Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-02-10


President and Vice President Of the United
Stats by the two Houses OF Congress, a large
crowd of persons were attr cted to the Hall OF
the House where the joint meeting was held.
Speaker Colfax yesterday afternoon gave drec.
tions that the Diplomatic Gallery should be re.
served FOR the Diplomatic Corps, and the gal
lsrv in thp southwest corner for the families O
S-narors and Members. the other galleries
peirs left open 20 the public
By haltpas: eleven o'clock the galleri es
Were densely crowded, every seat being occu-
pi' q. aud every inch OF standing room ia the
door Twiys where a glimpse at the floor could
be obtained was filled. The gallery reserved
for the families of senators and members was
also crowded, long before the House was called
10 ORDER. and many were unable to gain admis-
sion therein. In the DrplomaticlgalIery were
seated several representatives Of the various
foreign legations and ladies. Mr.. Colfax
with Mrs. and Miss Matthews, mother and
sister os the Speaker, occupied seats in the
ladies gallery. The Reporters gallery, as
usual on such occasions, was crowded with a
number OF '.dead beats" who repre- sent no pa.
pers, but manage to receive many privileges
accorded to bona fide members Of the press On
the floor Of the House a large number of chairs
were arranged in the rear of the back row of
desks for the members Of the Senate.
At twelve o'clock the House was called to
order, and Dr. Boynton, the Chaplain, offered a
fervent prayer, making special reference to the
proceedings of to-day, and praying for the in.
coming President and Vice President, that
they might first remember Almighty God, and
so rule over this nation as to promote the good
Of the whole people and the honor and glory of
God.
AT the reading of the journal, NIr. Farms.
worth OF Illinois, asked unanimous consent
that the ladies occupy the Cloak Room, and no
objection being made they were admitted, and
few minutes thereafter Lot only the CIeak
Room but the space back of the desks, were
crowded with ladies and gentlemen
BY half-past twelve O'Clock at least three
hundred ladies were upon the floor Of the
House, and many Of them occupying the seats
of members. The confusion and disorder in
the House was very great, and the Speaker was
compelled to suspend business and request
those persons who had been admitted to the
floor by the courtesy Of the House to cease con-
versation. This quiesed the fair chatterers for
a short time, but they were soon as busiIy en-.
gagged as ever in entertaining the members
and the murmur OF thousand busy tongues
and an occasional peel of merry laughter could
be heard above all else in the Hail.
At i've minutes before 1 o'clock the Speaker
directed the Clerk to read the rule providing
for the seats OF members, Senators and officers
OF the two Houses, when the electoral vote for
President and Vice President is to be counted.
which rule provides that the first five rows of
seats In the southeast corner Of the Hall shall
be set apart for the Senate. These seats were
occupied by members and a number of ladies.
and the commotion among them when the
Speaker directed them to vacate the seats
created much amusement.
At one O'Clock precisely, the Senate appeared,
headed by Sergeant-at.Arms Bro wn, The Secre.
tary, Mr. Gorham, and Hon. Il. +. Wade,
President pro tenn. The Senators walked arm
In arm to the seats assigned to them on the
right Of the Speaker, and acting Vice President
Wade took the chair; Speaker Colfax OCCUPY.
ing seat upon his left Senator ConklIng
of N. Y, Representatives Pruyn of n. Y.
and Wilson Of Iowa, the tellers to count
the vote then came forw and took their
seats at the Clerks desk. with Secretary Cor.
ham OF the Senate, and Mcpherson, CLERK OF
the House. Vice President Wade first handed
TO the tellers The certificate of the vote OF New
Hampshire, which they read aloud. annouuc-
ing that the five votes had been given for
Ulysses :. Grant for President, and SCHUYLER
Colfax for Vice President. Then followed the
announcement Of the Electoral votes given for
Grant and COlfax, in the following order
Massachusetts, u, Rhode Island, l. Connecti.
cut, 6; Vermont, S; Pennsylvania, 26; North
Carolina, 9; south Carolina, 6; Tennessee, H..
Ohio. 2l Indiana, 13 Illinois, 16; Alabama :
Name. Z; Missouri, ii; Arkansas, ); Michigan,
:; Florida, 3; Wisconsin, :; Iowa, I; California,
5i minnesota, !; Kansas, 3; West Virginia, 5;
Nevada, 3; Nebraska, 5.
for Seymour and Blair New York. %; New
Jersey, = Maryland, 7; Delaware, 3; kentucky,
IL: Louisiana 4: Orepon o (.enrgIa
When the certificate OF Louisiana was read
Mr.. Mullins, OF Tenn, requested that the Ger.
tlhcate accompanying the return be read.
which was done, when Mr. M. objected TO
counting the vote from that State.
Mr.. Pruyn, zone of the tellers,) by direction
OF the Chair, read the Joint rule No. -, which
provides that in case an objection is raised to
the count OF the vote of any State, the Senate
shall retire to their chamber and decide the
same without debate, and the House 70 do the
same.
MIR. Eldridge insisted that the rule was in
direct contradiction to the Constitution of the
Cnited States, and demanded the reading of the
twelfth amendment.
The Chair decided that the rule hal been
adopted by both Houses, and a qAestion OF or
der could not therefore be entertained.
MIR. Il. b. Washburne hoped the gentleman
Mr.. Sumner hoped the counting Of the vote
would he proceeded with, and the case Of Lon
isiana decided afterwards This was objected
TO.
Mr.. Mullins then sent his objections in writ.
ing 70 the Clerks desk, declaring that no valid
election had been held IN Louisiana.
The Senate then retired to ITS Chamber and
the House proceeded to vote upon the objection.
resulting, yeas 126, nays 63. So the House
decided to count the vote, and the Clerk was
directed TO notify the Senate.
MT. Mullins wanted to make a personal ex.
planation, and asked leave for 1--we min utes,
but objection was raised.
The Senate again appeared in the House at
quarter past two O'Clock, having decided TO
count the vote Of Louisiana, and the Counting
was concluded.
When the State Of Georgia was called, Gen.
eral Butler asked for the reading Of the certifi.
cate. and it was read By Mr.. Pruyn.
The joint resolution lately passed by Con.
grees in reference to the vote OF GeorGta was
then read.
Senator Edmonds, of Vermont, held the the
objection Of General Butler was not good a.
the joint resolution covered the case
Mr.. Butler sent to the Clerks desk his obiec.
ton in writing, that the electors did not meat
or the first Wednesday OF December, as re.
qulred by law, and the State had not complied
with the reconstruction laws.
The Chair said he was inclined to hold Con.
gress TO the rule adopted, which was that the
vote Of 0eorGia could Be counted II IL did NOT
change the result, but could not be counted
II IL should change the result (0reat laugh.
Amer some discussion, the Senate retired tn