The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1845-02-21
From the National Ipteliigsncer, l3th inst
BREAKING THE SEALS.

fester day was The day assigned, by the
JOINT resolution uf both Houses Of Congress,
Tor the Performance u the constitutional
duty Of opening and counting ihr votes for
Presidcn, and Vice President Of The Tn
ted States given by the Electoral Colleges
Of the several States.
Ia pursuance Of that resolution, tie
House Of Representa- at few MN
utes before II O'Clock, suspended the bus
mess 10 which It was engaged, and prepar.
cI to receive into It's Chamber, according
to previous Arrangement, the Senate Of tie
nlted States A table had been placed
in the area before the Clerks table for the
accommodation uf the recording officers oi
both bodies. The members, no longer in
groUpes IN the aisles aud lobbies, or luUng.
Ing over the last newspaper, were gcncr.
ally in their seats, and the silence Of cx.
pectalon gradually settled down on all
present, as The finger 81 The dial pointed to
the hour Of noon. The doors Of the hail
were thrown open, and IN a few moments
the approach Of the Senate wa@ Indicated
by the appearance of their SerecInt.at-
Arms, who was followed by the Presd en-,
and Secretary Of The Senate and then by
the Senators, walking two by t"o who
took seats prepared for them in double
semicircle round alb Vi the area IN front u
The Clerks table.
The President of the Sennc having rs
cended TO the Speakers Chair, the Speak.
er Of the House being seated on his fcli
stood, as did the members of the House,
until The Senators were seated in order.-
The Tcllers appointed by the two Houses
(Mr Walker, OF the Senate, aud Mc>sr..
Kennedy, Of Maryland, aud Burke, OF
New Hampshire, Of the House took their
seats OF the table Of HE Clerk, the Sscrr.
tary OF the Senate 90 their right, the Clerk
Of the House on their leil hand HE chief
clerks Of the House and the Senate being
seated at the table below, the two Ser
geants-at.Arms having seats on either
side.
The scene had nothing Of the pomp that
would have blazed upon the eye AT a cere-
monial Of such consequence III Govern.
men.s differently organized from ours
Depending for its soIemnlty and lis effect
OH the Inherent gIalnesS OF the act 10 be
done, to one who regarded il with phil.
osophlc eye !, had solcmaily approach
ing the sublime. Who that reflected on
the struggles, the tumull, tho battles, and
the blood, which have so oftea accompa.
MED the acquisition Of disputed throne Ia
the Old Wofld-or, indeed, Of a disputed
in the Governments Of the
New World could look on this peaceful
and Tranquil assembly, remembering the
purpose which had called 1t together and
the even, which il was virtually 10 con
summale, aud not he deeply impressed by
the happy expedicn, here first devised for
securing the succession 10 supreme Execu.
i've power by delegated expression Of
Nations Wln1
The spectacle was earnestly contempia.
ted by an auditory as large as the limits Of
the galleries could by possibility contain.
The Ladies, never the last to catch a pre.
vaiiing enthusiasm, or to gaze with interest
on solemn public acts, had been POURING
along every avenue, and climbing the end.
less multitude Of steps by which they reach
the narrow space allotted to them, for
hours before /; but the gallery called theirs
could ~ no means contain all who strug-