National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1869-02-26
Counting the Votes--Butler on the
Rampage.

rejected ny the convention OF the
two A"useS."
Mr.. Wood of y. Y. -" call the
genilemau from Massachusetts TO or
der. The rule forbids discussion. "
TIE presiding Officer" Debate
is not in order.
Mr.. Brtler.-'.l claim as a point
Of order that the objections of il sea-
ator from Vermont are not well ta.
ken, and desire the question to be
decided by the two houses.
The presiding officer (speaking
with much hesitancl y" The chair
is very much disposed to hold the
Senate and the House TO their own
doing. to the Joint resoIution which
they passed, the purpOrt OF which
is, if we understand it. that if the
votes Of the State of Georgia did
uoCaItcr the result of the election
they might be counted. and if they
did alter the result they were not to
he counted. this declaration Of the
meaning of the concurrent resolution
brought down the house. and on
the floor and in the galleries there
was a general outburst of laughter
accompanied with clapping of hands,
stamping of feet and other like
manifestations.
Senator Drake. | submit he
point OF order that the concurrent
resolution does not dispose OF the
first ground of the ohjec ton taken
hY the representative from MaSSa-
chuSetts, that the vote OF Georgia
was not cast on ;hc day required by
law. and insist, therefore, that the
point must be determined hy the
votes of the two houses separately F"
The presiding officer" The CON
current resolution declares that the
vote of Georgia shall be announced
by the vice-president, pro TEN, IN IA
certain special way. The chair is
very much disposed to obey the di-
rection OF both branches of Congress
in this matter.
Mr.. Butler With great respect
for the decision of the chair. yet as
this is a matter Of high constitutions.
al law, and as III other times it
might make great trouble, propose
that this matter shall be considered
in both houses y
/ EXclamations of "no," mo- "yeS," +"
"NcS,' from opposite Sides of the
chamber. The presiding officer rose
10 face the storm. and then irreso-
/ lutte, as it he felt himself utterly EN-
barrasscd by the proceeding of Mr..
/ Butler. took his seat again. without
vcn'uring to make a ruling. This
incident provoked considerable
/ laughter.
After the Senate had retired. and
after the objection made by Mr. But
. Ter to counting the vote OF Georgia
had been read again AT the clerks
desk. the Speaker put the question.
- Shall the vote of Georgia be count.
ed, Notwithstanding the objection OF
the gentleman ilOm Massachusetts ?
The admission of the vote of Geor.
cia was refused, 100 to II, the only
rcpub leans voting yea. being MesSr>
Baker Of IL. and Hawkins of Tcnn.
Mr.. Young of Ga. declared that
hc entered his solemn protest III In
name Of the peopl" Of Georgia an,
in the name of the constitution
against the action of the House.
! Mr.. Thomas of Md. offered a mo
tion, g. reconsider the vote 10y
which Georgia was excluded from
the count.
Mr. DickcN of Pa. moved to table
thc motion, and the House proceed
ed to vote by yeas and nays.
The molioM 20 reconsider vas lai,
ON the table, HI to 81, the follow
ing rrNubllcans voting with tn
democrats against laying it on tn
table: McSsrrS. Baker 0t Ill, Bed
man of Mich, Beatty and bingham
: of o. Boyden Of \. C., FanSwortI
Of Ill.,, Hawkins OF Tenn, Hubbard
Of It,. , Jcncks of X. l., ketchum a
y. Y, Koontz, Latin, Lawrcnc
b and Moorhcad of Pa, Pile of Mo.
Smith OF VT, Wilson of la., an
Window of Minn.
The Senate then entered the ha
for the third time, and Senate
Wade, rs the presiding officer cal
ed the Joint convention to orleran
announced that the objections Of til
gentleman from Massach isetts wei
overrulcd 10y the Senate.
Mr.. Bu Ter, (rcncwing the a,tac
inpctuously)-"Mr. President,
rise to II question Of order"
c The presiding officer, vainly Il
tempting ignore the question OF o
der. directed the tcllers To 60 q
with the count of Georgia, but NJ
- Butler, determined not to he :,
aside III that way said, "Mr. Pres
dent, desire to state that I'll
House sustans the objection Of I'll
gentleman Of Massachusetts, aud
now submit resolution. We do III
consider that we are 10 bc overrtl
- ed by the Senate in that way
daughter aud manifestations OF II
: proval from surrounding members
ut The presiding officer. with an II
pcrtprltablc manner--"Thc chair d
rlu,cs to receive the resolution, III
the ,rllers will make ont the stat
ment of the votes as directed. r.
of "no.r '.no" aud "yes,' "ycs,' ~
great confusion and excitement.
Mr. Butler-"l appeal from I
decision OF the chair To the con',
il tiou. UuIls to ORDER by