Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-01-27
Representatives before the same shall be
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Representative before the same shall be
received. When all such objections SO
made to any certificate, vote or paper
from State shall have been received and
rend, all such certificates, votes and
papers 80 objected to, and all papers nc
companying the same, together with such
to said commission, which shall proceed
to consider the same, with the same
powers, if any, now possessed for that
| purpose by the two houses acting separ-
ately or together, and by majority of
votes decide whether any and what votes
from such State are the votes provided
for by the Constitution of the United
States, and how many and what persons
were duly appointed electors in such
State; and may therein take into view
such petitions, depositions, and other
papers, if any, MS shall by the Constitu-
tion and now existing law be competent
and pertinent to such consideration, which
decision shall be made in writing, stating
briefly the ground thereof, and be signed
| by the members OF said commission
agreeing therein. Whereupon the two
houses shall again meet and such decision
shall be read and entered in the journal
of each house. And the counting of the
votes shall proceed in conformity there
with, unless upon objection made thereto
in writing by at least five senators and five
members of the House Of Represen-
tatives, the two houses shall separately
concur in ordering otherwise; in which
case such concurrent order shall govern.
No votes or papers from any other State
shall be acted upon until the objections
previously made to the votes or papers
from any State shall have been finally
disposed of.
SEC. 3. That while the two houses
shall be in meeting as provided in this
act no debate shall be allowed and no
question shall be put by the presiding
officer, except to either House on mo-
tion to withdraw; and he shall have
power to preserve order. ,
Sec. 4. That when the two houses
separate to decide upon an objection that
may have been made to the counting ofany
electoral vote or votes from any State, or
upon objection to a report of said com
mission or other question arising under
this act, each senator and representative
may speak to such objection or question
for ten minutes and not oftener than
once, but after such debate shall have
lasted two hours it shall be the duty of
each house to put the main question
without further debate.
Sec. g. That at such joint meeting OF
the two houses seats shall be provided
rs follows For the president OF the
Senate, the speakers chair; for the
speaker, Immediately upon his left for
the senators, in the body Of the hall,
upon the rig ght of the presiding officer
for the representatives, i'll the body OF
the hall not provided for the senators
for the tellers, secretary of the Senate
and clerk of the House of Representatives,
at the clerks desk for the other officers
of the two houses, in front of the clerks
desk and upon each side of the speakers
platform. '[
Such joint meeting shall not be dis
solved until the count OF electoral votes
shall be completed and the result de-
clared and no recess shall be taken un-
less question shall have arisen in re-
gard to the counting of any such votes or
otherwise under this act, in which case
it shall be competent for either house,
acting separately in the manner herein
before provided, to direct recess of
such house, not beyond the next day
Sunday excepted), at the hour of ten
o'clock in the forenoon. And while any
question is being considered by said com
mission either house may proceed with
it's Legislative or other business.
Sec. 6. That nothing in this act shall
be held to impair or affect any right now
existing under the Constitution and laws
to question by proceeding in the judicial
courts of the United States the right OF
title of the person who shall be declared
elected or who shall claim to be Presi
dent OF Vice President of the United
States, if any such right exists.
Sec. 7. That said commission shall
make it's own rules, keep record of it's
proceedings, and shall have power to en-
ploy such persons as may be necessary
for the transaction of its business and
the execution of it's powers.