The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-01-27
SCENE IN THE HOUSE YEsFER-
-. DAY. near

SCENE IN THE HOUSE YEsfER-
..,..- DAY. near
The Legislature on yesterday put an
end to what promised to be prolonged
contest by electing Senators to all both
terms. Hon. HENRY G. DAVIS was re-
elected for the long term and Hon.
FRANK HEREFORD wss elected to fill the
vecsncy occasioned BY the death of the
late Senator CAPERToS. The Democratic
caucus had met night after night aud bal
loted without making q nomination, and
the opinion seemed to prevail that
the entire session was 10 be wasted,
lust ss it was at Charleston two
wears ago. in a sort OF Kilkenny cat
fiyht between the rival candidates, re-
sulting in the slaughter of all OF them
and the election of some compromise
men. On yesterday morning the crowd
at the capitol was not SO large as 1t had
been for several preceding days. The
morning hour passed away in dull
monotonous way, the usual routine OF
business having been gone through VIII,
followed by an uninteresting discussion
of the road bill. About half-past eleven
House Bill No. 25, better known as "The
CAPITAL Removal Bill" was taken from
the table by the Clerk and announced by
its title. As matter of course public
interc,, began 20 be manifested when It
was known that the capital bill was to
come up Tor discussion. The Clerk hadjust
finished reading it, when the Speaker an
nounced that the hour had arrived for re-
ceiving the Senate TO meet the House OF
Delegates in joint convention for the
purpose OF ballotting !or United States
Senator. A few minutes thereafter the
Senate came into the hall. and the spec.
tators only anticip ated repetition OF
the solemn farce which has been enacted
the preceding dsys-thst an unsuccess.
full ballot would take place and the JOINT
assembly dissolve. The vote was nrst
taken tor the short term, with abou. the
same result as the proceeding days. The
vote was then taken for the long term.
At the conclusion of the ballot those
who were keeping tally knew
that Mr.. DAVIS was in the lead by
a few votes. The Republicans
had scattered their votes as usual. But
Mr.. HALL, of Ritchie, leading Repub-
lican who had voted for JOHN j. DAVIS.
arose in his seat and asked and obtained
leave to change his vote, and cast i: for
HENRY 6. DAVIS. He was Immediately
followed by Senator SCOTT, and one after
another OF the Republicans, all changing
and concentrating their votes. lmme-
diately light began to dawn upon the
nv stery-the twenty-one Republican
votes, added TO the Democratic strength
of Mr.. DAVIS, would give him more
that the requisite forty four, and would
elect him. A clap of thunder in clear
sky could not have had more startling
effec, upon the opposing candidates aud
their friends than the realization OF
this fact. Suddenly and spontaneously
the excitement went up 10 fever heat.
Members jumped from their seats and
rushed across the hall with looks OF
blank amusement in their faces, 10 ask
some colleague, "Whst in the name OF
the Universe does this meanT The
spectators psrtook OF the excitement.
The friends of the winning man had
cleaning faces, and were nodding and
smiling TO each other as much rs TO say,
Didn't We win essy?" By the time the
Republicans got through changing their
votes, and none of the Democratic sup
porters of Mr.. DAVIS showed a dlsposi-
tion 10 weaken on him, the Democratic
friends OF other candidates commenced
changing TO DAVIS until he had
received sixty votes, and was
declared elected. Then came
a tug on the short term. An effort was
msde to dissolve the joint convention
but failed, when i. was understood that
an election was 10 be had. 1t was q
repetition of the scenes on taking the
ballot for the long torn, except that
before the Republicans got through
transferring their votes to Mr.. HERE.
FORD, the Democrats commenced 10
chan ge. and when the result was an.
nounced Mr.. HEREFORD hsd 40 votes.
A general sense of renef seemed 10 pre-
vail that the long drawn agony was
over. and that the Legislature was get
ting rid OF troublesome issue and pre-
psring TO settle down 10 work.