Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1877-03-06
THE PRESIDENCY,
Tie Latest-Erciting News-Dual Presi>
6ents-7Iden and Hays Both Suorn
aaln- 7Il7en and Hendricks En-
..., Route to Washington

-. Route to Washington
The tumultuous proceedings in Congress on
Wednesday are mentioned in our Washington
letter. Friday was oven moro so. An ex>
citing struggle took place in the House. in
regard to counting the electoral vote of Ver>
mont, which, after twelve hours contest,
resulted in the complete defeat of the fill
clustering element, every effort to delay tho
count of the Vermont vote being voted down.
During the struggle Speaker Randall expressed
the sepiniou that the President pro tenn of
tho Senate had committed wrong on Wed,
nesday in refusing to open the package ten
dered to him by Mr.. Hewitt, purporting to
contain the electoral vote of Vermont, but
coIfessiug his inability to supervise the nc-
tion of that officer The House then voted
not to count the vote of Sollace, one of the
Vermont electors, because OF illegal ineligi.
biity, after which the two houses mot in
Joint convention, when the electoral vote of
Vermont was counted for Hayes and Wheeler,
both houses not having voted to reject the
vote. Virginia and West Virginia were then
called and their votes counted for Tiideu and
Hendricks. Wisconsin,, the only remaining
State to be counted, was then reached, when
the Democrats presented objections to count
ing the vote of Daniel W. Downs, one of the
Republican electors. At 1l:25 o'clock the
houses went into separate session to consider
the objections Tho Senate, without debate
and without roll-call, adopted resolution
to count the vote Of Downs. In the House,
the debate closed about three o'clock, when
further dilatory action INDUCED.
At an carly hour Friday morning tho pro-
ceedings in Congress in regard to the electoral
count were brought to close, under the rul-
ings of tho electoral commission, by declar-
ing that one hundred and eighty five votes
had been cast for Mr.. Hayes, and one hun
dred and eighty>four votes for Mr.. Tildcn,
and the same of course for the vice PRUDENTIAL
candidates respectively.
The Baltimore Suns special dispatch says
OF the closing proceedings Of the joint con-
vention aud conclusion of the electoral count
"Mr. Ferry in announcing the result was OIL
most overcome, and his voice trenbleG so
that several times he had to take a long
breath before be could go on. The only
prominent Democrat 8ho remained liz bis seat
to hear the announcement was Fernando
Wood. On the Republican side every seat
was filed. 1t was a most solemn scene-such
quiet ending after the stormy and tunIul-
tuous pillows of protest aud wrath which had
rolled for several days.
1.-The withdrawal in dignifed order from
their seats of almost the entire body of MEM
bers on the Democratic side, thus refusing
e"en passive ocquicscence in the consumua>
ton Of wrong without parallel in the his
tory of republics, constituted Iebuke which
could not have been moro powerful, and
which was felt TO the core By those for whom
it was intended. The Republicans had an
t;cipatcd that the announcement of tho final
result would have been interrupted with wild
ana fierce and bitter words from those who
wero being so basely defrauded CT their rights.
and that even at the last moment, when their
victory was almost within their grasp, it
might be snatched from them in a general
wreck and ruin of peace and order. 1t was
this apprehension which madc the voice OF
FcIryitrenble and his hand shake, and which
was printed all over the countsnances ofthe
conscieuce-strickon CO conspirators who sur>
rounded him. AS the last word fell from
tho quivering lips of Ferry, and his hand
brought down for the last time the gavel
which he held as presiding officer Of the
joint convention, the simultaneous sigh OF
rolief that went up from the bosoms of tho
one hundred and fifty Radical watchers was
almost painful in the intensity of its joy"