The New York herald., 1877-02-02
COUNTING THB VOTE.
The Senate and House Acting in
Peaceful Accord.
SUPREMACY OF THE LAW.
Interesting Scene in the Hall
Of Representatives.
NOTABLES IN ATTENDANCE.
The Objections Interposed to the
Florida Certificates
PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMISSION
Settling Of Preliminary Matters Prior
to Earnest Work
THE RULES AND THE COUNSEL.
NOTABLES IN ATTENDANCE.
The Objections Interposed to the
Florida Certificates.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMISSION
Settling of Preliminary Matters Prior
to Earnest Work
THE RULES ANO THE COUNSEL

WASHINGTON, Feb 1, 1871
The joint rule restricting the issue of tckots pre-.
tho crowd which had sgnalizcd previous groat
days at tho Capitol Fifty special policemen guarded
the approaches TO the House wing and hundreds who
excluded had to content themselves with view
from the rotunda of the Senator'S the Judges OF the
Supreme Court and the celebrated ursts who
passed under tho dome on their way TO the Chamber.
There all tho members their seats by noon A
sufficent number Of chairs the south side werc
left vacant tho Senate, and easy chairs
arranged around tho Of the circle
tho Clerks desk
NorABLEs IN ATTENDANCE.
These were presently occupied by Justices Field and
Miller, of the Supreme Court; Secretaries Cameron
and Chandler. William NJ. Evarts and Jcrc Black, Of
counsel for tho opposite sidos during the CONTROVERSY
General Sherman, Montgomery Blair, Secretary Don
Cameron and Simon Cameron Tho floor beyond was
sprnkled with notable personagcs besides those
cudcd the list Of members Of House. Secretary
Robson and Mr. E. W. Stoughton together IN one
part OF the hall; Judge TrumbuIi, OF Illinois, and
Charles O'Conor IN another Postmaster General
Tyner, District Attorney Phelps, OF Now York; OK
Governor Dcnnison, George Bancroft, Commodore
Shufeldt and Ex-Governor Kellogg, OF Louisiana, werc
distinguished also on tho floor.
GALLERIES
Tho surrou nding galleries looked loss like thunder.
cloud than when half nlled usually is by ioung-
Ing colored people They occupied by ladies,
whose costumes lent color to the tcdons sccnc. In
tho front scat OF the membcrs gallery which had bocn
reserved for the Presidents family, appeared Mr. and
Mrs. Fred Grant The diplomatic gallery was only
partially filled. Among tho occupants were Mrs Sec
rotary Fish, Sir Edward Thornton and his daughter and
number of other diplomats
SENATE.
At noon, after brief season tumut on tho floor,
tho Senate of tho United States by tho
doorkeeper at the middle entrance and the Senators
IN cred by wos, tho ontire House, including the
,akcr rising. Both houses remained standing until
Ferry took his place tho right Speaker
Randall when tho business OF tho day began.
OFFICERS.
Tho tclcrs seated themselves at the Clerks desk
the SergeantatArms OF the Senate nanked President
Ferry the rght the Arms the House
posted tho left Of the Speaker Isaac Basscts,
the veteran assistant doorkccpcr of the Senate
the mahogany which the certificates placed
and guarded IL tho step close to Mr. Ferry's chair
From this box the latter drew ono after ono tho
certificates In alphabetical order.
THE FLORIDA VOTE.
Tho reading of the returns was on the WHOLE tedi-
business. and everybody was very impatient 10
get to Florida and as IL happened whom that State
at last reached, to get through with the thrco
tdcatcs and returns All these papers of all tho States
OF course carefully drawn legal documents, with
endless rcitcration. When the Florida certificates
were read camo the objections, aud then came what
vory welcome TO the galleries and evidently TO tho
two houses aso the temporary separation OF tho Joint
Convention. and everybody went home ,celing that
momentuous, but tho WHOLE weary day had
gone by.
PRocEEDISGs
Tho President OF tho Senate took tho chair having
the Speaker his left, and theD when the Senators
Representatives all seated, tho President Of
the Senate rOsc and using tho gavc to enforce order
and silence, said:-
ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
The Joint Convention OF the two houses Of Congress for
q order.
Them while perfect silence regned in the Chamber,
tho President Of the Senate sad-
In obedience constitution. tho Senate
5 nsys % me, 70 be ne opening
quits the Offices Of esident
vss % the Ss Ssa @ ss sass f." s Of four
In compliance with law tho President The senate
the Of se snd %
their alphabetical order beginning with the state of Ala
bama.
ALABAMA.
Then the strong box in which the certificates wcrc
carried ir by Mr. Basset the Assistant Doorkecpcr OF
the Senate having been placed the desk before him.
the President OF the Senate opened it, and, taking
from IL the certificate from the State OF Alabama,
handed to the tcers who seated just below him
a tho Clerks desk, and Senator Allison ono Of the
result oi II all being that Samuel J. Tildcn, OF New
York, and Thomas A. Hendricks OF Indiana, had
cetvct the electoral votes Of Alabama.
The Vice President thon said that tho certificate
from Alabama by messenger having bocn read ,be du
pcate certificate which had been received by mail
would now be read.
Mr. STONE, Of Missouri proceeded 10 read tho dupli-
cate certificate, but thc reading Interrupted by
eenaor Conkng, Of New York, who suggested that IL
hardly read the duplicate certificates
but that when tho hrs, certiacate was read by ono
teller tho other tellcrs should look upicato
The President OF the senate asked whether thcrc
any objection to the proposition, and lhcro being
none he stated that that course would be pursued.
Mr. Stone having tncn resumed and completed the
reading OF the duplicate certificate the presiding on
cor said:-
there objections to tho cer.hcs,e from the State
q Aabams after pans. ,,s I. chsi, hears none
mistake.
Tho result was announced by Mr.. Cook, OF Georgia.
AKKANsAs
The same ceremony observed In reference to tho
next State. Arkansas, except that tho reading OF the
duplicate certificate was omitted Tho result was an.
nounced that the six votes OF the State OF Arkansas
were gwen for r,den and Hendricks.
The next State California, and the result was
nounced as six votes for Hayes and Wheeler
Then followed IN succession Colorado, with three
votes Tor TiIden sni Hendricks, and Delaware, with
three votes for Tildcn and Hendricks
when The reading Of the Delaware certificates was
" there was any objection TO counting the votes OF
the State Of Florida, but he immediately corrected
himself and substituted Delaware, amid suppressed
but general laughter, because Florida the first
rlous conflict was 10 como.
Then Florida was reached and Mr.. Stone, the teller
proceeded TO read the certificate The reading OF the
hrst certificate showed the four of FLORIDA for
Hayes aud Wheeler. Then the prcsalng officer handed
TO tho teller another certificate received IRON tho
state which, on being read by Mr.. Stone showed
the tour votes OF Florida for Tidcn and Hendricks
The iosmer certificate was authenticated by the late
Governor Stearns. the latter BY Attorney General
Cooke.
A THIRD csnrrvrcArx
Then the presiding oflcer handed down to the tccrs
still another certificate from the State OF Florida
ccivcd through messenger on the 3lst OF January
corresponding received by mail the 30h OF
January. This third Is an authenticaton OF the act