The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1869-02-19
DrsaRAcErUE SCENES IN CONGRESS-.
counting The Electoral vote.
Butler wants 80 Exclude Georgia and
Raises E Terrible Row in the Joint
Convention Of the Two 8EOuseS-

The proceedings III the JOINT cohNeh-
ton of the two houses of Congress,
during The counting of the votes Of the
States for President and Vice Presi-
dent, were a disgrace to the American
people. The Senate had gone to the
Hall of the House, and Ben. Wade Oc-
cupied the chair as President of the
joint convention. The count proceed
cd until Georgia was reached, when
Ben. Butler jumped 20 his feet and OBJ
jected to the counting of the vote of
that state. Wade overruled the objec-
ton, and in true jugglar style decided
that if the vote of Georgia changed
the result it should not be counted, but
I if it did not change the result it should
/ be counted -! Then Butler ragged and
( stormed. The Senate retired to con-
/ slider Buffers objections, and after a
session of forty minutes decided by a
vote of 81 10 % that the vote of Geor-
gia should be counted. Meanwhile the
House voted, $50 to fl, that the vote of
/ Georgia should be rejected -! The
/ Senate again proceeded to the ball of
/ the House, and then pandemonium
/ opened Butler, Schenck, Ingersole,
Farn5worth, Van Horn, Banks, KeI-
/ ly, Washburne and fifty others arose
/ at once, screaming "Mr. President ~
'NIr. Speaker - Butler then moved
/ that the Senate have leave to retire,
and made bitter and brutal attack
upon the Senate, for its interference,
/ las he called it, with the rights of the
/ House. A fierce debate at once sprang
up, the speaking being frequently
/ drowned amid Kisses and cat-calls and
exclamations of "order'' and ''ques-
/ ton" when speaker Colfax arose and
/ said that the decisions of President
Wade must be respected, that there
was no appeal from them, and directed
/ the Sergeant-at-arms to arrest all mem
/ bers and persons in the galleries who
would not preserve silence. Wade
then decided Buffers motion out Of or
der and Butler at once yelled back, 81
appeal from the decision of the chair !"
/ Wade refused to entertain the appeal,
/ and Butler sprang into the ailse near
his seat, rolled up his sleeves and shook
/ his fists at Wade, whilst the noise and
confusion, Kisses, groans, cat-calls,
shouts of question" "order," were
renewed with double fury. At this
/ iuncture Senator Doolittle arose and
/ demanded that the votes Of all the
States should be read, and Mr.. Wade at
once obeyed and proclaimed L. S.
Grantas elected President and Schuyler
Colfax Vice President, after which the
Senate hastened "to its own place."
Butler then renewed the war in the
House. He offered a resolution re-
scinding the rule under which the joint
convention had acted and asking for
the appointment Of committee Of five
to vindicate "the outraged dignity Of
the House" -! In speaking upon
this resolution he denounced Colfax
for directing the Sergeant-at-Arms to
arrest members aud bitterly ridiculed
him and his uncle by marriage, Ben.
/ Wade. Colfax left the chair and re-
/ piled to Butler in cuttingstyle. Schenck
sustained Butler and Shellabarger took
! sides with Cclfax. The end is not yet.
Thus was the election Of Grant and
/ CoIfax officially proclaimed amid scenes
of confusion, anger and discord. Gen.
/ Grant becomes the President of par
/ ty rent into hostile factions whose
feuds are already becoming public
! disgrace.