The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-02-11
HOUSE,

This being the day when the formal
ity of counting the electoral votes Tor
President and Vice President takes
Mace in the House, there was great
pressure to obtain seats in the gallaries.
Long before noon every position IN
those portions that were op'n to the
public was occupied. The door-ways
were blocked up and the corridors
were thronged with persons seeking to
gain admittanee. Many ladies occupied
places in the gentlemen's gallery. Two
rows of seats in the ladies gallery, on
the southeast side, were reserved for
the families of the President and Vice
President. The southwest gallery was
occupied exclusively by ladies of the
families of members and Senators.
There were only some halfdOZcn per-
sons in the diplomatic gallery. But
very few colored persons were present.
No special arrangements were made In
the Hall for the accommodation of the
Senators, the intention being to let
them occupy the seats of the members
nea rest the Speakers chair.
The proceedings were opened with
prayer by the Chaplain, Mr.. Boynton.
Mr.. farnsworth obtained the consent
of the House to have the ladies admit
ted to the cloak-room. The practical
effect of this was to have the spaces
outside of the ranges of the men,
bers' chairs occupied by ladies, and In
many instances to have the chairs OF the
members SO occupied.
Mr.. Schenck at l2:IO offered q privil-
eyed resolution, directing the Clerk TO
inform the Senate that the House was
in session ready to receive that body for
the purpose of proceeding to open the
votes of the electors of the several States
fer President and Yico President. Adopt
ed.
The New York and Washington Air
Line railroad bill came up as the first
business In order.
Mr.. Phelps moved to lay 1t on the ia
BILE. Negatived 62 to Ill.
:, Further proceedings were interrupted
by the proximity of the hour for joint
meeting, and the Speaker had the rule
read which regulates the arrangement
of the hall for such purposes.
The Doorkeeper announced the Senate
of the United States.
The Senators advanced, two by two,
sp the main aisle, the members of the
House standing meanwhile, and took
seats in the portion of the Hall assigned
them. Senator Wade, the presiding
officer of the Senate, took the Speakers
chair and the Speaker took chair be.
side him. Senator Conkling and Rep
resentatives, Wilson, of Iowa, and
Pruyn, of New York, occupied places
at the Clerks desk as tellers.
The presiding officer, without pre-
hminary motion or formality, handed
to the tellers the electoral vote of New
Hampshire open. Senator COnkling
read the certificates in full, the result
being that New Hampshire had given
for Ulysses 5. Grant, of Illinois, five
votes for President, and for Schuyler
Colfax, of indiana, five votes for Vice
President.
Senator Sumner and Representative
Washburne, of Illinois, rose at the same
moment aud addressed the Chair.
The Presiding Otticer-lf there be no
objection the reading of formal certiti-
Gates will be omitted unless required by
some of the members.
Mr.. Sumner was going TO make
that motion.
The vote of Massachusetts, twelve,
was next announced by Senator Conk-
ling, and the votes of Rhode Island and
Connecticut, six, anu Vermont, five, by
Representative Wilson, Of Iowa, for
Grant and Colfax.
The vote of New York was then an
uouuced as thirty-three for HoratiO
Seymour, of New York, for President,
and Frank p. Blair, of Missouri, for
Vice President.
Inc announcement appeared to cause
considerable amusement on the floor
and III the galleries, but there was no
violation OF propriety-nothing but
very palpaole suppression of a tendency
to indulge in laugh.
The vote of New jersey was nsxt Nh
nounced. by Representative Prnvn for
Seymour and Blair. The vote 1f p
sylvania was next announced NV So
ator Conkling, 20 for Grant and CoIFa~
The vstes of Delaware, 3, and Mar,
land, 5, were announced by Representa-.
tive Pruyn, all for Seymour and Blair.
In the certificate from Maryland there
was an omission OF the word JUNIOR in
the name of Mr.. Blair, which omission.
on its being made known, caused some
laughter. Representative Wood APP
pealed to the chair to preserve order In
the assembly. The votes of North Car
DINA, y, and South Carolina, 6, were
next announced by Representative Will
son, as being given for Grant and Col
fax, The vote of Kentucky, IL, was
announced by Representative Pruyn.