The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1869-02-18
COngressiOnal.o
w ashington, Feb. 10.

| HBnf 6i5}i ,,o,,sr sf43tf1 tH e.
/ This being the day when the form
atty of counting the votes Of Presi-
dent and Vice President takes place
in the House, therewas great press
ure to obtain seats in the galleries
long before noon every positions in
those portions that were open to the
public was occupied. The door ways
were blocked up and corridors
thronged with persons seeking ad
mlttance. Many ladies occupied the
gentlemen's gallery. Two rows of
seats in the ladies' gallery served for
the families OF the President and
Vice President. The southwest gal
lery was occupied exclusively by la
dies and the families of the Members
and Senators. There were only some
half dozen persons in the Diplomat
ic gallery. There were but few
colored persons present.
| s When the vote of Louisiana was
reached Mr. Mullins objected to count
ing the vote.
After some unsuccessful and per-
sonal appeals to Mr. Mullins to with
draw the objection, the presiding of.
ffcer requested him to submit it in
writing as follows:
/ object to any count of votes Ger.
titled from the State of Louisiana,
and raise the question in relation to
it, that no valid election for President
and Vice President has been held in
that State according to the rules as
announced by the presiding officer.
The Senate then retired to their
chamber to decide upon the ques-
| tion. #E
The Speaker then called the House
to order and announced the question
shall the vote of Louisiana be count
ed. &
Thevote vas taken; resulting yeas
1877, nays 90.
During the vote Mr. Lawrence de-
sired to make objection to the result
of the vote being announced.
The Speaker refused to entertain
it. At 2:15 a message was received
from the Senate that they had re :
solved that the vote of Louisiana
should be counted Immediately, and
thereafter the Senators returned to
the Hall OF the House.
Tellers proceeded to read the votes.
When the vote of Georgia was hand
ed them by the presiding officer, Mr.
Dutlcr, Mass.of called for the reading
Of the certificate, after which he Of
fered an objection to the counting OF
the vote, becauss the vote in the Elec-
toral College was not given at the
time required by law, and that State
was not represented in Congress nj
the time; also, that State had not full
filed the requirements of the recon
struction acts.
| By direction of the presiding ofii-
Ger, Representative Pruyn read the
concurrent resolution of the two
houses relative TO counting the vote
Of Georgia.
| Mr.. Edmunds made point ofordei
that the objection to the vote OF
Georgia was not in order, the two
houses having by special rule in the
case of Georgia made a subtantive
charge in standing in joint session.
Considerable discussion snsued.-
The presiding officer took the GROUND
that tho objection of Mr. Butler was
not in ordar for the reasons stated BY
Mr. Edmunds, but finally formally an
nounced objection to the joint session
! and directed the Senate to retire t,
, their chamber to deliberate on TIL
objection. The Senate accordingly
withdrew.
: The Speaker announced the ques
tion, shall the vote of Georgia be coun
ted, Notwithstanding the objection
) made by the gentleman from Mass
Mr. Eldridge made a point of orde
: that the presiding officer of the join
t convention had twice decided not t
9 receive objections, but held the con
. vention to the directions contained i
the concurrent resolutions. He insis
s ted not on this objection but on tina
: of the gentleman from Kentucky
Q (Mr Jones) which was to the concur
l rent resolution.
+ Mr.. Maynard said that it was re
n question Of order but q mere issu
a Of fact.
The Speaker declined to rule on th
rulings Of the President of the Sc,
ate, and after further discussion tf
vote was had on the question ofcoul
IS ting the vote of Georgia, which Wi
It decided in the negative, yeas 4
nays $50. The only Republicans v,
ting aye were Baker and Hawkins.
. Mr. Young, of Georgia, desired
= enter his solemn protest in the nan
u of Georgia and of the Constitutio
II against the action of the House.
= After waiting some time for Il
!, return Of the Senate. Mr. Thorn;
moved to reconsider tho vote
g which Georgia was excluded from Il
% convention.
is The House proceeded to vote
10 the motion, during which messas
is was received fro n the Senate a
of nouncing it had resolved that d
~ objection made to counting the vo
y. of Georgia was not in order.
!, The roll was called and the motif
:, to reconsider laid on the table, ye
y II, nays 81.
- Senator Wade, as presiding otfic'
then called the convention TO ord
: and announced that the objections
= Mr. Butler was overru,ed by the Sc
n ate.
of Mr. Butler rose to q question: Il {
On der, but was Ignored by the presl
ing officer, who directed the tel
to 20 on with tho count.
do Mr. Butler persisted and s'a'
bo that The House had sustained
III objection and he did not propose
be ovcrruled by the Senate in Il
y way.
H. The presiding offer declined 70
,Io ceivs the resolution and directed
te.lcrs to make out statement
an the vote.
~ Great confusion aud excitem
al. ensued.
Mr.. Batter appealed from the
cision Of the chair.
The Senate returned 10 decide
the objection, made to counting
ch votes on La.
ID a Mr. Trumbull offered resoIu
inns tlat ~ 10 fha npfninu NJ tina -