Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-02-16
Counting the Electoral Vote.

Counting the Electoral Vote.
The. Washington correspondent Of the Bal
timore Gazette furnishes such graphic de-
scription Of the counting of the electoral
vote on Wednesday last, that We transfer his
letter to our columns
According to the provisions of joint res
olution, previously adopted, the Senate, head
ed by its President and Sergeant Arms,
entered at the north door at 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 Huose closing up in front and on the
left of the Chair. The scene now became
one of grandeur, as well as of great interest.
Never before, perhaps, was the Representa-
tive Hall so completely filed. The specta-
tors numbered thousands all within the walls
of the one room, and yet so quiet was the
crowd in the great anxiety to hear, that
whisper attracted attention. For the first
time the diplomatic gallery was full, the for
eign Ministers and attaches turning out in all
their strength to witness our Democratic man
per of choosing National Executive. On
the floor of the hall were noticed most OF
General Grants staff, while the bride and
mother of Speaker Colfax occupied front seats
in the eastern gallery.
President Wade having called to order, the
counting of the electoral vote commenced
with the State of New Hampshire. This as
tonished the uninitiated, as according to no
rule could Now Hampshire come first in the
list of States. The secret of the movement,
however, was well understood among the wire-
puIlers of the Radical party. 1t had been
determined to reject, if possible, the electoral
vote of Georgia, aud under no circumstances
to allow it to be counted, except hypotheti-
cally, and to avoid contest in the middle OF
the constitutional count, it was arranged to
place Georgia at the foot of the list. In or
der to do this, it was necessary to throw the
whole list of States into pr, being certain
that Georgia was safely at the bottom. Hence
the States were seemingly called at random,
and the count proceeded quietly and in order,
until the vote of Louisiana was presented
AT this point an unexpected someone not
called for in the bills-was presented by the
Hon James Mullens, better known here
"Old Mullens," of Tennessee. He objected
to the vote of Louisiana being counted, to the
great disgust of the Grant wing of the party,
many of whom were heard to cxclaim, in
most supplementary language "Old Null
lens" is fool" Yet his movement was
backed by Butler, who headed the anti-Grant
faction of the Radicals. The result was the
Senate 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 programme, was reached. Now the war
began in earnest, and the Senate was again
forced to retire. 1t will be remembered that
only a few hours previously the two Houses
of Congress adopted joint resolution pro-
vidug specially for the counting of the vote
of Georgia. 1t was agreed in this joint reso-
luton 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 count
ed, the result would be thus and 60; and if
not counted, then it would stand thus and so.
Yet in violation of this joint resolution But
Ter objected to the vote of Georgia being
counted for several reasons which he assigned
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,
and the Senate came to the opposite determi-
nation. This issue presented serious diem
ma, General Grants claim to the Presidency
yet depended upon his being declared elected
according to the forms prescribed by the Con-
stitution. What was to be done in the emer-
gency? The Senate determined to take the
bull by the horns, and without waiting for
invitation they returned to the Hall of Rep
resentatives and resumed their positions
Mr. Wade then announced his purpose to de-
clare the result of the vote according to the
terms of the joint resolution. This announce
ment was followed by scene of the widest
confusion, and SO disgraceful did the Butler
wing of the party behave that Speaker Col
fax sprang upon the stand, seized the gavel,
and after violent rapping ordered the Ser
geant at Arms to arrest any member who
dared further to interrupt the proceedings.
Butler yelled and howled with rage, and
poured out his walls of wrath upon the head
of "Old Ben - but all in vain. The vote
was announced, and Ulysses S. Grant and
Schuyler Coliax declared elected President
and Vice President of the United States
The presiding officer then Immediately de-
clared the 'tjoint 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 polite.
The agony is over aud the forms of the
Constitution have been complied with the
votes have been counted, and General Grant
has been declared elected President In
calmly reviewing this days proceedings he
facts which may in some measure control his
future action.
DIR. MUDD's PARDoN.-The pardon of DIR.
Mudd, one of the conspirators for the assassi-
nation of President Lincoln sentenced by the
military commission who tried him for the
offense to be confined at hard labor for life at