New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-02-15
TIE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
COUNTING OF THE VOTES IN TIE r J,fCI,
ENCE OF THE SENATE AND NIUE"
OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

The counting of the electoral '0''0 w
Aera and Vice President IN the presence vi lno
80 Irorses Of Congress-generaly dull ior' |
,..U.r -exc;.ed unusual interest to-day. Long |
49, ,oon. the hour of meeting, the Capitol
was besieged by tbrongs of men and women
eagerly seeking for places in the galleries Of the
Honse-that body rather than the Senate oeing
,-.he chief theater of attraction. Though the pioI,
az one time devised, to prevent the performance
Of this requirement Of the Constitution, received
ia first check on the retirement from the Caei-
net of the thief and traitor, Floyd, aud was
finally broken up by the vigilance AMI procau'icn
OF Gen. Scott, still there renamed just enough
of apprehension in the public mind 60 give peo"-
Far zest 10 the occasion, and draw toSelher
crowd ri observers from every state IN Inc
Union. not excepting even those which have re-
beleA against the Federal Government This
xest received additional puDgency from silly re-
port circulated through the city last night that
the certificates Of the electoral votes, cast IN the
seyeJal States, had been stolen from the Wee
Presidents room, and therefore they could not
be counted
Jocund day put on bis best attire. Ihe
sun rose clear and the heavens were remarkably
serene for this ftful climate. AS early as ~
O'Clock the stream of life began TO SET toward
the Capjtol. 1t rushed through the approaches TO
tho REPRESENTATIVES. Chamber, flooded It's floor,
allied its galleries to the brim, and then over
flowed into all the adjacent hobbies and passages.
Many distinguished strangers were assigned PAGES
within the Hall, conspicuous among whom stood
tbe erect form Of Gen. Wool The display OF
Aaauty and fashion in the ladies' galleries was
unusually large and brilliant, crowding TO crush
net only the space assigned to them, but en-
croacbins upon the domain Of the sterner sex,
and even making the desks of the reporters ira
grant with their delicious presence.
The general aspect Of the scene was that OF
mental excitement mingled with social gayety
Yet, it was easy to see that some faces were
made grave with the reflection that the Muse OF
History was looking down for the last time upon
The counting of the Electoral votes OF the United
States of America, and was making ready her
nnerring pen to delineate for the instruction OF
posterity the foul conspiracy which broke up the
Confederacy founded by Washington, Jefferson,
Jay and Hamilton.
The throDg, both on the floor OF the House
aud in it, galleries, generally respected the pro-
prieties Of the occasion. The turbulent traitors
bad nearly all retired from the theater where
they had 80 long plotted to overthrow Govern
ment which they had sworn to uphold. few
OF them, however, were here 10 mar the grandeur
Of the spectacle by their felonious presence
Beattered here and there on the floor and IN the
galleries were some Of the baAled eonspiratOrs,
who, but for the premature explosion Of their
plot and the presence in the Capitol OF the peer
Aess Artillery that won the field of Buena Vista,
would to-day have held high Teye of riot, and, If
need be, blo0dshed, in the two Houses OF Con-
aress and prevented by force the declaruiioD
according 70 the formula of the Constitution, Of
the election Of Lincoln AMI Hamin.
AT precisely twelve, the gayel of the Speaker
descended, the buzz of human voices died away,
and the eloquent Chaplain of the House adj
dressed o feryeDt appeal to the Throne Of Grace.
In the midst Of hi, solemn applications for the
Divine blessing upon the grave events of the
day, and while every eye was reverently bent
aad every whisper deyoutly husbed, in staked
Garnett Of Virginia. and strOde across the hall
with heavy tread, toward the clOak-roOm Of
the Southern Members, within whose portals he
disappeared. This loud and unseemly disturb.
snce was plainly premeditated, for it was in
stantly followed by q scene of bOsterous merri.
fnent in the cloak-roOm, in which some half
Dozen members participated, and which was kept
up till the close of the Chapain's invocation,
causing hundreds Of eyes to be turned in that
Direction, and exciting mingled surprise and In
tignation at this ebullitiOn Of mean malice on the
part Of this little traitor and bis bafhed band Of
60. eonspirators. The exhibition Of Union senti-
ynent in the recent Virginia election, has stirred
b the dregs the gall of such bitter SecessiOnsts
% Garrett, and he embraces all occasions like
this for the display of his malignity.
Mr.. Washburne of Illinois moved to send a
messenger to the Senate 10 invite that body to
ioin the House in grand convention, for cOuDssng
he Electoral votes long delay ensued, during
which Mr.. Sherman endeayored to push forward
an appropriation bill to relieve the pressing wants
Of the Government. Mr.. Garrett was instantly
% his feet to object; and, abiding to the speech
of Mr. Lincoln at Indianapolis, said that, mas
much as the incoming Administration had issued
Its declaration Of war; he would resist 10 the |
last extremity every attempt to furnish it with |
money to establish a military despotism. This |
ridiculous outburst provoked derisive merriment; |
And ere Mr.. Sherman had time 10 reply, the |
DoOrkeeper, in steutorian tones announced the
a. Senate Of the United Sta.es!" and that body,
preceded by its officers, entered the chamber Of
the House. The members rose to receive the
major branch Of the Legislature, who found seats
rs best they could, very narrow accommodations