The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-13

In compliance with the constitution OF the United
States the Senators and Representatives OF this
great Republic met In the Hall OF the House OF Rep
resentatives in joint convention to count the cleo
tora votes Of the several States for President and
Vice President, and to declare who should be the
future ruler OF this mighty Republic for four years
from the 18th Of March, 1873. Both Houses met at
the usual hour, each to transact It's own business
until one O'clock the hour Axed upon for the joint
session. In the House Mr.. Banks called up the bill
making an appropriation for the Vienna EXPOSE
ton, as 1t came back for the second time nom the
Senate, and moved to concur In the Senate amend
ment fixing the Commissioners salary at $4,000
and limiting the amount to be expended on salaries
TO $4,000, both or which elected some remarks
from William II. Roberts as to the extravaganza
OF the amounts, when the bin was passed.
Some other bills and resolutions Of an
unimp0rtant character were allowed to
be offered for reference until the hour of one
had arrived when the Senators, two abreast, ap-
peared at the door OF the House, where they halted
about ten feet Inside the door, directly In front OF
the Speaker, who Immediately came down with
his gavei on the desk whereupon the officers OF
the House, who were In front, with the Sergeant
alarms OF the Senate, annoanced In q loud voice,
.The Senate OF the United SSatesp, The Speaker,
or the United States ~ and Immediately the
members Iasn srs of Of the House rose TO their
down the middle aisle to the places assigned them
on, the rignt OF the Speaker. In front marched
dressed In the height OF fashion, with r0se fresh
from the stem, In his buttonhole.
Next came the Vice President, with q face of
ashen hue and smile whose sweetness seems
gone forever, and that but TOO plainly reveals in
burnings. which its owner but too plainly. en-
beavers to hide. A sadder spectacle than the Vice
the Uned Senate into the a. House Ss eea OF
representatives and assembled to the chair Of the
Speaker could not well be imagined. All eyes in
| that vast hall, on the floor and in the densely
| packed galleries were turned on him. All minds
| seemed to have but one thought, and that one OF
| highly trusted and so highly honored. He seemed
conscious Of this ior his voice lost its
assurance for winch he was proverbial. He
took his seat, with the Speaker on his left. I'm
hn IN sSnr Oh nm ana no little below sat the
and Beck, OF the House, Dawes looked less artrul
and more anxious than usual. His fac, had lost
WAS beautifully oiled and nattened downs most
unusual circumstance. Beck was dressed In the
When all were seated the Vice President arose
and stated that this being the day fixed by the
Vice President, the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentatves, in Joint convention, would now pro-
coed to discharge that duty. He then tore open
an envelope and handed the enclosed paper to the
tellers saving, 81 WIN now hand to the tellers the
electoral vote OF the State of Maine.n The tellers
thereupOn proceeded to open the papers and an
nOunce the result.
The proceedings OF to-day and the extraordinary
powers asserted by Congress to Judge whether the
electoral vote OF State shall be counted or
thrown out, have called forth an unusual express
sion OF opinion here against the present syste IN Of
eecting the Chief Magistrate.
Another Veto Message from the PROSE-
dent-No Compensation To BE Allowed
for Property Destroyed While in Pos
session OF an Enemy.
The President to-day sent the following message
to the Senate:-
To THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
Ireturn herewith, without my approval, Senate
bill No. 181, entitled IAN act for the relief or those
suffering from the destruction of salt works near
Manchester, KY, pursuant to the order OF Major
General Carlos buell." All the objections made by
me to the bill for the relief Of j. Milton Best and
equal force to this bill According to the Official
report OF Brigadier General Graft, by whose imme-
stroyed, there was large rebel force in the neigh
borhood, who were using the salt works and had
carried away considerable quantity OF salt, and
were preparing to take more as soon as the neces
sary transportation could be procured; and he
further states that the leaders OF the rebellion cal
culated upon their supply OF salt to come from
these works, and that IN his opinion, their de-
struction was military necessity. understand
him to say In effect that the salt works were cap
tured from the rebels; that 1t was impractcable to
hold them and that they were demolished, so as to be
OF no further use to the enemy cannot agree that
the owners OF property destroyed under such cir
cumstahces are entitled to compensation therefor
be taken OF the subject 1t is ncOntrOvertibe that
these salt works were DESTROYED by the Union
army while engaged IN regular military operations
weaken. cripple or defeat the armies Of the So
called southern Confederacy. am greatly appre.
hensive that the allowance or this claim could and
would be construed into the recognition Of prin-
cple binding the United states to pay for all prop
late war for the Union. No liability by the govern.
ment to pay for property DESTROYED by the Union.
e %
leads directly and strongly in that direction, for
It. Is dcuIt upon any ground Of reason no, or
kind and the one under consideration. Had
General Graft and his command destroyed the salt
actual occupancy the case would not have been
different In principle from the one presented In
this bill. What possible difference can it make in
eminent whether the destruction was In driving
the enemy out or in keeping them out OF the salt
works Y This bill does not present case where
private property is taken Tor public use in. any
sense or the constitution. 1t was not taken from
then used by the government, but destroyed Its
destruction one Of the casualties OF war, and,
haps, as disastrous to the rebels as would have
| been a victory In battle. Owners OF property
destroyed TO prevent the spread OF connagr aIon,
therefor; and for reasons equally strong the
necessary destruction Of property found In the
their military supplies, does NOT entitie he owner
to indemnity from the government for damages to
Of the case and would be glad II INV conHictIons
duty allowed me TO join in the proposed relief
But 1 canLot consent to the doctrine which is
found in this bi as 1t seems to Inc, by which the
national treasury is exposed TO all claims for
property injured or destroyed by che armies OF the
United States In the late protracted and destruc-
tive war In this country. U. s. GRANT.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, Feb. IL, 1873.
The Pomeroy Invcstigption.
The select committee appointed by the senate
to investigate the charge OF bribery made against
Senator Pomeroy have to-day received a despatch
from Mr.. York, OF the Kansas Legislature, stating
that he and two other witnesses against Mr.. Pom
eroy would leave Topeka for Washington this
morning. They are expected to arrive here on Fri
day evening, and the. committee will at once COM
| mence the investigation.
The senate Credit Mobilier COMMITTEES.
| The Senate Credit Mobilter Committee, Of which
Mr.. Morrill,, of Maine, is chairman, held meeting
| 10. day ard concluded the arrangements Of the pre-