The Republican journal., 1877-02-08

said that he had DESTROYED the returns of Ver-
non Parish, but no one had ordered him 50 to
do. He subsequently replaccd them with copies
The Electoral Count.
WASHINGTON, Feb L. At one O'Clock
at the tap of the Speakers gavel, the
members of the House arose and remained
standing while the Senate, preceded by its
Clerk, Doorkeeper and other officers, filed
down the main aisle and took seats set
apart in the first four rows on the right or
Democratic side OF the chamber Tic Pres
ldent Of the Senate took the chair having
the Speaker on his right, and then when
the Senators and members were al seated
rose and using the gayel 10 enforce order
and silence. said the Joint Convention OF
the two Houses Of Congress fer counting
the votes for the President and Eice-Pres-
ident was in session. lie Wonld now pro-
ceed in the presence OF the two Houses, to
open all of the certificates of the several
States and in their alphabetical order. be-
ginning with the State of Aahama Then
the strong box III which The certificates
were kept, having been placed on the
desk before him, he opened it and taking
from it the certificates from the State Of
Alabama, handed il TO the tcllers. who
were seated Just below him at the Clerk =
desk, and Senator Allison, one OF the tel
lers, proceeded to read the document IN
fHfnFo. The certificate asserted that s. J
Tilden and Tho8. A. Hendricks had IT,
| ceiyed the ten Electoral votes of Alabama
| The ice-PreSident then said that the Ger
tiilcate received from Alabama by messen
| ger having been read, the duplicate certiti-
| Gates which had been received by mail
would now be read. Mr.. stone (Nlo. J
| proceeded to read the duplicate certificate
| but the reading was interrupted by Sen
naru1y necessary to read the duplicate cer-
tlNcate, but that hen the first certificate
was read by one teller, tie other teller
should look over the duplicate The same
| procedure occurred with the vote Ci An
kansas except that the reading of the du-
| pllcate certificate was omitted. The result
was announced that votes Of the State OF
Arkansas were given for Tildcn ana Hen
drcks. The next State was California and
the result was announced az i votes for
| Hayes and Wheeler Then followed Col
orado with jyotea for Hayes and Wheeler
Connecticut with votes for 1ilarn and
hendricks, and Delaware with !. votes for
1llden and Hendricks. " hen the read
ing OF the Delaware certificate was com
pleted the presiding officer asked ii there
was any objection to the counting. 10 OBJ
iection to DelaWare'3 vote Wa8 made
Then Florida was reached and Mr.. Stone.
the teller, proceeded TO read the certificate
which showed the t votes OF Florida for
Hayes and Wheeler. Then the presiding
officer handed to the teller another oertiii-
Gale received from the same State. which
beng also read by Nh Stone, showed the
votes of Florida tor Tilden and Hen
dflckS. The former certificate was autheu-
Treated by the late Gov. Stcarns and the
laller by Attorney-G General Cooke Then
the Pfesiding officer handed down t. the
lell"rS Stlll another certificate from the
state OF Florida received through u mes.
senger on the n st OF January and a cor
responding one received by mail ON the
10Th OF January. This third is an authen-
tica'lon OF the Electors who voted for I'll
den and Hendricks, and is made by the
present Gov. Drew.
The presiding officer asked whether
there We're objections to counting the
votes OF the state Of Florida.
Mr. Field rose and sent to the clerk 5
desk Il written objection to the first certili
cate for Hayes and Wheeler, signed BY
Senator Jones Of Florida. Cooper and Nc.
Donald of Indiana and by Representatives
Field, Tucker OF Virginia, jerks OF Penn
sylvania and Springer of Illinois.
Adams, clerk OF the House, proceeded
to read the paper. 1t asserts that those
PEI sons-Pierce, Humphreys, Holden and
Dung assuming TO act rs presidential
electors, never were duly appointed by
the state OF Florida, or in any manner
whatever; that the other four persons had
been elected and had an irrevocabe title
OF the office; that the certificate of the
first four persons was untruly and corrupt
ly procured and made in pursuance OF Il
conspiracy between them and NJ. l..
Stearns, late governor: that they were
usurpers and that their votes are Illegal
null and void.
Further objections being called for, Sem
ator Sargent sent up to the clerk IS desk on
behalf OF himself and Senators Conover,
Sherman and Teller and of Representa-
lives WoOdDurn, Dunnell, kasson and Nc
Gary three sets Of objections t. the votes
cast by Messrs. Call, denton, Bullock and
lOnge, (the democratic electors.) on the
ground that the papers are not authenti-
Gated as required by the constitution and
rules. Senator Jones of Florida made OBJ
iections specially to Humphreys as hold
ing an office OF trust and profit under the
United States. Mr. Kasson Of Iowa made
additional objections to the third set OF
certificates because they were not anthem
ticated by the person who held the Office
Of governor at the time the functions of
the electors were exercised
The presiding oflicer--Are there further
objections to counting the vote Of the State
OF Florida? (aiter a pause.) If there be
none the certificates and papers together
with the other papers accompanying the
same, as well as the objection presented,
will now be transmitted to the electoral
college commission for Judgment and de-
clsion. The Senate will now withdraw to
its chamber.
The Senate retired, and after order was
restored the House then at 8 10, resumed
its Legislative business.
PROCEEDINGS Or THE COMMISSION OF FlF-
TEEN.
The electoral commission met in public
session at the Supreme Court chamber, at
3 Z. NJ, Thursday. Clifford presiding.
when communication was received from
President Ferry, informing the commits
sion that duplicate electoral returns from