The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-02-11
COUNTING TIE ELICTORAL VOTE.
Louisiana Counted in after a Struggle,
-OkGsTRffT, BLAIR AND GRANT IN, TOWN.
SPANISH CONSUL AT NEW ORLEANS.
Georgia Counted after a Tremendous
-,. Struggle.
DisordsrIy Scenes in Joint Session,

WASHINGTON, Feb. Observation-Disclosures has
been made in the Supreme Court for writs Of
habeas corpus for the Tortugas prisoners. The
court took no action.
The House last night. in considering the revenue
bill, adopted amendments giving the commissioner
OF internal revenue authority to exempt dstillers
OF apple, peach and grape brandy from the pro.
visions OF the act relating to the manufacture Of
spirits, at discretion, but not to reduce the tax.
Also placing compounders Of spirits on footing
with refiners.
Gov. Holden, of North Carolina, on behalf OF
himself and other loyalists, telegraphs the North
Carolina senators to oppose any reduction of the
army which viii reduce the federal garrisons in
North Caroline.
Congress did nothing till one o'clock, when the
Senate came to the House and the count Of the
electoral votes proceeded with. aud is now in pro-
gress. The capitol is densely packed.
WASHINGTON, Feb. l0.-Evening. .-Longstreet
and Frank Blair are here.
Grant has returned.
A company of United States infantry from New
York passed through to-day en- route for Whining
ton. n. c.
At one O'Clock the senators, arm in arm, came
to the House, Wade took the chair. Colfax seated
near him. Senator Conkng and Representatives
Wilson, Of Iowa. and Pruyn acting as telers.
Pruyn read the Democratic votes, Conkling and
Wilson sternated in reading the Republican votes.
All went smoothly rntil Louisiana was reached.
when Mullins, OF Tennessee, objected declaring
that no valid electien had been held. The Joint
session separated. The House voted l26 TO So to
count Louisiana. The Senate, after severe strug.
gle to draw in extraneous matters, also voted to
count Louisiana.
The House again met and proceeded with the
count until Georgia was reached. when Butler OBJ.
jected because the Georgia college had not voted
on the proper day, and for other reasons. Much
confusion eDsued, which Wade ended by ordering
the Senate to its own chamber. The House then
voted, $50 to Al that Georgia should not be
counted. The Senate, after q most perplexing
and lsughable struggle, declared that in the face
Of the concurrent resolution concerning Georgia,
the objection in joint session was out of order.
The houses again met in joint session in absolute
conflict
Wade ordered Georgia to be read as directed by
the concurrent resolution. Butler objected. Wade
would hear no objection. Butler appealed from
Wsde's decision. Wade would allow no appeal
and ordered the count to proceed. Butler moved
that the Senate have permission 10 retire. Motion
not in order Butler insisted that they should
control their own ball. Amid the most intense
excitement Wade ordered the count to proceed.
Conkling commenced reading the result, but his
voice was drowned by cries of order.
The noise became deafeniDg, when Speaker Col
fax spraDg to the desk, proclaiming that the vice
president must be obeyed in joint session, and Or
dered the sergeant-st-arms to arrest disorderly
persons. Colfax was ordering and appealing pro-
bsbly two minutes, during which time the SER
geabt at arms had distributed his men well through
the house, before partial order was restored, when
reading the result, and its proclamation followed
and the houses separated.
The Senate Immediately adjourned.
In the House Butler introduced resolution that
Wsde's and the Senate's action was q gross inva-
sion of the rights of the House, which resolution
was pending when the House adjourned.
The president has recognized Carlos Pie, consul
of Spain, at New Orleans.
Butler addressed the House after the Senate re-
tired, In support of his resolution, very violently,
and seemed TO carry the House with him.
Speaker Colfsx, calling Dawes to the chair, took
the floor, and in q brief speech took the House
away from Butler. Colfax defended the rulings
Of Wade aud the action of the Senate. Despe-
rate efforts were made in both houses to compli-
cate Louisiana with collateral questions, but the
presiding officers of both houses kept the question
whether the votes should be counted or not in
view as directed by the Constitution joint rules
of Congress. Nothing but technical observsnces
Of parliamentary proceedings saved the vote of
Louisiana from being ruled out, or at least having
attached to it damaging provisos. This action, II
ia thought. will clinch the recent congressional
elections in Louisiana.