Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1841-02-18
Proceeding Of Congress.
WAsHisGTos, February 10. l84I.
COUNTING THE VOTES FOR PRESIDENT
AND VICE pRESIDENT

SOONliNG liz fOtES fOh PRESIDENT
AND VICE PRESIDENT
This is the day appointed by law for opening and
counting The Of the Electors Of President and
Vice President OF the United States.
BY the lst section Of the I'd article Of the Con-
sttution Of the United States it 10 prescribed that
the President Of the Senate shall in the presence
Of the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States, opsn ell the certificates, and the
votes OF the Electors Of President and Vice Presi-
dent shall then be counted"
by the act Of March !, 1892, it is enacted that
Congress shall be 10 session the second We'd
nesday in February 1893, and on the second We'd
nesday IN February succeeding every meeting Of
the Electors, and the certificates ofihe Etciors, or
so many Of them shall have been received, shall
then be opened, the votes counted, and the persons
who shall I'LL the Offices Of President, and Vice
President ascertained, and declared, agreeabiy to
the Constitution.
On the 30h Of January ultimo, the two Houses
appointed a Joint COMMITTEES TO ascertain and 10.
port a mode OF examining the votes Tor President
and Vice President Of the United States, and Of
notifying the persons elected of their election.
Ga the report Of that Committee the two Houses
came TO the following resolution;
Resoircd, That ihe two Houses will assemble
in the Chamber Of the House Of Representatives
on "Wednesday. the i0lh Of February, at 10 O'clock
and the President OF the Senate shall be preceding
officer; that one person be appointed a teller on
the part OF the Senate, and two on the part of the
House OF Representatives, TO make list OF The
votes as they shall be declared; that the result
shall be declared to the President of the senate
who shall announce the state Of the vote and the
persons elected, TO tho two Houses as aforesaid
which shall be deemed declaration Of the persons
elected President and Vice President OF the United
States, and together with list of votes be entered
on the journals of the two Houses.
The Hon. William c. Preston, Senator from
South Carolina, was appointed Teller on the part
of the Senate; and
The Hon Caleb Gushing, Representative from
Massachusetts, and the Hon, John w. Jones, Re
preventative from Virginia, were appointed Tellers
on the part of the House of Representatives.
AT IL O'Clock 10 day. the following order wa.
moved by Mr.. Briggs, OF Massachusetts, and adop-
ted b, the House OF Representatives:
Ordered, Ihh, message be sent to the Senate
TO inform that body that this House is nov ready
to receive the Senate and proceed in opening tina
certificates aud counting the Of the Electors
OF the several States in the choice Of a President
and Vice President OF the United States, in parsu.
ance OF the resolution of the two Houses.
The Senate came into the Hall of the House in
the following order: The Sergeant-st- rms in front,
followed by the Vice President of the United States
and President OF the Senate, with the Secretary of
the Senate on his left then the PRINCIPAL Clerk of
the Senate, bearing the votes Of the Electors then
the Senators, two and two.
The Senate was met at the south door OF the
Hoiundo by the SeIseant-at-Arms of the House.
who conducted the procession down the b. Dad isle
The Vice President was received by the Speaker
on the steps of his stand, and Conducted to his sen,
as the presiding officer Of the joint meetin
Speaker taking seat al his left ! be Secretary
OF the Senaie was seated at the right end of the Ia
bic OF the Cletk OF the House and he Clerk at the
opposite end Tho tellers took seats at the Clerks
table in front of the presiding Officer Mr.. Pes.
ton, the teller on the part of the Senate, in the
centre, and Mr.. Gushing and Mr.. Jones, telle,s on
the part OF the House, on his right and left
The Sergeaut-at-Arms of the Senate occupied n
seat at the zig ht of aud below the Vice President;
the Sergean,-ai-Arms OF the House a correspond.
ing position on the left of the Speaker
! he Senators took the seats set apart for them
in the body Of the Hall on the left as il is entered
40 as to be on the right of the presiding officer.
he members OF The House were seated within the
bar--the requisite number Of seats having been pro-
yided and placed in the open spaces.
When the Senate entered the Hall the Spsaker
and members rose, and remained standing until
the Senate were seated.
The ladies' gallery was filed. almost exclusively
with ladies: and, as it would not contain ALL near.
~ The whole In OF front seats filed with them
he entire galleries were crowded with spectators
The joint meeting being organised, The presiding
officer Che Vice President Of the United States and
President Of the Senate) rose and announced the
purpose for which the two Houses OF Cong ess had
assembled in JOINT meeting.
He then proceeded to break the seals of the en-
velopes in which the of the Electors were en-.
closed, commencing with tho State Of Maine. ond.
having merely broken the seal, he rose and handed
the paper to the telers. saying. Z" dever to you.
gentlemen tellers, the of the Electors of th,
State of Name for President and Vice Presiden,
ofthe United States, hat the same may he counted"
he same ceremony observed b, the Vice
President in opening and delivering to the tellers
the votes Of ell the States.
The snperscrption on the envelope and the Ger.
IN ;Ate OF tho vOtos OF the Electors together with
evety paper contained within the same, were resd
throughout by one OF other Of the teers taking il
al,erna ely, the teller the part of the Senate hay
ing commenced with The State of Maine.
The tellrrs having read, counted and made du
p'lcae ists OF the votes which lists they compared
with each other, and bling found to agree they were
delivered to the Vice Presldent, by whom tey we're
read 10 the joint serting. and me as follows:
Last Of Votes for Preadtnt and Vice President
fihe United States for fonr years commeac
iag Harct 4 l3dl