New-York tribune., 1873-02-13

TI'RNs-A FLOOD OF OBJECTIONS-A TEDIOUS
AND TIREsoME BUSINESS.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUERl
WASHINGTON, Feb l2-The proceedings of the
two Houses to-day in making the count of the Eiec-
toral votes appears to convince everybody of the
necessity of changing in some way the manner OF
electing the President and VicePresident, py SUI
shutting some new plan for the present clumsy
antiquated, and dangerous machinery Oh 'no i1'00
toral College The irregularities IN the re'unS "'0
% numerous and the points made against counting
the votes Of several States were 30 s"s-
gestiye of dangers lurking IN tne Ts-
tom and sure TO develop themselves at the
first close election that if vote conld nave Deeh
taken today on q Constitutional Amendment pro
id,no that future elections shall be determined by
the popuar vote il would unquestionably have been
carried by an overwhelming majority IN both
Houses If the temper of the present Congress ON
this subiect is an indication of what the feeling VIII
be in the next Congress- il be regarded as GER
tain that such an amendment will be submitted TO
the States for ratification long before another Presi
Dental election takes place The Joint Convention
assembled at o'clock, the Senators marching over
to the House two by two IN procession, headed Dy
their Sergeantat Arms and other officers, and occu-
pying seats on the right or Democratic side OF the
hall. The galleries crowded as usual on occa-
sions of interest and three members of the Cabinet
Messrs. Robeson. Creswell, and Delano, sat among
the members on the floor. The Vice-President took
the chair the Speaker sitting beside him, and the
three tellers Senator Sherman and Representatives
Dawes and Beck sat at the Clerks desk. tanked by
the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk OF the
House The returns, which had been brought IN by
the Senate Doorkeeper at the head of the Senatorial
procession in a long parcel wrapped in brown paper
were opened one by one by the Nice-President, and
handed 10 the tellers.
The Maine returns were read in full; afterward
the tellers read only the statements of the votes
cast and the signature of the Governors TO the GER
tifcate of the election of the Electors The latter
was carefully examined in the case of each State Mt
the request of Senator Trumbull All went on
smoothly and monotOnously for about an hour
State after State was duly scored for Grant and
Wilson by the tellers until Maryland was reached.
Her eight votes were announced for Ihos. A. Hen
bricks for President and b. Gratz Brown for Vice
President Virginia, North Carolina and South
Carolina followed for Grant and Wilson.
Then came the scattering votes of Georgia,
For President, B. Gratz Brown six; Horace Greeley
three; Charles J. Jenkins, two. For Vice-PreSi-
dent b. Gratz Brown, FIVE; 4. II. Colquitt, five n.
F. Banks, one. The announcement of the one vote
for Gen. Banks caused a general laugh, in which
that gentleman joined heartily. Mr.. HOar objected
to the counting of the three votes for Horace Gree
voted for and therefore not person within the
meaning Of the constitution.
NECESSITY FOR SEPARATE CONSULTATIONS.
The rule governing the proceedings Of the Joint
Convention obliged the two houses TO separate when
the vote Of any State was objected to- The objec-
ton was informally passed over until the vote of
Mississippi was reached, in order to obvate the ne
cessty Of a withdrawal Of the Senate in the case of
eaeh OF the two States. Two objections were made
10 the returns from Mississippi the first by Mr..
Potter on the ground that the Governors certificate
did not include one Elector chosen to fill vacancy
the second by Senator Trumbull, that there was
no statement that the election was held by bal
lot The Senate now marched back TO its
Chamber When the Senate reached its Chamber
the objection made in the joint convention by Mr..
Hoar was read as well as the return Of the vote
from Mississippi, and the 22d Joint rule Mr.. Ed
nunds then offered resolution that the Electoral
votes Of Georgia cast for Horace Greeley be not
counted.D Mr.. Thurman moved at once TO amend
by striking out the word mot" and Mr. Scott iudi
Gated desire to amend still further by providing
that the consideration Of whether they shall be
counted shall be postponed for the present. This
amendment ruled out Of order the 22d joint rule
requires that each House shall fully determine the
question. The question then taken on Mr. Thur
mans amendment and carried as follows, this be
ing the test vote on the question;
In the afnmatye-Messrs. Alcorn. Anthony. Bayard,
Blair Cassery. Clayton Cole, COnking Cooper COr0ett.
Hamilton CMdl, Harlan Hitchcock, Johnson, Kelley,
Lewis Logan Matehen, Merrill (NalnCl Norwood Pool
Ransom Rice, Salisbury, SAWYER, schuTz, scott Sher-
man spraguc Stevenson Stewart stockton, Thurman,
Upton TTumbul vickers, Wright Patterson, CragiD,
Carpenter, Freinghuysen, Davis-4r
In the negatiye-Messrs. Ames. Boreman Bucking-
ham, Caldwell, Chandler, Edmunds, Ferry Connl,
Nye, Pratt, Robertson. West, Window, Hamln-lS.
Al this point Mr. Conkling desired to add stil fur
ther amendment declaring that the functions Of the two
houses regard to counting the votes is ministerial
merely, that this question Is independent OF the
Of the votes and Of the count. Mr. Bayard raised
the point Of order this amendment that it did
add anything TO the resolution change it's effect
substance it was not therefore, IN his estimation
amendment
NEED OF A BETTER SYSTEM.
AT this point as well at many others the unnatural
sate OF affairs the Senate under this rule very
apparent 1t was so hard for Senators who
toned 20 debating every question that is raised until
they exhaust themselves and every body ese 10 keep
their seats and simply vote that the VcePresident
repeatedly obliged TO call Senators to order and remind
them that no discussion was in order. Mr.. Bayard's
point Of order was put the Senate, and it
tanned by vote OF 81 70 So In the first place Mr. Conk
ling had offered his amendment 10 follow the original
resolution desired TO insert before the original
text Mr. Bayard OF course again raised his point OF
order and be sustained this time by vote Of 80 to
Is The resolution then passed by vote OF to 10. The
then took up Mr. Trumbuls objection that there
nothing TO show that the vote Of the Electors OF
Mississippi bad been taken by ballot Mr.. Trumbull
virtually withdrew this objection by Offering resolution
that be counted He said that he had changed his
mind in regard 70 this matter Mr. Edmunds caused the
Law Of Mississippi TO be read and t showed it did not
require the vote should be by ballot. Mr.. Trumbuls
resolution was passed without objection and the Of
the Elector whose credentials at first objected to.
Was disposed of in ssimlar way.
While the Senate was engaged with this business