Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-02-17

Mr.. MASON, (presidiug,l repeated that he coula
entertain no motion which would involve q vote U
the two Houses or either of them, and had therefore
ruled the motion out of order.
Mr.. COBB, Of Georgia, appealed from the decision
of the Chair.
Mr.. MASON, tpresiding,j in reply to the inquiry
of the gentleman from Georgia. stated that it was
the judgment of the Chair that the Senate was all
ting in the chamber of the House OF Representatives
pur.usnt to the Constitution; that when the Senate
might determine that its duties were ended the pre-
ding officer would receive the motion of any Senn'
tor 10 return to their own chamber, where its session
would be resumed. The Senate wa. in session now.
Mr.. ORR thought all difficulty could be obviated
il the two bodies would separate and determine the
Luuestion each for itself. This could be effected by
an interchange of messages between the two bodies,
Mr.. JONES. of Tennessee. This convention will
not separate until they receive the report which has
been prepared by the tellers. 1t will then be for the
convention to determine what they will do with the
report.
session, we cannot vote here, and 1 move that We
take a recess and return to our own chamber, there to
determine what course we will pursue.
MIR. JONES, of Tennessee. You must in that case
have the report of the tellers.
Mr.. TRUMBULL. We do not want the report. A
difficulty has already arisen. and let US retire and
dispose of il in the only constitutional way, aud that
is, in separate bodies. move that the Senate retire
10 lis GnnfnUtT u ueluC wv uutsllOu.
Mr.. MASON, 1.-THE presiding oticer.l The result
cannot be officially known to either House until re-
ported by the tellers, TO whom the duty has been con-
fded.
Mr.. WASHBURN, of Maine. The tellers have
already declared tho vote, and the President has an
uounced who il elected President. II is not in order
for the tellers to go over the count and report again,
they having once reported to The Chair, and the re-.
suit having been announced to the convention by the
presiding officer.
Mr.. STUART, of Michigan. After the tellers
made their report aud the presiding officer of t is
body announced the result, the Constitution and the
laws in pursuance thereof were fulfilled. l would
suggest TO the presiding officer that the Senate return
out any further proceeding.
The PREslDiN0 OFFICER put the question to the
Senate whether it would return To It's own chamber,
and it was decide in the affirmative.
The Senate tltereupOn retired in the order in which
it had entered the hall of the House.
Ii THE SENATE, after that body had returned to
its own chamber, MIR. BIGLER made a report Of the
result which had been ascertaired by a scrutiny Of
the electoral votes examined and counted in the con.
vention, and stated the i%ntOrnality which had been
found TO exist in the return made by the Electors OF
the State of Wisconsin. Upon this a discursive dc.
bate ensued. which was participated in by Messrs.
BIGLER, HUNTER, NuUKsE, BUTLEK, STUART,
ToUaBs, ADAMS, D~ouoLAs, REID, CoLLAMEm, HALE,
ToucEY, WELLER, BELL, of Tennessee, and CRIT
rEHDES. Various motions were made for the pur-
pose oi expedIting a solution OF the difficulty present
"a ny tit llilDI InhIiIy III lIt return Ill Question:
Many Senators thought that the function of the Con.
vention OF the two Houses had been fully discharged,
and that no further proceedings were necessary Vi in the
case. Others thought that the total votes OF all the
States could not DO properly declared until the case OF
Wisconsin had been settled by tho proper authorities
that is, by a joint decision of the two Houses of Con.
gress with reference 10 the disposition that should be
made of the return. Some thought that the return
should be counted, others that it should be rejected.
Various resolutions expressive of these divergent
views were urrsputei. modified withdruwu and laiu
upon the table during the session; and, pending the
consideration ot a resolution offered by Mr. CRIT-
rESDEN, the Senate I'D journed, leaving the whole
matter i'll debate undecided.
In the HursE OF REPRESENTATIVE, also, after
the Senate had retired from its hail. a long discussion
ensued aud several propositions were offered upon
questions raised in regard TO the vote Of Wisconsin.
These propositions are duly recorded under The Con-
grssslonal hsad, ia q preceding column. No decision
was reached upon any OF thsln at half past four
o'clock, when The House adjourned.
a summary Of the proceedings of Il miscellaneous
character, which took place before the two Houses
assembled III Convention, will also be found under
the Congressional head.
In conclusion, We quote for the convenience Of our
readers so much OF the twelfth article of the Con.ti.
tuition Of the United States as relates to the chief bu.
einess ofthe day.
"Ths electors shall NEE, in their respective States
and vote by ballot for President aud Vice President,
one ot whom AZ least shall not be AL inhsbitant Of
the a State with themselves. They shall name
in their ballots the person voted for "a President, and
in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice Presi.
dent, and they shall make distinct lists of ali persons
vo.sd for as President, and of all persons voted for
as Vice President, and of the number of votes for
each, which lists they shall sign and certify and
transmit, sealed, 10 the sea, Of the Government OF the
United States, directed TO the President of the Senate.
The President Of the Senate shall, in presence Of the
Senate and House Of Representatives, open all the
certificates, ana the votes shall then be counted.-
The person having the greatest number of votes for
President shall be the President, il such number be
n majority Of the whole number Of electors appoint.
ed; and if no person have such majority, then from
the persons having the highest numbers, not exceed
ing three. on the list Of those voted for As President,
the House us Representative. shall choose immedi-
ately. by ballot, the President. But, in choosing the
President, the votes shall be taken By States, the re.
presentation from each State having one vote. 4
quorum for this purpose shall consist OF a member or
members from two thirds Of the States, and 4 ma.
jority Of all the States shall be necessary to u choice"
THE MONROE D0CT2INE ABROAD.
Pending the recent difficulties between Switzerland
and Prussia, the American Minister, Mr.. Fay. pro.
posed n mode OF nd us,mcnt and invited the co ops.
ration Of the other diplomstis.s resident at Berne.-
They net at Ir. Fay's house, but the proceedings Of
the conference met with d very Unforeseen termina.
ton. The Austrian Minister said 'he did not think
that HE colleague of The United States could be con.