Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-02-15
BREAKING THE. SEALS.

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resolution of both Houses Of Congress, for the per-
counting the votes for PRESIDENT and VICE PREsI-
DENT of the United States given by the Electoral
Colleges of the several States.
In pursuance of that resolution, the HOUSE OF RE-
PERSONALITIES, at few minutes before IL o'clock,
suspended the business in which it was engaged,
and prepared to receive into its Chamber, according
70 previous arrangement, the Senate of the United
States. table had been placed in the area before
the Clerks table for the accommodation of the re-
cording officers of both bodies. The members, no
longer in groups in the aises and Hobbies, or oung-
ing over the last newspaper were generally in their
seats, and the silence of expectation gradually set
tied down on all present, as the finger of the dial
pointed to the hour of noon. The doors Of the hall
were thrown open, and in few moments the APP
proach of THE SENATE was indicated by the APP
pearance of their Sergeant-at-Arms, who was fol-
lowed by the President and Secretary Of the Senate,
and then by the Senator'S, walking two by two; who
took seats prepared for them in double semcircle
round about the area in front of the Clerks table,
The President of the Senate having assembled to
the Speakers Chair, the Speaker of the House be-
ing seated on his left, stood, as did the members Of
the House. until the Senators were seated in order.
The Tellers appointed by the two Houses (Mr.
WALKER, of the Senate, and Messrs. KENNEDY, OF
Maryland, and BURKE, of New Hampshire, of the
House took their seats at the table of the Clerk,
the Secretary of the Senate their right, the Clerk
of the House on their left hand the chief clerks OF
the House and the Senate being seated at the table
below, the two Sergeants-atArms having seats on
either side.
The scene had nothing Of the pomp that would
have blazed upon the eye at ceremonial of such
consequence In Governments differently organized
from ours. Depending for its soemnity and its eff
feet the inherent greatness of the act to be done,
to one who regarded. it with philosophic eye it
had solemnity approaching the sublime. Who
that reflected the struggles the tumult, the bat
ties, and the blood, which have SO often accompa-
MED the acquisition of disputed throne in the Old
Word-or, indeed, of disputed Chieftainshp in
on this peaceful and tranquil assembly, remembering
the purpose which had called it together and tn,
event which it was virtually to consummate, ant
not be deeply impressed by the happy expeden
here first devised for securing the succession to
preme Executive power by delegated expression
of Nations Will!
/ The spectacle was earnestly contemplated by al
auditory large the limits of the galleries could
| by possibility contain. The Ladies, never the last
to catch prevailing enthusiasm, to gaze with
interest on solemn public acts, had been pouring
along every avenue, and climbing the endless multi
tude of steps by which they reach the narrow space
all loft IN for hofo Int
called theirs could by no means contain all who
struggled for seat standng-room within its pre-
cincts and those who arrived too late for these pr
vieged places were fan TO content themselves with
the two nearest wings of the gentlemen's gallery,
into which they seemed to have overfowed on either
side. The residue of this gallery. which runs round
the whole semicircular boundary of the hall, was
piled up in dark masses with eager, orderly, and
attentive observers of what was transacting in the
space below.
Considering the multitude assembled, an aston
fishing silence peryaded the hall, when Mr.. MANGUM,
President Of the Senate, rose and said that " the
Senate and House of Representatives had met,
according to the Constitution, for the purpose of
counting the votes given by the Electors of the
several States for President and Vice President of
the United States" and then, taking from the
papers before him Of the sealed packages, broke
the SEALS opened it, and said II present to you,
gentlemen Tellers, the votes of the Electors of the
State of MAINE, that they may be counted"
Mr.. WALKER then read aloud the Report of the
Proceedings of the Electors of that State, and the
Clerks took down the numbers as they were
| announced.
In this manner the reports from all the States
were gone through with the Tellers relieving each
other from time to time in the reading
The process was necessarily rather heavy, and
nothing but its great intrinsic importance prevented
its being insufferably tedious, the result of each
ballot being known so long beforehand. Yet a
stranger, Witnessing the respectful and restrained
attention of all present. might have almost supposed
that the result was now made known for the first
time.
The counting being at length finished Mr. WALK
rose and said: !" The Tellers having counted the
votes given for President and Vice President of
the United States, have directed me to report the
same to the President of the Senate
The PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE then, in clear
and firm voice, which reached every recess of the
Hall, announced the result of the counting las will
be found stated in another coumn.) After doing
which he pronounced the Fiat of the People in the
following terms: " do therefore declare JAMES X.
Polk, Of Tennessee, having received majority of
the whole number of electoral votes, to be duly
elected President of the United States for the term
of four years from the fourth day of March next"
He made similar announcement of the election of
GEORGE M. DALLAS, Of Pennsylvania as Vice Pre-
sident for the same term and then added: |" The
business for which the two Houses convened
having now been completed, the SENATE will now
return to its Chamber"
The Members of the House rose in their places,
and remained standing until the Senators retired