The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1869-02-19
COUNTING THE VOTE. /
DSgracefdl DOings and Sayings
y un IIlii In Congress-. idI IN

Especial to the Louisville Courier.)
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10.-The cali con.
tinued until all the States were record
ed but Georgia. That State was called
last, and Ben. Butler promptly rose and
objected. The joint resolution lately
passed by Congress in reference TO the
vote of Georgia was then read. Sena-
tor Edmunds, of Vermont, held thut the
objection of Gen. Butler was not good,
as the joint resolution covered the case.
Mr.. Butler sent to the Clerks desk his
objection in writing. that the electors
did not meet on the first Wednesday Of
December, as required by law, and the
State had not complied with the recon-
struction laws. ~ 'Hi
[ President Wade said he was inclined
to hold Congress to the rule adopted,
which was that the vote of Georgia
could be counted if it did not change
the result, but could not be counted it
should change the result. This decision,
delivered in the guaintest manner, pro-
voked shouts Of laughter all over the
hall. The Senate retired to its chamber,
and the House, by Al to 150 decided not
to count the Georgia vote. At 4 NJ,
the Senate came back. and its Secretary
announced that they had decided that the
objection of Mr.. Butler was not in or
der. Mr.. Wade took the chair and told
the tellers that, as the votes had been
counted. to announce the result.
This was followed by an explosion.
Butler rose in an excited manner, and
said that he made the point of order
that the House had decided that Geor-
frso 1,a h.
asked the chair to pass upon that point,
and direct the Senate to retire to con-
slider it. Butler spoke with great and
offensive earnestncss. Wade said he
could not entertain any such point of
order. Butler. with renewed excite
ment. said he appealed. Wade said he
could not entertain the appeal. A storm
of excitement arose, above which But
Ter could be heard saying, Il appeal
l appeal! call upon the Representa-
tives of the people not to allow their
rights to be trampled on" Shouts of
"question! question! order! order"
came from all parts of the hall. The
crowds in the galleries rose 10 get a bet
ter view of the scene. Many members
left their seats. Butler bounded out in
to the ailse aid then went back again.
Fifty members at least were shouting
"Mr. Speaker" and Mr.. President" at
one time. Above the din at last came
the stentorian voice of Senator Doolit-
tie asking the vote to be announced.
Wade took courage and directed the
tcllers to go on. Senator Conkling
commenced to read the result, when
Kelly, Ingersoll, OF Illinois, Van Horn,
of Missouri, and others commenced to
shout objections again. Speaker Col
fax, who sat at the right of Wade, call
ed these members to order, and said
that If the decisions of the President
of the convention were not respected
he should direct the Sergeant -at-arms to
arrest such members as objected. When
it was known to all that there was no ap-
peal from the President, of joint ses-
sion under the joint rules, Butler called
out again. 81 move the Senate have
leave to retire, and again move the in
terlopers on the floor be cleared out"
Several Senators seemed TO think the
latter personal, and arose as if TO speak,
but said nothing. The Sergcant-at-
arms then went TO several members of
the House and asked them to retire or
sit down. They did the latter. and Or
der was restored. The result was an
nounced by proclamation by Wade that
Grant and Coltax were elected. He
signed the certificate, the Senate retired,
and the House resumed its normal state.