votes for IRE.
sldent and vice president This resolution
was Carried, and it was ordered that the
clerk OF the house go with the said mes
sage.
on the proposition Of Mr.. Pan Duke il
was determined that on the entry OF the
senate the members would receive that boz
dy standing and uncovered.
AT about half past 10 the senate entered
the Chamber, preceded by their president
hroiemhore, (Mr. 1hHedge of Georeia)
who, having taken the chair of the soea.
ker, and the members of the senate taxing
the chars assigned for them on the south
east SIDE OF the chamber, the teilers took
seats in front of the chair.
On behalf of the Senate Gen. s. Smith.
and on behalf of the house, Mr.. Nicholas
and Mr.. Fan Duke.
hen the president of the senate began
to open the packets from the several cleo.
torai colleges, commencing at New HamD-
shire and proceeding souJhward. Genera,
omith read the several returns and vouch-
ers from the states, and the duplicates
were examined by the tellers ON the part
,ot the house, the annunciation Of the votes
being made by General Smith, which was
repeated by the secretary of the senate and
the clerk of the house representatives.
The tellers after having counted the re-
turns made by the several states apreea-
bly, TO the constitution, reported 10 the pre-
sident, who announced the same to the two
houses as follows:
From a report ofthe tellers for count.
ing the votes given in for president and
vice president of the United States thev
appear as follow;
He then read the returns of the several
states as by formal list appeared. "a
list precisely similar has ALREADY been
published in the August After which he
said
" The whole number of votes beinc IFS.
80 OF which are majority.
" For PRESIDENT OF THE UNI
TED STATES, JAMES MADISON. Of
Virginia, has 1913 votes, which being a ma
jority of all the votes of the reSpective
states, i therefore declare thpt the. said
JAMES MADISON Is ELECTED PRF,-
lSlDENT OF THE ". 5. for four yeaTs.
commencing on the fourth of March nest
And that GEORGE CLINTON. Of NV
York, having 118 vo es, being :, m ,ioritv
| of all the votes of the respective states.
j therefore declare that the said GFO
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