The Van Buren press., 1877-02-06
CONGRESS-.
The Joint Convention Of the Two Houses
Proceed to Count the Votes.

Mr.. kasson called the chairs attention
to the fact that both tellers had beer
chosen from the majority, and that it wa.
customary, in such cases, to have Il rep
resentativc Of the minority appointed.
The Chair-Thc gentlemen are ap
pointed by the chair under authority OF
the house, and that fact has been com
municated to the presidentof of the senate
and the chair understands he will ap
point two of he majority of the senate
Mr.. Kasson--That will have been done
on account Of the action of the speaker
Mr. Speakcr-The chair does not fee
offended he has simply done his duty.
The speaker laid communication be-
fore the house from Justice Clifford
president of tho electoral commission
stating that the members thereof had
taken the prescribed oath, and that the
commission was ready to perform its
duties.
The senate resolution was agreed to
for the publication of the proceedings OF
the commission.
Mr.. Payne offered resolution direct
ing the clerk of the house to inform the
senate that it was ready to receive that
body, for the purpose of opening and
counting the electoral votes for president
and vice-president. Adopted.
The house then took a recess.
During the recess, the buzz of the con-
versation was unceasing. Among the
distinguished pers ,ns on the floor were
nearly all the members OF the cabinet
aud counsel engaged by the national
committees of both parties. The gale
rics are packed, and more than half of
those present are ladies. Justices Miller
and Field were the first of the judges to
arrive. They entered without iormality
and took chairs to the left Of tho main
aisle.
JOINT CONVENTION.
At two minutes past o'clock the
speaker announced the arrival of the
senate, and the members Of the house, at
the speakers tap, arose and remained
standing, while the senate, preceded by
its officers, filed down the main aisle and
took seats in the first four rows on the
democratic side of the chamber.
The president of the senate took the
chair, having the speaker on his right.
When the president and members were
seated, the president of the senate said !:
The joint convention of the two houses
of congress for the counting of votes for
president and vice-president, will now
come to order.
Perfect silence followed The presi-
dent Of the senate continued In obe-
dienee to the constitution, the senate and
house of representatives have met to be
present at the opening OF certificates and
counting and declaring of results of the
electoral votes for the office of president
and vice-president Of the United States
for the term of four years, commencing
the 4th day of March next. In compli-
ance with the law, the president of the
senate will now proceed, in presence of
the two houses, to open all OF the certiti-
Gates of the several states, and in their
alphabetical order, beginning with the
state Of Alabama"
Then the strong box in which the cor
tificates were, was carried by Mr.. Bas-
sett, assistant doorkccper of the senate,
and placed on the desk before the pr q.
dent of the senate, who opened it, aid
taking from it the certificate from the
state of Alabama, handed it to the tell
ers, who We're seated just below him at
the clerks desk. and Senator Allison;
one of the tellcrs, read the document in
extenso, the result of it all being that
Samuel J. Tilden, of New York, and
Thomas A. Hendricks, of Indiana; had
received the ten electoral votes of Ala
bama. .
care there any objections to the cer-
tiicates from the state of Alabama 7"
After a pause The chair hears none.
The votes of the state of Alabama will
be counted. One OF the teliers will an
nounce the vote SO that there will be no
mistake"
The result was announced by Mr..
Cook. The same ceremonial was obser-
we'd in reference to the next-Arkansas.
The result was announced that the six
votes Of Arkansas were given for Til
den and Hendricks.
Then Florida was reached, and Mr..
Stone, teller, proceeded to read the cer-
tificates. The reading of the first cer-
tificate showed four votes of Florida for
Hayes and Wheeler. Then the presiding
officer handed to the teller another cer-
tifcate received from that state, which
on being read by Mr.. Stone, showed tour
votes for Tilden and Hendricks. The
former certificate was authenticated by
the late Gov. Stcarns; the latter by
Cooke, the attorney general. Then the
presiding officer handed down to the tel
lers still another certificate of Florida,
received through messenger on the 3lst
of January, and corresponding with one
received by mail the Seth of January.
This third one is in Authorization OF the
act of the electors who voted for Tilden
and Hendricks, and is made by the pres
ent governor, Drew. Objections were
presented to the first certificate for HAYES
and Wheelee, signed by Senators Jones,
Of Florida, and Cooper and Mcdonald,
of Indiana, and by Representatives Field,
Tucker, jerks and Springer.
The clerk of the house read the paper,
1t asserts that those persons-Picrce.
Humphreys, Holden and Young-assu-
suming 10 act as presidential electors,
never were duly appointed by the state
of Florida, or in any manner whatever
that the other four persons had been
elected, and had an irrevocable title to
the office that the certificate of election