The Wichita city eagle., 1877-03-08
How the Crises of tn. Campaign was Rsachs.

under the exaction of tho law, and
from that hour to the last moment of
the contest they were not able to unite
upon plan of action. The Speaker
precipitated this conclusion by stating
to the House that he had admitted
votes upon every legitimate legislative
motion, but that the time had now
come when he should refuse to recog-
hize any one whose motion would lead
TO delay. The galleries were as quick
to applaud this decision as the floor,
for it indicated the end of the struggle.
The filibusters, under the lead of o.
Brien and Springer, then plausibly
moved that the Senate be sent for to
count the vote of Verment, on which
they could have had three roll calls,
and secured one and half hours fur
ther delay, during which they could
have devised some other dilatory plan
but the Speaker refused to entertain
even that motion, and sent the clerk
of the House to notify the Senate. Mr..
Cox of New York, was indignant at
this, and shouted out to the Speaker: :
"There is no use in trying TO prevent
the Speaker from counting Hayes in J"
This was the unkindest cut the Speak
er got, but it was but one of many.
"Gentlenen need not object here" he
bitterly replied, ''the Speaker has no
authority to receive such notion"
He then held the House to the decision
until the Senate came from its cham
ber, where for twelve hours it had
sat as placid as May morning, con-
trasting, with its silence, the surging,
roaring house on the other side of the
Capitol. The Jeint Convention had
long since become an old story, but its
first midnight SESSION was new event
and it now marked the final decision
of the count, While it was counting
Vermont and the two Virginias, the
osbtruetionists were al work with OBJ
jections to Virginia. They had been
drawn and signed in the House, but
no Democratic Senator would sign it
for the Senate. Senator johnson, of
that State, had appealed during the
day personally to Senators not te sign
the objections, as it was frivolous.
But up to within five minutes of the
counting of the vote of Virginia, the
effort continued to secure an obJec-
ton. Then there was but one hope
left for them, and that was the last
State, Wisconsin, and out of that came
the division on which the two houses
separated. This brought the House
past midnight, and members, worn out
with the turbulent scenes of the day
and oppressed by the bad air, ssught
such places of rest about the hall as
they could find, Randall and Tucker.
of Virginia, lay at full length on one
of the tables of the tellers. But at l
O'Clock, however, the whole House was
on its feet again. 1t was announced
that the Senate had promptly agreed
to count the vote of Wisconsin, and
this forced the House to proceed with
its two hours of discussion. 1t was
now SO evident that the count was to
be completed that the crowds in the
galleries and on the floor became very
demonstratiye, and it was moved that
they be cleared, but it was lost by a
large majority. Soon after this there
was scene i'll which Mills, of Texas,
was prominent in offering resolution
to proceed at once TO the election of
Tilden as President. The Speaker
ruled it out on point of order made
by Mr.. Wood, who stood courageously
in his position against the tilibusters,
while they gathered around him with
such tannts as these: eff the gentle
man is the hight priest of the Repub
lican party, let him go on. We don't
want any left-handed suggestions from
the leader of the Republican party"
Mr.. Wood remained imperturbable in
his place, not replying to one of these
Interruptions, but continuing his fight
lola go
ment was reached for vote, he should
not leave the hall until the count had
been completed. The hours discus
sion, outside of tilt between Black
burn aud Williams, was q very dull
one, for all thai was said had been said
many times on the same subject. There
was great relief felt when the House
commenced its vote on Wisconsin. AT
the expiration of this there was anoth-
er long wrangle over the resolution to
declare Tilden elected. Mills thought
it was before the House, as did most
of the members, but the Speaker said
not, and he refused to have it voted on.
1t was finally agreed, after much mis-
understanding, that there should be a
vote upon it aftea the count had been
completed, but Mills withdrew it, say
ing that he did not want to be insulted
by being asken to present a resolu tion
to elect President after one had al
ready been declared. The Wisconsin
vote was then disposed of, and the
complete the count. AT a. IN. they
filed into the hall and took their seats
1t was just ten minutes past O'Clock !
when the great result was declared |
The telers had footed the electoral |
columns, 1S5 for Hayes and Wheeler, |
and 1S4 for Tilden and Hendricks, and |
handed the tally and certificate of |
TO the Presinent of the Joint
who signed the same
with the eagle quill sent to him for
that purpose from Montana. When
this was being done, the House looked
like grand living picture; stiffness
was on the floor and its crowded gal
ferries; a thousand gas jets reflected a
sea of upturned faces, and the silence
in which the final declaration was
awaited was impressive in contrast |.
with the roar of the contest of the pre-
vious twenty-four hours. The Senate,
the Supreme Court and the House,the
three departments Of the Government,
were all present. The British and
French Ministers, and all their iega-
tions, were in full evening dress in
the Diplomatic gallery, while The
other galleries were full and resllcr-
dent with selected audience, admit
ted only on tickets, to witness tho
spectacle. 1t was a scene without o
parallel, and ore never to be forgot
ten. President pro TEN. Ferry hoped
that the quiet might not be broken,
md then in measured aud impressive
words declared the election of Hayes
md Wheeler, and the final dissolution
If the Joint Convention. Not sound
responded for or against it. The Sem
tie retired to its chamber, and the
7ast rowds filed out into the Capitol
grounds in the cool mist of the early
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