New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-02-02
York was q near neighbor of the carpet-basger
Wallace of South Carolina.


When order prevailed. the President OF the Senate,
Mr.. Ferry, who occupied a seat at the Speakers
table, with Speaker Randall on his left, rose and
announced that in obedience to the Constitution
the Senate and Honse assembled in joint meet
ing for the purpose Of opening and counting the
votes for President and Vce-President, and that IN
compliance with law he should now proceed TO
open all the certificates in alphabetical order.
The two boxes were then placed before him,
and, taking from his pocket Key, ne
unlocked one Of them, took out package, broke
the seal of it, aud handed its contents to Senator
Allison one of the teliers representing the Senate.
This was the return from the State of Alabama,
which had been received by messenger The papers,
including the certificates Of the Governor ana OF
the electors and the statement OF the votes, were
read. When this was completed the returns from
the same State, received by mail, were delivered 10
Representative Stone, Of the teers On the part
of the House, and read by him in extenso.
Opportunity to make objection was then
given, and as no protests presented the vote OF
Alabama was ordered to be counted. The returns
from the other States were read only once. the
teers on the part of the House holding the dupli-
Gates received by mall while of those represent
ing the Senate read the received by messenger,
so that the comparison made as the reading
proceeded. No noteworthy incidents occurred dur
ing the examination Of the returns from Alabama,
Arkansas, California, Colorado. Connecticut, and
Delaware.
When Florida was reached the President OF the
Senate first delivered to the teers representing the
House the return certified to by Gov. StearDs ana
it was read to the two houses by Mr.. Stone The
Democratic return forwarded at the same time was
next opened and read by Mr.. Ingalls, Then, much
to the surprise of everybody, the President of the
Senate handed to Mr.. Allison a third package OF
returns which he said had been received by messen-
ger on Jan. 81, and duplicate of it by mail on
Jan. 80. When it was opened the certificates
found to be printed with seals and written sig
natures affixed, and were accompanied with broad
sheet containing four columns of closely printed
matter, being full report of the proceedings on
which the returns were based. Mr. Allison read the
certificates and then turned with beseeching look
toward the President for q suggestion that it was
not necessary TO read the report of proceedings
which accompanied it. The President of the Senate
gave him no encouragement and he began task
which would have occupied at least an hour had not
Mr. Conklng come to his rescue and suggested that
by unanimous consent the reading of that paper be
dispensed with, but that it be printed in full IN lie
Congressional Record of tomorrow morning.
When the President asked for objections to the
counting of the vote Of Florida, David Dudley Field
was the first to be recognized. He presented paper
signed by Senators Jones of Florida, Cooper, and
Mcdonald, David Dudley Field. Randolph Tucker
and William NJ. Springer protesting against count
ing tho votes certified to by Gov. Stcarns. After
this protest had been read By the Clerk of the
House there appeared other objections signed by
several Senators and Representatives, headed by
Messrs Sargent and KassOn. These were three IN
number two containing objections to the return last
read and one to the first Democratic return. Sen
ator Jones then presented fifth protest against
counting the vote of one of the electors, who, 1t
was alleged, was Federal ofice-holder at the time
he was elected and at the time his vote was cast
No further objections having been presented, the
presiding officer announced that the returns and
accompanying papers would all be sent to the special
commission, and that the House should separate
until decision had been reached by that tribunal.
The Senate marched ont of the chamber. he
members resumed their customary seats Many per-
sons who had been III the galleries for four or ilve
hours left their places, and the Speaker after some
thing of an effort restored order. The ordinary leg
islative business was resumed at about 3 O'Clock.