The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-10
Counting the pre.ident,aI Vote.


Counting the Presidential Vote.
THB last act In the complex system provided
by the Constitution for the election Of Presi-
dent and Vice President OF the United States
will be performed to-day, by counting tAe
electoral votes in the presence Of the Senate
and House of Representatives. The order OF
procedure in this important ceremony is
arranged by joint rule OF the Senate and
House. which requires that both branches of
the National Legislature shall assemble in
the hall of the House of Representatives at
l O'Clock p. NJ, on the second Wednesday
in February next after the meeting of the
electors of President aud Vice President OF
United States. The President of the Senate
takes the chair, and one teller is appointed
on the part of the Senate and two on the part
of the House Of Representatives. The Presi-
dent Of the Senate opens the certificates OF the
electoral votes, aud the tellers, after reading
them aloud, make list of the votes, and
when the result is ascertained, it fs delivered
to the President of the Senate, who announces
the state of the vote and the names of the
persons elected. This announcement is
deemed sufficient declaration, and the names
of the persons elected, together with the list
of the votes, are entered upon the journals of
both houses.
1t is usual, however, to notify the persons
elected in the following form:-
Be IL known, that the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of Ame-
rica being assembled at the Capitol in the city
of Washington, on the second Wednesday,
being the 10th day of February, in the year of
n Ia
and House of Representatives. open all the
certificates and count all the votes OF the cleo.
Tors for a President by which IL appears that
Ulysses 3. Grant was duly elected, sgreeably 20
the Constitution, President of the United
states for four years, com meHc cling on the 4th
day OF March, 1869.
In witness whereof have hereunto set my
hand and affixed the seal of the Senate, this
10th day Of February, 1862. b F: WADE,
President of the Senate
In event of any question arising as to the
admissibility of the vote contained in any
certificate, the President of the Senate is re-
quired to state the same, and the Senate then
withdraws, and the question is submitted to
each house for decision, and no vote can be
counted except by the concurrent votes Of the
two houses, which being obtained, they re-
assemble, and the presiding officer announces
the decision.
At the joint meeting of the two houses the
President of the Senate occupies the Speak
er's chair, the Speaker is provided with seat
upon his left, and the Senators are seated in
the body of the hall on the right of the chair,
and the Representatives occupy the other por-
tions Of the hall not filed by the Senators.
The tellers, the Secretary of the Senate, and
the Clerk of the House are seated at the
Clerks desk, and the other officers of the two
houses Immediately in front of the Clerks
desk. The joint meeting cannot be dissolved
until the votes are all counted and the result
declared. 1t has been the custom ever since
the foundation OF the Government for joint
committee of one Senator and two Representa-
inform them of the fact.
dispute having arisen as to the admissi-
bility of the electoral vote OF Georgia, the
Senate and House adopted concurrent rsso.
luton, providing that if the Georgia vote shall
not essentially change the result, the President
of the Senate shall announce that If the vote
of Georgia be counted, the votes are--or II moi
counted they are-but that in either case
is elected President of the United States; aud In
the same manner with regard to the votes fol-
Vice President.
AS it is well known that the Georgia vote
will not affect the election of Grant and Col
fax, the object OF this method of declaring the
result is to avoid committing Congress in the
Georgia matter until it is definitely settled in
legitimate manner.