The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-02-13
COUNTING THE VOTE TO-DAY.
Electoral Vote for President and Vice Presi-
dent Ceremony OF the Counting Of the
Votes BY Congress Instances In which Pub.
lie Attention has been Drawn to II interest
Associated with the Ceremony To-day,
Nbn.. an 81

II is not often that both houses of Congress resolve
themselves into convention But to-day the Senate
and the House Of Representatives will together
according TO law for the purpose of assisting in counting
the electoral given the President
and Wee President the United States This the last
act previous to Inauguration The ceremony short and
simple.
The Senator's preceded by their President, Secretary
and Sergeant Arms enter the hall Of the House Of
Representatives where they respectfully received by
tho members, who SO on their approach and remain
standing until the Senators seated The Presi
dent Of the Senate repairs to the Speakers chair,
and the Speaker of the House occupies his left
Tho presiding officer appoints telers who immedi-
ately take up their position at the Clerks desk Then
the opening Of the certificates begins electoral
votes are counted-commencing with Maine and pro-
ceedpg in the manner, each teller officiating alter
naely until the electoral certificates Of all the States
read Twohours at the furthest and the work compet
ed and then IL everything is found be ia accordance
with the prescribed form, tho Presi tent formally de-
cares that the chosen candidates. having received the
greatest number of votes, and that number being
orty of the whole number Of Electors duly elected
President and Vice President for years. commencing
with the ensuing 4th Of March The Senators retire
to their chamber Representatives standing
they depart. The House appoints committee Of two
and tho Senate committee OF one TO wat upon the Pre-
sdent and Vice President elect and OH ,iay inform
OF their election Thus is ended ceremony which is
usually regarded with very little in,erest-as
matter Of form-for the decision OF the people gene.
rally known with sufficient certainty popu-
r election. Bot there have been occasions his
tory when public attention directed the ceremony
and as the present unhappy con on Of the country will
naturally attract the OF al TO the of
Ing Of the votes to-day, will be instructive recall the
other instances in which the ceremony attracted the
teution Of the public.
On the 18th Of September, 1T5S. after sufficient
Der OF States bad ratified tho constitution he Congress Of
the confederation resolved that the drst Wednesday
January the following year should be the day for ap
pointing the Electors the several States the rst We'd.
nesday February the day for the Electors their
votes for President, and the first Wednesday March
tho day for the Congress to proceedings
in the city of New York. under tho constitution.
Tho appointed day-the 4th OF Marchcame, but quo
Of either branch Of Congress appeared Adjourn
took place from day to day until the 1st OF April
when the House obtained quorum, but 1t was the 9th
Of the month before tho Senate permitted
thus legally On that day--the 9th OF April,
17S9-the electoral votes opened and counted,
when George Washington and John Adams declared
TO be the choice Of the American people for
the first President and Vice President OF the
United States Four elections held under tho pro
visions of tho constitution originally framed, requiring
majority OF the electoral for President the per
son receiving the next highest number OF votes to be
Vice President but after the election in 1901 the cous
amended to compel electors TO vote for
President and Vice President separately. By act Of
Cong passed in March, 1792 the first Wednesday
December was designated the day for the meeting Of
tho Electoral Colleges in tho several States, aud tho
second Wednesday In February succeeding every meeting
Of electors the day for the opening and counting Of
the votes the presence Of Congress From tho time OF
the passage OF this they have continued 10 be counted
on that day to tho present period
The first that attracted attention TO the
mony was in 1897, the election Of John Adams by
a very tight vote over Thomas Jefferson. Tho vote
was 70 close that up to the last moment much
uncertainty existed regarding tho final result, and
the public doubt NOT disspated until Congress
its decision. The second tho election of
1901 when Thomas jefferson and Aaron Burr received
equal vote Each having rs electoral votes hcro
decided choice in the Electoral College. On Wednesday,
the 18th February that year. the House Of Repre-
ssnatyes proceeded ballot for President, and it
not till the following Tuesday the thirty sixth ballot
that Thomas Jefferson who had received the Of
out OF sixteen States declared TO be tho President
Aaron Burr Of course then pccd In the next high
est position In tho government. II was this election
which led TO the amending Of the constitution SO az 70
qure electors to vote separate ballot for Vice Pre-
sdent. The next occasion the election of 1925,
when neither Of tho three canddatesAndrew Jackson,
John Quincy Adams, and William ii. Crawford-rcceved
majority Of the electoral votes. Congress declared
that no choice had been made, and Wednesday,
February 1926 the House Of Representatives elected
John Quincy Adams President the first ballot. John
G. Calhoun had been chosen Vice President by large
popular majority In 1887. neither Of the candidates for
Wee President having received majority Of the electoral
votes the Senate elected Richard NJ johnson, by vote
OF 90 against l6 for Francis Granger.
when both houses met 10 count the votes cast for
buchanan and Fremont In 1885, Mr. Lctchcr objected to
tho reading OF tho Of Wisconsin, because the cleo
tors had the day appointed by the constitu
ton. Tho fact was, that in consequence OF severe
storm which rendered the roads impossible, the Wis
cousin Presidential electors unable 10 reach tho
capital Of their state the Sd OF December as required
by law for President and Vice President but they
assembled the 4h, and then went through tho form
Tho question raised was shall tho vote of Wisconsin be
ruled outS Mr.. Mason who occupied tho chair,
decided tho objection out OF order and, after
the count was completed, announced that Mr..
Buchanan having received liza votes Fremont, Him
Guiding wsconsin-and Fillmores, Mr.. Buchanan was
duly elected President Great excitement cnsucd appeals
were made by members and disregarded by the prcsd
ing officer who said his power ended the Senate
tired and both houses debated the question IN their re-
spective chambers Tho vote OF Wisconsin would not
bave changed result Of that election, but iegs
lation considered necessary, future occasion
might arise which the vote OF single State might in
similar case Affect the validity Of whole election. On
tho following day joint resolution declaring that the
vote Of wisconsin null and ought not 10 have been
included In the Of the electoral votes discuss
ed and finally laid the table, that here the matter
ended.
To day both brspches Of Congress win assemble to
the cast at the late Presidential election
Every one anticipates tho result; but much interest
will be connected with that MEETING, because IL
will be the arst time that Congress shall have bad
the opportunity Of announcing to the country tho cleo
ton of republican President and Vice President, and
because the mournf1 fact will thon perhaps more than
al an period the election, be made viviily ap
parent that OF tho States have seeded from tho
Union tho that should have boon occupied by
their Senators and members in tho hall Of the House Of
- str urtll ha