Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-02-19

SIodeofCOunting-The Purpose of Certain
Radicals-NIuIlen ns OF Tennessee, Objects
to the Vote of LOuisiana-He is Backed
by Butler-Thc Vote COunted-The Vote
of Ge0rSia-Butler Objects to Its Recep-
tfon-Is Supported by the HOuse-The
Senate Insists on Receiving the Vote
Wade Determines to Declare the Vote
A Scene of Wild dCOnfusIon-PrOmpt Ac
tIon of Speaker CoIfax-ButIer Ram pant
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10, 1869.
The ceremony of counting the Presiden-
tlal electoral vote, in the presence of the
two Houses of Congress, to-day drew to
the National Capitol an immense throng
OF spectators. At an early hour men,
women and children crowded the streets
and avenues, and a vast procession seemed
to be moving towards Capitol Hill The
halls, corridors and spacious galleries were
by noon packed to their utmost capacity,
and by resolution the doors of the House
OF Representatives were thrown open for
the admission of ladies and gentlemen in
the rear of the bar of the House, where
they squeezed in rs long as standing room
could be found
According to the provisions of a joint
resolution previously adopted, the Senate,
headed by its President and Sergeant-at-
Arms, entered at the north door at l
O'Clock, and filing down the main aisle,
President Wade took the chair of the
Speaker, who at the same time retired,
while Senators became seated on Mr..
Wade's right. The members of the House
closed up in front and on the left of the
Chair. The scene now became one of
grandeur, rs well as of great interest
Never before, perhaps. was the Represen-
tative Hall so completely filed. The spec
tators numbered thousands all within the
walls of the one room, and yet so quiet was
the crowd in the great anxiety to hear that
a whisper attracted attention. For the
first time the diplomatic gallory was full,
the foreign Ministers and attaches turning
out in all their strength to witness our dem
ocratic manner of choosing National Ex-
ecutive. On the floor of the hall were
noticed most of General Grants staff, while
the bride and mother of Speaker Colfax oc-
cupled front seats In the eastern gallery
Mrs. Grant is absent with the General on
Northern tour.
President Wade having called to order,
the counting of the electoral vote COM
menced with the State of New Hampshire.
This astonished the uninitiated, as accord
ing tC no rule could New Hampshire come
first in the list of States. The secret of the
movement, however, was well understood
among the wire-pu!lers of the Radical
party. It had been determined to reject,
if possible, the electoral vote of Georgia,
and under no circumstances to allow it to
be couuted, except alphabetically, and TO
avoid contest in the middle of the consti-
tutional count, it was arranged to place
Georgia at the foot of the list. To do
this. 1t was necessary to throw the whole
list of States into pi, being certain that
al of IA
the States were seemingly called ct ran
dom, as they happened to be reached, and
the count proceeded quietly and in order,
until the vote OF Louisiana was presented.
At this point an unexpected scene-one
not called for in the bills-was presented
by the Hon. James Mullens, better known
here as Old Mullins" of Tennessee. He
obi iected to the vote of Louisiana being
counted, to the great disgust of the Grant
wing of the Radical party, many of whom
were heard to exclaim, in the most unpar
iamentary language, "Old Mullins is
fool" Yet his movement was backed by
Butler, who headed the anti Grant faction
of the Radicals. The result was the Sen
ate had to be sent back to their Chamber
amid confusion and uproar.
This knot in the proceedings, however,
was soon united, and the list of States was
gone through with, and Georgia, according
to the programme, was reached. Now the
war began in earnest, and the Senate was
again forced to retire. 1t will be remem-
bered that only d few hours previously the
two Houses of Congress adopted Joint
resolution providing specially for the count
ing of the vote of Georgia. 1t was agreed
in this Joint resolution that if it should be
ascertained that the vote of Georgia did
not alter the result, then the presiding
officer should announce that, If the vote OF
Georgia should be counted, the result
would be thus and SO; and if not counted,
then it would stand thus and so. Yet in
violation of this joint resolution Butler
objected to the vote of Georgia being
counted for several reasons which he as
signed in writing, and the Senate retired
to consider the objections.
The House by large vote determined
that the vote of Georgia should not be
counted, ana the Senate came to the OPP
posite determination. This issue present
ed q serious dilemma, Gen. Grants claim
to the Presidency yet depended upon his
being declared elected according to the
forms prescribed by the Constitution
What was to be done in the emergency :?
The Senate determined to take the bull by
the horns, and without waiting for an in
vitation they returned to the hall Of repre-
Mr.. Wade then announced his purpose to
| declare the result Of the vote according to
the terms of the joint resolution. This
announcement was followed by scene of
the widest confusion, and SO disgraceful
did the Butler wing of the party behave
that Speaker Colfax sprang upon the stand,
seized the gavel, and after a violent rap
ping ordered the Sergeant-at-Arms to ar
rest any member who dared further to in
terrupt the proceedings. Butler yelled
and howed with rage, and poured out his
vials of wrath upon the head of "Old
Ben :" but all in vain. The vote was an
nouncod, and Ulysses s. Grant and Schuy.
ler Colfax declared elected President and
| Vice President of the United States. The
presiding officer then Immediately de-
clared the "ioint convention at an end,
and the Senate fastened to escape from the
Hall, leaving Butler still rampant and
abusive of the venerable "Ben." whom he
denounced in terms unsuited to ears po-
lite.
The agony is over and the forms OF the
Constitution have been complied with, the
votes have been counted, and Gen. Grant
has been declared elected President. In
calmly reviewing this days proceedings he
ill M donbt find food for reflection. anO