The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-12-25
Counting the I:!cGtnral Vote In tho
Early Days OF tho Republic.
Al Mo firs. election Of presilen. nnl

nc result WncU cleCtcN W ASHIHElpH
President and Adams Nicc.prGsidcnt.
At the second election, resulting usthc
first. the two Houses met in the Senate
Chamber. and teIlqrs were appointed by
the two 5olics to lis; the electoral vote
and ascertain the result VIXEN the Vice
President proclaimed the result Of their
action, which vas cOnsurrcd in, and
entered on the journals Of the two
houses. At the third election, whea
John Adams Was elected President
aud Thomas Jefferson Vice. President,
tho two bodies assembled in the chum
her Of the House of Representatives
and appointed ,rlicrs to list the elcc
tOral vote and ascertain the rcsu!:,
when the Vice President took their 70.
port, and announced tho result which
wa, cOncurred in mud spread upon the
journals Of the two honses. At tie
fourth dcctiOM, when Jefferson was
elected President and Burr Vice Pres.
dent, the two bodies met in 1901 in
the Senate Uhrrlhcr, aud wlrcn in that
Chamber Burr. who WIS yicc ptesi.
dent, snil, "l0u r3t now proceed,
gentlemen, to count the votes as tho
Constitution md Mrs direct" In this
election it will be remembered. that
the electoral vote being tied between
Jefferson and Burr, ihJ House Of Hep.
reScntatIves elected jefferson Prvsi.
dent, md tho Senate elected Burr
Vice President. 1t will be observed,
too, that there WINS no law, except the
law We nov have, stating how the
elrclural vote is to DO counted. In
1917 in counting the vO cs Of the clcc.
tors at the election of James Monroe
and Daniel D. Tompkins, the Congress
10 joint session, asserted its right FOR
the first time to count the electoral
vote % the l2lh Of February, 1917,
tho President Of the Senate, III the
presence Of both houses. proceeded to
open the certificates. which were deliv.
cred by him to the ,eIlers by whom
they we're road, and who took lists Of
the same as fur as Indiana and when
the President Of the Senate was about
10 open tho vote Of that State for the
purpose OF having the same counted,
Mr.. Taylor. Of New York, objected to
The count OF that State, upon which
objection, on motion of one Of its mem
brrs, the Senate withdrew, aud after
consultation and agreement 10 count
tho vote Of lndirna, the two houses
met and proceeded with thu count.
Al the second election OF Monroe md
Tompkins, tho Congress again asserted
its rgL; to count tho electoral vote
The two Houses met in the Chambur
Of tho House Of Representatives, tel
iers were appointed, one On tho part Of
tho Senate aud two on the part OF House,
aud when the Vice President delivered
tho certificate Of tho vote Of Missouri
to be read by the teller, Mr.. Liycrmorc,
/ Of the House, from New Hampshire
objected 10 counting that State, where.
upon the Senate withdrew to their
Chamber. Dir. Floyd. Of tho
House, offered resolution that tho
State b. counted. Mr.. Archer of Mar.
Wand, moved 10 indefinitely postpone
tue resolution. Mr.. Clay moved tina,
it lie on the table 4; and the question
being taken thcrcVu, it passed III The
affirmative. That action being CON
municated to the Senate, the SeEate
returned to the Ilvusc and tho count
MAS proceeded with And this course
was pursued until 1865, when tho bad
joint rule was adopted which provided
tor counting the vote bj IeIlrrs appoin.
ted by The Senate aud House, mud
where objection WAS made to cOuIting
tho vote Vi State, by member Of cl.
Their body, for the Srnatl to Withdraw,
aud if both bodies did not ugrec to
count the vote, tho vote was not coun.
ted, aud tho Court proceeded without
counting that State. The reason why
the Republican Senate suys the 22ud
joint rule is not now in force, is be.
cause tho House is Democratic. and
why the course SO loug pursued by the
two Houses III counting the electoral
votes. should uOt now be adopted, is
because. if that course should De pur.
sued, Ttlden would ie elected prOsi.
den. b. the Democratic House Of lie y,
rcsenlatirss. according 10 the provis.
ions Of the Constitution, The ltcpub.
Iicans only hope TO elect Hayes by
claiming that tho Presiding oyiecr OF
tho Senate, whom they know vii! count
him i'll, hus the sDie right to cOuat tho
vote aud declare the result.
The Journals Of Congress for the
year lSU0 show that Chief Justic Mar.
shnlI, member Of tho lower House,
"UlaiuIed that tho power was in Con.
gress to receive or reject the vote Of
my Statc which was improperly cast. :"
Ii the Returning Board OF Louisiana
has improperly or fraudulently certified
tho vote OF that State, the Congress
may reject it, or refuse to c0uut it,
and ii there il no election Of
President By elcctO RS, the House of
Representatives may proceed to choose
Il President pursuant 10 The provisions