The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-01-05
From the Gazette Nov.
COUNTING THE ELECTORAL VOTE,

2 From the Gazette Nov.E
, COUNTING THE ELECTORAL VOTE
As it is now almost certain tha
Hayes will receive the votes of Soutf
Carolina, Florida, aud Louisiana. thu,
counting for him 1s5 votes, being the
exact number required to elect, discus
sions will very soon turn to the ques
ion of counting the ELECTORAL vote by
Congress. We have therefore gone
over the records from the foundation
of the Government, with a view to as.
certain the course that has been pur
sued, and below we present in brief the
result. If our readers will preserve
this article, they will find it useful
within the next three months.
According to the precedent establish
ed-and established, too, by the fore
most Democrats-the two Houses meeI
in joint session as spectators, to wit
ness the opening and counting of the
vote by the President of the Senate,
and hearing the result announced. The
presiding officer merely performs the
ministerial duty of opening and count
ing the votes as furnished by the sew
eral Electoral Colleges. He can not
30 behind these certificates, nor can he
entertain any motion. or hear any OBJ
lection, or permit discussion:
1889.
On April 6, 1889. the Senate elected
a President ''for the sole purpose of
opening and counting the votes foi
President, etc. They then informed
the House that President had been
elected for that purpose, and the Senat.
was ready to proceed, In the presence
of the House, to discharge the duty;
also, that member of the Senate had
been appointed to sit at the Clerks ia
bic to make list of the votes as de
clared, submitting it to the wisdom of
the House to appoint one or more of
their members for like purpose.
The Speaker and members of the
House thereupon attended in the Sen
ate Chamber, and the President elect
ed for the purpose by the Senate de-
clared that lie, in their presence. had
opened and counted the votes of the
Electors, and announced the state of
the votes, whereby it appeared that
George Washington. Esq, was elected
President, and John Adams, ESQ.,,
Vice-PresideDt ot the United States.
The House then withdrew.
Beuton's Abridgement, 10.
1893.
On February 6, Joint Committee
vas appointed TO report mode of ex
,mining the vC ties for President and
Vice President. On February 11th,
hey reported that the two Houses
should assemble in the Senate Chamber
at noon, that tellers be appointed to
make list of the votes as declared,
that the result should lie delivered to
the President of the Senate. who should
announce the state of the vote, and
he persons elected, to the two Houses
20 assembled, which, with list Of the
votes, should be entered upon the
| Journals of the two Houses.
The two Houses assembled accord
ingly on February 10, and the certifi-
Gates were then opened 6y the Vice
President, who read them, and then
delivered them to T. e tellers, who hav-
ug examined ami ascertained the votes
presented the list to the vi :e President,
| who read and announced the result.
The two Houses then separated.
1 Benton's Alb. 3S5.
1877.
Precisely the same form was followed
As in 1898, the Vice President, who was
President elect John Adams), presid
ing and announcing the result. On
he next day February 81 Mr.. Adams
informed both Houses that ON the 4th
lay of March, at IL O'Clock, he would
,ttend in the Chamber of the House of
Representatives to take the oath of
office before such Senators and Repre-
sentatives as may find it convenient to
honor the transaction with their pres
-nce.
2 Benton, Alb. 6.
1901.
The same form again followed, ex-
cept that the Vice President announe-
ID that there was no choice, on which
the House repaired TO its own Cham
Der. The result of the electoral vote
was tie (seventy- three votes each) be-
tween Jefferson and Burr.
Mr.. Jefferson was the Vice President
who announced the result.
2 Benton, Alb. 4S6.
1906.
Same course of procedure.
Benton, 16S.
1909.
On February 6, several petitions were
presented TO the House of Represent
ttives from citizens Of Massachusetts,.
emOnsrIarin. against n mode D,
which the Electors of that State had
beeL appointed, and they were trans
mitted to the Senate, when it was or
iered that they lie on the table.
The votes were counted, and the re
sult declared as in previous years
When the tellers handed the list to the
Presiding Officer, Sir. Hillhouse OBJ
served that one Of the returns appear
ed to be defective, but no notice was
taxen of the objection, and the result
vas announced.
When the Senate had returned to its
regular session, it was resolved that
the President OF the United States lie
requested to cause notices of his elee-
ton to be delivered to James Madison
and George Clinton, tie President and
Vice President elect, and that the Pres
dent Of the Senate make ous and sign
certificate in the words following. viz:
BE il known, That the Senate and |
House OF Representatives. Of the United |
States of America, being convened il
the city of Washington, on the second
Wednesday of February, A ID. 1909, |
rhe underwritten President of the |