Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1877-01-27
IlG Presidency /!
Report of the Joint
Electoral Com
nlittee.
A Measure that COmmends
itself to the People.
But is opposed by extreme Par
tisanS.


tisanS.
WASHINGTON, January IS. - The bill
and report agreed upon last night by the
conference committee of the two houses
on the electoral count were formally pre-
scented to the Senate and House of Rep
rescntatives to-day. They were read, or
dered to be printed and committed for
the action of each chamber. 1t is doubt
full if the conclusions Of any committee
of Congress since the close of the war -
not even in the days of Andrew Johnson's
impeachment - were ever awaited with
keener anxiety or listened to with a
rrofounder interest. The committee met
this morning to sign their report in dupli-
cate, Mr.. Edmunds, who has presided
during all the joint sessions, leading off,
Mr.. Frelinghuysen following and then
| COnkling, who was followed in turn by
Mr. Thurman, as Che first of the Demo
cratic Senators who affixed their names.
All signed but Mr.. Morton of thefour-
teen present; Mr.. Payne, Mr.. Hunton,
Mr.. Hewitt and Mr.. Springer first writing
their names, and then they were followed
by Messrs. McCrary, Willard and Hoar,
the Republican members. The members
then made an Individual appeal to Mr..
Morton to make the report unanimous,
but he declined finally stating, however,
to one of the Democrats, that probably
he should,not make much opposition to
it in the Senate.
The Announcement in the morning pa
pers that the committee had agreed and
that the bill would be reported to both
houses to-day, attracted large attend
ance to the Capitol. The galleries of
both chambers were over-fowing, while
the floor of the House was so occupied
with the privileged and unprivileged that
it was only when the important report
came in that anything like silence was
maintained. The Clerk opened the re-
port, and with excellent accent, read it
clearly to the audience, Intent on every
word till the last one III the bill was pro-
nounccd.
In the Senate Mr.. Edmunds presented
both half an hour before they reached the
House, and the Senators gave them the
closest attention, while the galleries
strained forward to listen to the dull
tone of the Clerk. There as in the House
the two were ordered to be printed for
consideration on Tuesday next.
TENT OF TIE BILL.
The following is the complete text of the bill
4 bill to provide for and regulate the counting of
votes for President and Vice-Presdent and the
decision of questions arising thereon, for the
term commencing March 4, A. d. 1871.
Be it enacted 5y the Senate and House Of Repre-.
SIGNATURES Of the United States Of AmericU in
Congress assembled:
That the Senate and House of Representatives
shall meet in the hall of the House OF Represen-
tatives at the hour of O'clock :. NJ. on the first
Thursday of February, A. d. 1877, and the Presi.
dent of the Senate shall be their presiding officer
Two tellers shall be previously appointed on the
part of the Senate and two on the part of the
House of Representatives, to whom shall be
handed as they are opened by the President of
the Senate all the certificates and papers pur-
porting to be certificates of electoral votes,
which certificates and papers shall be opened,
presented and acted upon in the alphabetical or
der of the States, beginning with the letter A.
and said tellers having then read the same in the
presence and hearing of the two houses shall
make list of the votes as they shall appear from
the said certificates, and the votes having been
ascertained and counted as in this act provided
the result of the same shall be delivered to the
President Of the Senate who shall thereupon an.
nounce the state of the vote and the names of the
persons. if any, elected, which announcement
shall be deemed sufficient declaration of the
persons elected President and Vce-President of
the United States and together with list of the
votes, shall be entered on the journals Of the
| two houses. Upon such reading of any such GER
tiicatc or paper, when there shall be only one re-
| turn from a State, the President of the Senate
shall call for objections, if any. Every objection
shall be made in writing, and shall state clearly
and conciscly and without argument the ground
thereof and shall be signed by at least one Sena-
tor and One member of the House of Representa-
| tves before the same shall be received When all
| objections so made to any vote or paper from
| State shall have been received and rea d, the Sen
| ate shall thereupon withdraw andsuch objections
shall be submitted to the Senate forits decision
and the Speaker of the House of Representatives
| shall in like manner submit such objections to
the House Of Representatives for its decision, and
| no electoral vote or votes from any State from
which but one return has been received shall be
rejected except by the affirmative vote Of the two
| houses. When the two houses have voted they
shall Immediately again meet, oad the presiding
officer shall then announce She decision of the
question submitted,
SEC. 9 That if more Chan one. rotdrn, or paper
purportng to be a return, from State shall have
been received by the President of the Senate,
purportng to be the certificates Of electoral votes
given at the preceding election for President and
NIcePresident in such State, unless they shall be
duplicates Of the slme return, all such returns
and papers shall be opened by him in the pres
ence Of the two houses when met as aforesaid
and read by the teers, and all such returns and
bpapers shall thereupon be submitted to the judg-
| meAt and decision as to which is the true and
lawful electoral vote of such State, of a commits.
sion constituted as follows, namely: During the
| session OF each house on the Tuesday next pres
cedlng the first Thursday in February, 1871 each
house sha by viva yoce vote appoint five Of its
Fmembers, who, with the five Associate Justices
of the supreme Court Of the United States to be
ascertained as hereinafter provided, shall consti-
tute commission for the decision of all questions
upon or in respect Of such double returns named
in this section On the Tuesday next preceding
the first Thursday in February, A. u. 1871, or as
eDon thereafter 4 NAV I've IN. Aeeooi.t. I,tetfans