The New York herald., 1876-12-06
Eloquent Debate on the Powers Of the
Senate Under the Constitution.
READING OF THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
Manner of Counting the Electoral
Votes from 1889 to 1878.
A Statement by the Chief Clerk
of the Senate.
SENATE.


Representatives. through Mr. Adams, The Clerk
thereof announcing that the House had organized and
was ready to proceed to business; also that commit
tee had been appointed TO JOIN the committee tho
part of the Senate TO notify the President that quo
rum of the two houses has assembled.
METHOD ELEcriNG PRESIDENT.
Mr. MORTON, trep) OF Ind, submitted a joint reso-
tion proposing amendment TO the constitution Of
the United States, TO provide for the election OF
President and Vice President of the United States by
direct vote OF the people, which read, and was
ordered that it lie the table until tho appointment
Of committees, and then be referred to the Committee
on Privileges ana Elections.
In submitting the resolution Mr. MORTON said 1t was
Identical with the proposition reported by the Com
mit,ee on Privileges and Elections two years ago.
Mr. WRIGHT, lrep.) of Iowa, presented petition OF
he citizens of Iowa. asking that that State be divided
into two judicial districts to DO known as the North
ern and southern districts Ordered to bo referred TO
the Committee Judiciary when appointed
Mr.. MORTON presented document compiled
by Major Mcdonald Chief Clerk OF the Senate
in regard TO the counting of tho electoral vote IRON
1889 1873, and said the formation the
compilation OF great Importance and valuable to
lie country at this time He moved that 10 900 copies
sc printed for distribution The following is resume
Of the document
The Congress- OF the confederation the 18th of Sep
iemecr 1887 directed that the constitution with
lemoer i7s7, be transmitted the LegislatuIes d
several States to be submitted conventions of the
pie thereof One of those resolutions is in the following
resolved That it is the opinion of this Convention that
as soon as he conventions Of nine States shall have ratified
@ whe electors should IN e %
ihe states which shall have ratified the and
ihe President and the time and place for
Soa That after such publication so electors should 'i be
appointed and the Senators and Representatives, elected
sn Of the President and should transmit their
qures the Secretary of tho United Congress
assemoled that the senaoIs and representatives should
should appoint President Senate sole par.
Ss a @ s s s u es to-
geher with the President should without delay proceed
10 execute this constitution.
ELECTION FOR THE FIRST vERM-17S9--1793
GEORGE WASHINGTON President
JoHS ADAMS, Vice President
corNfING THE VOTES.
The Senate proceeded by ballot to the choice of a
president Tor the sole purpose Of opening and counting
the vote Tor President oi the United States.
John Langdon Esq, elected
Ordered, That Mr. Ellsworth inform the House OF
Representatives that quorum oi the senate formed
that president Is elected ior the sole purpose OF
ing The certificates and counting the votes OF tho
electors OF the several States IN the choice OF Presi
dent and Wee President OF the Uned states that
the Senate is now ready, IN tho Senate Chamber, To
proceed in the presence OF the House discharge that
duty, and that the Senate has appointed of
members to SIT at the Clerks table to make list tho
votes they sha. be declared, submitting it to the
wisdom OF the House to appoint one of their
members tor the like nurposc-wLo reported that
hai delivered the message.
Mr.. BoupINot. IRON tho House OF Representatives,
communicated the following verbal message to the
Senutc:--
Mr.. PREsIpESr-I am directed by the House of Rep
rcsentativcs 10 inform the Senate that the House
ready forthwith To meet the Senate to attend the open
Ing and counting of the votes OF the electors Of the
President ana Vice President of the United States.
Ordered That Mr. Paterson be a teller on the part Of
the senate.
tended Ia the Senate Chamber Tor the purpose ex-
pressed IN the message delivered by Mr. Ellsworth, and
after some time Withdrew.
The Senate then proceeded, by ballot, to the choice
oi q President of their body, pro tent
John Langdon, ESQ, was duly elected.
The President elected for tho purpose of counting
the declared senate that the Senate and
House OF Representatives had met, and that he, in
their presence, had opened and counted the votes of
the electors for President ana Vice President OF tho
United states oil America.
FORM OF rnE CERTIFICATE FOR THE PRESIDENT
BE II known. that the and House of Representa-
tives Of the United States OF America being in
The year Of our Lord iss Ss @ q Appointed
President OF the senate Tor the sole Of receiving.
presence House keprese ntativ.s
electors Presiden, aud ior Wee President which
IL appears that GEORGE washineton, Esq Was unani
OF President Of the United States of America
seal JOHN LkNGDoS.
A similar certificate, substituting the word "vice
President ior That Of .presdepLn aud the word
Adams. These certificates, accompanied Dy appropri
ate letters IRON Mr. LaDgdon, President of the Sen
ate despatched by special messengers appointed
By The Senate Tor that purpose TO General Washington
and Mr. Adams
ELECTION FOR THE FOURTH TERM-lo0l-lS05.
THOMAS JEFFERSON, President
AARON BrRR, Vice President
COUNTING the VOTES
JAEuARy %, 1901.
rhe following message was received IRON the House
OF Representatives BY Mr. Oswald, their Clerk
fir House RpDrcSeutatiycs
passed resolution for the appointment OF commit
Tee, or their part, with such as may be appointed on
the or the Senate to ascertain and report mode
oil examining the votes Tor President aud Vice Presi-
dent and Of notifying the persons who shall be elected
OF administering the oath OF office to the Prcsi
dent; IN which they desire the concurrence Of the
Senate
Tho Senate concurred In tho foregoing resolution,
and appointed Messrs Morris, Tracy, and Bingham TO
be the committee on the part OF the Senate.
FEBRUARY Q, 1901
Mr. NORRIS from the joint committee appointed the
9th OF January last TO ascertain and report The mode
OF examining votes Tor President and Wee presi
OF the Unned States, reported that tho committee
could come to no agreement.
0h the same day thc Senate adopted the following
resolution
Resolved, That the senate win be ready to receive tae
Wednesday twelve o'clock for the purpose being
pesen, =! ne .penns ana counting Ne votes Tor resident
the Of the senate 60 make list OF the
ana that the result stall be delivered 10 the President Of
the who shall announce the state Of the vote which
shall be the journals and u IL shah that
choice hath matte agcesby TO the constitutions such
the shall deemed sufficient declaration
thereof.
Ordered That the Secretary notify the House Of Repre-
FsBRrARy TO- 1901.
ON motion that when tho two houses shall proceed
10 opening and counting the votes for President o tue
United states person snail DO admitted INTO the
gallery
Ii passed in the aflrnative--yeas 10, nays 10.
The following message was received from tue House
OF Representatives. by Mr.. Oswald, tneir Clerk
Resolved. That this House viii attend In the chamber of
the Wednesday reNt twelve o'clock. or the
purpose being present the opening aud counng ." the
President Vice President al the Jnitcd ~tates
that En,iedgc Nicholas be appointed tstlers 10
Jointly with teller appointed tile part ol tue
Senate make list of the for President and Vice
President OF the United states they sh be dclared
ina. shall be delivered President
senate. who sba Announce the state ot tie which
snail be the Journals ifit III u, appear ant
hath bren naic ABLY ~ the constitution e,
entry the Joaais shall nc deemed sufficient dcclsra
tian thereof