Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-02-02
House..

Mason called attention to the fact that both tel
ers had been chosen from the majority, and that
1t was Customary in such cases to have a represen-
tatIye of the minority appointed.
The speaker laid before the House a communi.
cation from Justice Clifford president of the eee
toral commission, stating that the members there
OF had taken the oath, and the commission was
ready to perform its duties.
The Senate resolution was agreed to for the
puDhcation OF the proceedings of the commission
Payne then offered resolution directing the
clerk Of the House to inform the Senate that the
House was ready to receive that body for the pur.
pose OF opening and counting electoral votes for
President and Vice President. Adopted.
The House then took a recess until 10 -.
N CONVENTION.
The galleries OF the house were crowded long
before one o'clock. More than half the occupants
are LADIES' lerge number Of distinguished per
sons are on the floor Of the house
AS the hour Of one approached, tue sneaker ex-
ertcd himself TO enforce order.
Judges Aler and Field Of the supreme court
were the trst Of the judges who presented them
selves. They entered without formaty and took
seats IN the area to the left of the main aisle.
At two minutes past one, the speaker anuounc-
ed the arrival OF The nate.
The president Of the senate took the chair, hav-
ing the speaker on his right; and then when the
senators and members were all seated, the presi-
dent Of the senate rose and said
I'm obedience to the constitution, the senate
ent at the opening of certificates and the counting
and declaring the result of electoral votes for the
Offices of president and vice president of the
| hlted states for the term of four wears COM
mencing on the fourth day of March next In
compliance with law, the president of the senate
Will now proceed in presence of the two hanses
to open all of the certificates Of the several states
and in their alphabetical order, beginning with
Alabama"
The president Of the senate then opened the
box, and taklBO from il from ha
state of Alabama, handed it to the tellers who
were seated Just below him at the clerks desks
and senator Allison, of the tellers, proceeded
to read the document, the result of il all being
that Samuel j. Tiden and Thomas A.. Hendricks
had received the ten electoral votes of Alabama.
1t was decided to omit the reading in extepso of
the duplicate certificates.
The presiding officer said care there any
objections 10 the certificate from the state Of Ala
bama'
After pause president Ferry said The
chair hears none"
The result wa: announced by Mr.. Cook of
Georgia.
The same ceremony was observed in reference
10 tue ext state, Arkansas, and the result an
nounced that the six votes of that state were CIV
en- for Tilden and Hendricks.
Inc next state, California, and the result was
announced as giving its six votes for Hayes and
Wheeler.
Then followed Colorado with three votes for
Hayes and Wheeler.
Next Connecticut with six votes for Tilden and
Hendricks.
The next certificate read was from Delaware,
giving three votes for Tiden and Hendricks.
Then Florida was reached, and Mr.. Stone the
teller, proceeded to read the certificate which show
ed the four votes Of Florida for Hayes and Wheel
er.
Then the presiding officer handed the teller an
other certificate received from the same state.
which on being also read by Mfr. Stone, showed
the four votes q Elm la for Til1pn a nd Hand
lcks
The former certificate was authenticated by the
late governor, SteasIfs The latter by attorney gen.
eral Cook.
The duplicate returns from Florida were then
referred to the commission.
Then the presiding officer handed down to the
teller still another certificate from the State OF
Florida received through a messenger on the
Dist OF January, and a corresponding one re-
Ceved by mail on the 30th of January This
third is authorization of the act of the elect
ors who voted for Iiden and Hendricks and is
made by the present Gov. Drew. After some
halt hour had been spent in reading the papers
accompanying the third certificate, Senator Couk
ling proposed that the reading be regarded as
completed, and that the result be announced as
under the late act Of Congress that all the papers
would be referred to the provisional tribunal
raised to examine such questions There being nc
objection Is so ordered.
The presiding officer asked whether there were
Florida.
Field rose and sent to the clerk : de.k writer
objection to the first certificate for Hayes anc
Wheeler, signed by Senator Jones of Florida
Cooper, Mcdonald of Indiana and by Represen
tatives Field, Tucker of Va, jerks of Pa, ant
| Springer of Ill. Mr. Adams clerk Of the House
| proceeded to read the paper.
1t asserts that those persons, Pierce, Humph-
reys, Holden and Young, assuming TO act as pres
| ldenlial electors, never were duly appointed by
| the state of Florida n whatever
That the other four persons had been elected and
had irrevocable title of the office; that the GER
ttcate of the election of the first four persons
unruly and corruptly procured, and made in pur-
suanCe of a conspiracy between them and Stearns
late Governor; that they were usurpers, and thai
their votes are Illegal, null and void.
Further objections being called for, Sargent
sent up to the clerks desk, on behalf of himsel
and senators Conoyer Sherman aud Fuller, and Of
rel resentaliXes WOODBURY., Dunnell, kasson ant
WcCrary, three sets of objections to the votes cas-
by Messrs. Call, Hinton, Bullock and Gange Uht
Dem. electors, on the ground that the papers arr
not authenticated as required by the constitution
and laws.
senator Jones of Fla made objections specially
to Humphreys, as holding an office of trust and
profit under the [, :.
Mr. Kasson made additional objection to the
third set of certificates because they were not au-
thentcated by the person who held the Office OF
Gov. at the time the functions Of the electors were
exercised.
The presiding ofiicer-'Are there further oh
cctions TO counting the vote of the state OF Fla
(Atter pause If there be none the certificates
and papers, together with the other papers accom-.
lanying the same, as well as the obligations pre-.
sened, will now be transmitted to the Electoral
College Commission for Judgment and decision
The senate will low withdraw TO its chamber st
that the house may st parately determine the OBJ
ections."
A buzz of dissent as to the closing part of the
sentence, pervaded the chamber but the presiding
officer made no change.
The senate retired and after order was restored
the house then at 3.0j resumed its legislative bus
ness.
Is House.
Mr.. Hopkins Of Pa, moved the previous Ques
ton on the resolution reported last night from the
Florida investigating committee, but objection
was made on the republican side to any acton on
the matter until after the minority report should
have been presented.
The speaker suggested that as this subject wa:
now unfinished business, it should be allowed &c
20 over and come up tomorrow as unfinished
business.
Mr., Lapham of New York made the point of or
der that the disputed electoral votes having beer
referred to commission, it was not competent fol
the house to pass now upon the question.
The speaker said that that was not point o
order, it was question for the house to deter
mine.