The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-11-24
NO CHOICE OF VICE PRESIDENT.

NO CHOICE OF VICE PRESIDENT,
In the count in 1887, when Van Buren,
was elected President, there was no
choice for the second Office. Tor Presi-
dent the vote was: Van Buren, ITO; Har-
rison, 70; White, 26; Webster, IA, and
Mangum, IL. For Vice President Rich
ard M. johnson had lat, just one half
the whole number. The President of
the Senate John Belly declared Van
Buren, elected, and added: GAS no per-
son has a majority of the whole vote
for Vice President there is no choice.
Richard M. johnson and Francis Gran
ger have the highest vote. and it is for
the Senate to elect" In such case the
vote is not taken by States, but each
Senator votes as he pieases. The result
was: Full Senate, 81; majority, 27;
legal quorum, 30; present, 40; for john
son, 33; for Granger, 16, and the pre-
siding officer declared johnson duly
elected Vice President. There was q
little question about the reception of the
vote of Michigan, the latest addition to
Uncle Sans family, but as her three
votes made ne possible difference the
objection was dropped.
PUTTING On OFFICIAL DIGNITY.
Heretofore there had been no especial
formalities observed in the meeting of
the two houses, except that the House
members went to the Senate or the Sena-
tors to the House, all at once. But when
the time for meeting, in February, 1S41,
arrived, the Senate formed, with their
Sergeant-at-Arms at the head, then the
Vice President, with the Secretary of
the Senate on his left, then the Chief
Clerk bearing the electoral votes, and
then the Senators, two by two. The
procession was met in the rotunda by the
House SergeantatArms, who led it
down the broad aisle. The Speaker re-
ceived the Vice President On the steps
of his stand and conducted him to the
chair as President of the joint session,
the Speaker seating himself on the left.
The Secretary of the Senate took seat
at one end of the Clerks table and the
Clerk of the House at the other. The
tellers were stationed in front of the
presiding officer, the Senate teller in the
middle and the House tellers on each
side. The members of the House re-
mained standing while the Senate came
in. The galleries were filed with ladies,
and the scene was very impressive. The
presiding officer announced the purpose
of the joint session, and took up the
package containing the vote of Maine.
He broke the seal, and, handing it down,
said: "I deliver to you, gentlemen
tellers, the votes of the electors of the
State of Maine for President and Vice
President of the United States, that the
same may be counted" When the
counting of the States was finished the
presiding officer declared the result, and
said: 81 do declare that William Henry
Harrison, of Ohio, having majority of
the whole votes for electors for Presi-
dent, is duly elected President of the
United States for the term of four years,
commencing with the 4th day of March,
in the year 1841." The same declara-
tion was made in the case of John Tyler
for Vice President, and then the Senate
retired in formal order.
The counts in 1845, 1849 and 1853
were conducted in the same way, and
nothing occurred beyond the ordinary
routine. In 1857 great deal of time
was wasted in discussing whether the
vote of Wisconsin should or should not
be counted. The objection was raised
by Mr.. Mason, the presiding officer of
the joint session, and was on account of
irregularity, the Wisconsin electors hav-
ing met the day after and not on the day
fixed by law. No decision was made,
and the matter was dropped after two
days of debate. In February, 1861,
while we were on the very eve of war,
the proceedings of the joint session were
brief and entirely quiet. The same old
fermalities were observed, except that
there was no dignifed parading.
REJECTING THE VOTES OF STATES.
The first move toward positively re-
jecting the vote of any State was made
in the House, Dec. 19, 1864, when Mr..
Wilson offered joint resolution declar.
ing certain States Chose in rebellion)
not entitled to representation in the cleo
toral colleges, and that no votes from
them should be received or count
ed. This was adopted, and votes from
only twenty-five of the thirty-seven
offered from the States in rebellion.
In 1869, the question of the regularity
or legality of counting the vote of
Georgia was brought up by Senator
Edmunds, who, on the 9th of February
offered concurrent resolution, reciting
that whereas the question is now pend
ing whether the State of Georgia is
entitled to representation in Congress,
because not yet reorganized: Resolved,
That, if the votes of Georgia shall not
essentially change the result, they should
be reported thus: "Were the votes of
Georgia to be counted the result would
be for --f for President, votes;
if not counted, for - for President,
votes; but in either case -- is
elected President of the United States. I"
The Senate passed this resolution, "a to
81. subsequently, Senator Trumbull
moved to reject the votes of Louisiana,
but the motion was lost. There was
much confusion and wrangling, but
finally the count was completed, and the
tellers announced 294 votes, including
Georgia, of which 148 would be ma
jority; but excluding Georgia, there
were 285 votes, and 143 was majority.
As Grant had 214 votes and Seymour
only II, or 80 with Georgia, the result
was fixed beyond cavil, and the presiding
officer declared Ulysses S. Grant duly
elected.
THE LAST MRFTING-TBF TWENTY. .srcoSr