The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1877-02-01
Counting the Electoral Vote.
Text of the Bill.


for counting the Electoral votes which
has passed both Houses of Congress-:
~ bill 10 provide for and regulate
the counting of votes for President
and Vice-President, and the decision
of questions arising thereon. for thC
term commencing March 4. A. D. 1877
BE IL eaocted 6y LieSeH0te and Hoast
of Representatives. ofthe United States
Of 1mcrica in COagress assembled
That ;heSenate and ii ousc OfRepresen-
tatives shall meet in the Hall of the
House oflsepresentatives at the hour OF
10 O'Clock, pOst-meridian, on the first
Thursday in February, a. ID. 1877 ,and
the President of the Senate shall be
the presiding officer. Two Telers
shall be previously appointed on the
part of the Senate, and two on the
part OF the House of Representatives,
to whom they shall be handed, as they
are opened by the President of the
Senate, all the certificates and papers
purporting to be certificates of Eec-
,oral votes, which certificates and pa
pers shall be opened, presented and
acted upon in the alphabetical order
of the States, beginning with the letter
A. And said Tellers having then read
the same in the presence and hearing
| of the two Houses, shall make a lis OF
/ votes as they shall appear from said
! certificates, and the votes having been
ascertained and counted as in this act
! provided, the result of the same shall
I be delivered to the President of the
: Senate, who shall, ,thereupon, announce
| the state of the vote and the names OF
the persons, if any. elected, which an
J bol ho do c,1As nj
.nt declaration of persons elected
| President and Vice President OF the
United States, and, together with y
| list of the votes, shall be entered on
the journals of the two Houses. Upon
such reading of any such certificate or
! paper, when there shall be only ore
return from State, the President OF
The Senate shall call for objections. ii
any. Every objection shall be made
| in writing. and shall state clearly and
| cOnclusively, and without argument,
the ground thereof, and shall be sign
ed by at least one Senator and one
member OF the House OF Representa-
| 'ives before the same shall be receiv
ed. 5ea
When all objections so made to any
vote or paper from theState shall have
been received aud read, the Senate
shall, ihereupon, withdraw, and such
objections shall be subm tied to the
Senate for it's decision. and the Speak
er of tho House of Representatives
shall, iii like manner, submit such OBJ
lections to the House of Representa-
! lives Tor its decision, and no Electoral
vote, or votes, from any State from
| which but one return has been receiv.
ed, shall be objected TO, except by the
affirmative vote of the two Houses.
When the two Houses have voted.
they shall Immediately again meet,
and the presiding officer shall then an
nounce the decision of the question
submitted.
SEC 2. That if more than one re-
turn, or paper, purporting to be a re
turn from Il State shall have been re
ceiYed by the President OF the Senate,
purporiing TO be certificates OF the
Electoral votes given at the last pre-
ceding election Tor President andVice
Pre- sident in such State, unless the,
shall be duplicates OF the same return,
all such returns and papers shall be
opened by him in the presence of the
two Houses, when met as aforesaid,
aud read by the Teliers, and all such
returns aud papers shall thereupon be
submitted to the judgment aud de
cisjon,as 10 winch is the irne and law
iul Electoral vote Of such state, OF n
Commission, constituted as follows
namely: During the session OF each
House, on the Tuesday next preceed-
iug the first Thursday in February.
1877, each House shall. by ciDo coce
vote, appoint five of its mem bers, w no,
with five Associate Justices OF the
= 4
10 be asceriainea rs hereinafter pro-
vided, shall constitute a Commission
tor the decision of all qnesiions upon
or in respect of such double returns
named i'll this section. Oa the Tues
day next preceding the first Thursday
IN February, A. - 1877. or as soon
thereafter as may be, the Associate
Justices of the Supreme Court of the
United States. now assigned to the
First, Third. Eighth, and Ninth Cir
cults, shall select, in such manner IL
the maj 'rity ot them shall deem fit,
another of the Associated Justices cI
said Court, which five persons shall oe
ineinbers of said Commission, and the
person longest in Commission of said
five Justices shall be President Of said
Commission. Mem bers of said Com
mission shall respectively take and
subscribe to the following oath: 81,
-, do solemnly swear ur affirm, as
The case may be, that | will impartial
ly eX1nipe and consider al. questions
submitted 10 theCommission OF which
am member, and true Judgment
give thereon, IeaaD.y to the Consti-
tuition and laws. so help me God"
Which cath shall be filed with the
Secretary OF the Senate. When the
Commission shall have been thus or
9aiiZ III it shall not be in the power OF
either House TO dissolve The same, or:
TO withdraw any of its members; but
If any such senator or member
shall die or be come physically unable
TO perlorin The duties required by this
act, he ,,,;t OF su;h death o;. physical
Inability shall be, by said Commis-
sion before it shall proceed further,
communicates to the :,enate or House
OF Representatives. The case may be,
which body shall, immediately and
without debate, proceed, by Uipa c0ce
vote, tu fill the place SO vacatrd. and
the person So appointed shall take and
subscribe 10 he Oaia herein before
prescribed and beco:le i member of
said Committee. Iu.iihe manner if
any uf saisi Justices OF the supreme
Court shall die, or become physically
incapable OF performing The dulles re-
quirei by this act, tue other OF said
j Justices, meiubGrs Ui said CoEl;iiis-
sion, shall iiumeCi .toiy appoint anoth-
ei Justice OF said Court Il member of
Commission. and in such appoint
meuts regards hail be had to- Impair
iia!ity and freedom from bias sought |
by the oii2ina! appointments To said /,
Commission, who shall ,hereupon inn
mcdiateiy take and subscribe 10 the |
oaih hereinbeiore prescribed, aud be- |
come a nieinberut said Commit ission |
to iiil the yscancy SO occasioncd. All |
certificates and papers purportinga to
he certificates OF the Gisctoral votes O {