Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-02-12

the way it was conducted, and expressing
the opinion of the committee that the !
electoral vote should not be counted. !
With this exception there will be no irreg-
ularity in the count to-day. As the vote
of Louisiana cannot affect the result it is
of no consequence whether it is counted
or not, but since the residential election
might turn upon the vote of single State,
there is considerable inquiry to know
what shonld be done in such case. I'm
der our present electoral system this and
other dangers exist, which have often been
pointed out, for which some remedy
should be provided either by amending
the old mode Of election or changing it
for better. In case OF any question
about the vote while being counted, the
two branches of Congress separate and
decide it by concurrent action. The mode
Of conducting the proceedings is pre-
scribed in the twenty-second joint rule of
the two Houses and is as follows:
That the two Houses shall assemble in the
Hall of the House of Representatives, at the
hour of o'clock 2. NJ, on the second We'd
ncsday, in FEBRUARY next, succeeding the
meeting of the electors of President and Vice
President Of the United States, and the Prcs-
dent of the Senate shall be their presiding Of
fcer. One teller shall be appointed on the
part of the Senate and two on the part of the
House Of Representatives, to whom shall be
! hapded, as they are opened by the President
of the Senate, the certificates Of the electoral
votes and said tellers having read the same
in the presence and hearing of the two Hou-
ses thus assembled, shall make a list of the
votes as they shall appear from the said GER
tifcates, and the votes having been counted,
the result Of the same shall be delivered to
the President Of the Senate, who shall there
upon announce the state of the vote and the
names of the persons, if any, elected, which
announcement shall be deemed sufficient
declaration Of the persons elected President
and Vice President of the United States, and,
together with list Of the votes, be entered
on the journals Of the two Houses. If, upon
the reading of any such certificates by the
tellers, any question shall arise in regard to
counting the votes therein certified, the same
having been stated by the presiding officer, the
Senate shall thereupon withdraw, and said
question shall be submitted to that body for
its decision, and the Speaker of the House of
lhepTcseututlNSs eudll, III llhe manner, SUI"
nit said question to the House of Represen-
tatives for its decision, and no question shall
be decided afirmatively, and no vote object
ed to shall be counted except by the concur
rent votes of the two Houses, which, being
obtained, the two Houses shall Immediately
reassemble, and the presiding officer shall
then announce the decision of the question
submitted, and upon any such question there
shall be no debate in either House. And any
other question pertinent to the object for
which the two Houses are assembled may be
submitted and determined in like manner.
At such joint meeting of the two Houses
seats shall be provided as follows: For the
President of the Senate, the Speakers chair;
for the Speaker, chair Immediately upon
his left; for the Senators, in the body of the
hall, upon the right of the presiding officer;
for the Representatives, in the body of the
hall not occupied by the Senators; for the
Tellers, Secretary of the Senate, and Clerk
of the House OF Representatives,, at the
Clerks desk; for the other officers Of the two
Houses, in front of the Clerks desk, and up
on either side of the Speakers platform
Such joint meeting shall not be dissolved
until the electoral votes are all counted and
the result declared, and no recess shall be
taken unless a question shall have arisen in
regard to counting any of such votes, in
which case it shall be competent for either
House, acting separately in the manner here
in before provided, to direct recess not be-
yond the next day, at the hour of o'clock
! d