New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-03-03
WINDING UP THE COUNT.
SCENES IN CONGRESS DURING THE LAST HOURS OF
THURSDAY NIGHT.
rBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.l

WASHINGTON, March THE backbone of the
conspiracy to prevent Gov. Hayes from being de-
clared the President elect of the United States was
broken before midnight last night, when the revo-
lutionists failed to induce the House to take cogn-
zance of the fraudulent return from Vermont
After that their opposition was dictated by pure
cussedness" alone. 1t had no defined object and
could not possibly be crowned with success Indeed
the spirit seemed to go out of the whole body after
the Joint meeting which closed shortly before mid
night; and except for one or two rather dramatic
incidents and the impressive scene when the final
announcement was made the last four hours of the
contest would have been almost the least interesting
of any portion of it, The number of dilatory mo-
tons on which votes were taken before the discus
sion on the Wisconsin objection began was greatly
reduced, partially by the rulings of the Speaker and
partially by the fatigue and stnessness of the fill
busters, that the debate Oh the main question
was reached much earlier than was expected.
Mr.. Mills made a most desperate effort to obtain
recognition for his resolution providing for an I'M
mediate election of President of the United States
by the House of Representatives, The object i'll i'll
Producing this not so much to give Mir. liiden
a shadow of a claim. Ii was a las; and desperate
expedicnt to stop the proceedings. OF course no
such resolution had any legal standing i'll the House
before the counting OF the votes was completed,
could ascertain whether the time had
como for it to exercise its constitutional
right or not But the legality of the proceeding was
a matter about which Mr.. Mills cared very little
His object and that of those who with him insisted
that vote should be taken upon his resolution, was
simply to draw the House into proceeding which
would prevent it from going on with It's business
under the Electoral law. This was made very
apparent by Fernando Wood and others who
announced their desire to vote for Mr.. Mills's
resolution at the proper time, which was after
the count was completed and the Electoral law ex-
ecuted. The members who had thus far stood
together in favor of orderly proceeding were not
in the least disconnected, therefore, by this new
movement. 1t the last card to be played by the
revolutonists, and when the Speaker by ruling it
out of order declared it not 10 he trump. the game
was closel.
Several of the Democrats INDUCED in very excited
and unwise harrangues. Mr.. Mills of Texas spoke
for ten minutes in support of his resolution urging
members to remember the oath they had taken to
support the Constitution of the United States and
begged them to act consistently with their speeches
and votes III which they had denounced the Elcct =
raj Commission as a fraud and cheat. Mr.. Black
burn who is nothing if not tragic, and who has
wonderful command of abusive language, made one
OF the most impressive well as one of the most
unpatrotc speeches of the night. Its object was
TO kindle partisan prcjndiccs. and arouse the
fear of his party associates The suggestion that the
people might yet rise up and demand what their
representatives had surrendered at the expense
of blood, was fair example of the character of his
speech. Mr.. Williams of Wisconsin, who followed
Mr. Blackburn, referring to the latter's remarks
about the fitness of the day which to con-
summatc what he called this greatest crime of the
cnuturv hpiug he d1V which the Savior was cru
Gifted between two thieves and which Mr.. Hayes
was nominated and the expression of the Commission
had been rendered. that, being hangman's day. no
better time could he found which TO strange the
fraudulent monster which had been stalking through
the country for year past under the false name of
reform"
The debate did not occupy the full two hours,
which it was entitled to run but half an hour was
spent in wrangling between the members and the
raising OF points OF order and the asking of paria-
mentary questions, which had no object whatever
except TO Tetard the business.
Finally at a few minutes before o'clock, the
Senate was informed that the House ready to
proceed. At 1905 o'clock they appeared at the main
entrance of the Hall of Representatives The lead
ing Democratic fibusters, III childish spite, had
called upon members of their party to leave their
seats and congregate in the open space i'll the rear
of the haIl ana III tnt dCtiOu
intended as protest against the whole proceedings.
OF course it had effect except to leave majority
of the chairs on the Democratic side of the House
empty.
The announcement of the vote of Wisconsin was
made i'm the midst of perfect silence. Then Prcsi-
dent Ferry called upon the teers to add up and IN
form him what was the state of the vote. Mr. ALI
SOIL one of the tellers replied. giving the whole
number of votes east, and announcing that Ruthcr-
ford b. HAYES and william A. Wheeler had each re-
ce1yed lS5 votes which majority OF the entire
Electoral College. The President of the Senate
warned all persons present not to make any demon
stration when the result was announced, aud in
very impressive voice he then set forth the
state of the vote and declared. Rutherford Is.
HAYES TO have been elected President, and William
A. Wheeler Vice-Presdent of the United States for
four wears Not a sound heard i'll any part of
the Han except solitary hiss, said 10 come from
desperate visitor, who was upon the hoor by the
cnurtesv of the House. Before the last Senator had
through the door Mr. Tucker of Virginia
moved AN adjournment until II o'clock to-day. One
ar two Democrats made objections, but the vote was
carried by an overwhelming majority. In less than
five minutes the Hall was cleared the lights were
put out and the great Presidential controversy OF
1876 and 1877 was finished.
RANDALLS RULINGS
..., ,,.,ry u.sn.ttJs CHANGES OF RF-FLFC-