The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-12-11
THE NEW YORK ELECTORAL
90 COLLEGE. 20
Formal Meeting in Albany.
His Address ON the Issues ana Perils
Of the Hour.


His Address ON the Issues and Perils
Of the Hour.
ALBANY, Dec. 5.-The electoral college
metIn the senate chamber, which proved
much too small to accommodate the
spectators. among whom were a number of
ladies. The college was called to order by
Secretary of State Bigelow. He then in
vited Rev. DR.. Upton to open the pro-
ceedings with prayer. Deputy Secretary
of State Apgar then called the roll Of
electors. each Of whom appeared at the
clerks desk and the secretary of state
administered the constitutional oath under
which kthe elector declared he had not
been guilty Of bribery Of voters. They
also signed their names to this oath.
This proceeding occupied about half an
hour, and when completed the secretary Of
state announced that all the electors were
present except James II. Haldane and
asked the pleasure of the college as to
filing the vacancy.
Augustus ScheII moved the appoint
ment Of a committee of three to select a
suitable person to be balloted for to fill the
vacancy referred to. Carried.
Augustus Schell, James McQuade and
Daniel B. st. John were appointed said
committee, and they retired to an adjoin-
ing room and returned in few minutes
reporting the name of Alexander 4. Orr,
of New York, On motion the college then
proceeded to ballot for an elector to fill the
vacancy caused by the absence of
Holdane, I. o. Cable and Silas Clark
acting as tellers.
After the ballot the tellers reported
thiIty-four votes cast, all of which were
cast for Alexander 4. Orr.
The secretary Of state announced the
choice of Mr.. Orr, and that gentleman
took the oath.
The secretary of state then declared the
college complete, and stated that it was in
order to proceed to choose a permanent
organization.
Dewitt @. West moved that Horatio
Seymour be chosen president Of the college.
Carried with applause. <
Messrs. West and Abel were appointed
committee to conduct the president to the
chair.
After this was done Mr.. Gardiner, Of
New York, moved that James McQuade,
Of Oneida county, be appointed secretary.
Carried. ~
Mr., Perry of Albany, moved that
Oswald Ottendorter be also appointed
secretary. Carried.
President Seymour then proceeded to
address the college as follows Fl.
MR. sEYMoURs SPEECH.
The grave duty Of giving IN behalf Of
this great state its votes for the men its
citizens wish to place in the high Office Of
president and vice president of the United
States, has impressed itself upon the mind
of each elector. We feel still more the
importance of our action, as this centen.
NAL year recalls the first acts in the strug
gle which made us a free people and the
adoption Of its constitution. Our action al
this time is one of the transactions neces
sary TO the life Of our government; one
without which 1t would fall into anarchy
and ruin. This day also reminds us Of the
growth Of New York. We represent more
millions Of people than lived in our country
when our fathers fought the battles OF the
revolution, or formed the government OIL
our union. The ceremonies of the veal
excited
PRIDE IN OUR COUNTRY,
its history, and It's government. But non,
of these have filled our minds with such
deep sense Of the dignity OF American citi
zenship as the political action of the las
month. Upon a given day more thar
100000 Of men moving Simultaneous,
in all parts of this vast country went to tn,
ballot boxes and gave the votes which tolC
their will as 10 the men who should gil tn
highest Offices in our government. Whel
majority OF more than 300, 900, represent
ed by the proper number of electoral votes
declared their choice, all strife ceased an,
all cheerfully yielded to the will Of tn
people. Business began to resume 1t
activity, public confidence grew still NOR
strong as we thus happily rounded out tn
century OF our existence as a people. b
this grand exhibition of this faultless work
ing Of the mechanism of our government
we proudly challenged the admiration O
the world.
At this moment of general congratula
ton the people we're startled by the gen
eral assertion that there had been discov
cred in remote southern states, the exac
number Of electoral votes which wou
be given to and would elect the presider
tial candidate who was not the choice O
the majority of the American people
one Of the charges made by the Republ
cans in the canvass to excite the minds @
the men of the north that the solid south
would support the Democratic ticket.
was also urged that every southern stat
had deep interest in doing this becaus
they meant to make demands upon tn
national treasury. While this charge wa
unjust, no reason can be given why Sout
nd fo;0 CHI
act 10 accord with
OVERWHELMING MAJoRITIEs
Of the adjoining states. The public e.
element reached the highest point when
was learned that the men who proposed
give these electoral votes to the candida
of the minority had been for years pa
charged with grave crimes. and that the
personal security against legal punishmeI
depended upon their success in falsifyiI
the returns of their states. To them 9
honest count meant just punishment.
cannot be charged with partisan prelude
for any terms of reproach | may use
regard 20 the officials of Louisiana.
have no words strong enough to descril
their unworthiness as set forth in ofici
reports made by their political friends.
cannot, it L would, paint the aversiC
shown in the halls Of the capitol by hone
Republicans, who stunned them as lepro
men. whose touch and presence were pt
lutine. Yet few such men, acting sole
in reference to their personal interests, al
who believe that the blackness of the
crimes strengthens their claims upon Il
gratitude al d.'ir party, have thus put
peril the III rests, the honor and safety
eha A l. "A