Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-02-09
News by Telegraph.
Counting the Vote.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. 1.-Preyious
to the hour for the commencement OF the
count, the galleries were packed with spec-
tators. Admission was only obtained by
tickets, of which each member and Sen
stor had three. Judges Miller and Field
were the first of the judges who presented
themselves. They came in without any
formality and took seats-chairs IN area
to the left of the main aisle. At two MIN
utes past one the Speaker announced the
arrival of the Senate. and all the members
of the House at the Speakers tap
arose and remained standing while
the Senate. preceded by its clerk, doorkeep-
er and other officials, filed down the nam
aisle and took the seats set apart IN the
first four rows on the right. On the Dem
ocratic side of the Chamber the President
of the Senate took the chair having the
Speaker on his right. When the senators
and members were all seated the President
of the Senate rose and using the gavel TO
enforce order and silence said "rne JOINT
convention of the two Houses OF Congress
for counting the votes will now come to
order" While perfect silance reigned, the
President of the Senate said !: I'm obedience
to the constitution the Senate and House
OF Representatives have met To be PRESENT
at the opening of the certificates and the
| SouutiuS anu ucCldrluS VI tuc $eSa,s "
the electoral votes for the othces OF Presl-
dent and Yice-President. In compliance
with the law the President Of the Senate
will now proceed in the presence of tt e two
Houses to open all the certificates OF the
several states, in their alphabetical o.
der, beginning with the state of Alabama.
Then the strong box In which the Ger
tlhcates were placed was carried IN by
Bassett, assistant doorkeeper OF the Senate.
| Having been placed on the desk before
him the President of the Senate opened It
and taking from IL the certificate from
Alabama handed 1t to the tellers who were
seated just below him at the clerks desk,
and Senator Allison, one OF the teilers, pro-
ceeded to read the document IN exaenso-
The reading being completed. the presiding
ofhcer said, ''are there any objections 10 the
| certificate from the state VI Alabama
Alter = pause The chair hears none. The
vote of Alabama will be counted. One oI
the tellers will announce votes 30 that there
may be no mistake. The result was announc-
cd by Mr.. Cook, 0f Georgia. Ihe ss'lnc
ceremony was observed In reference To the
next state. Arkansas, except that the read
| Ing ot the duplicate was omitted lne
result was announced that the SIX votes
were for Tildeu and Hendricks. The next
state was California. and the result was
announced. six votes Tor Hayes and "heel-
or and Colorado, three votes iOr Hayes
| Connecticut, with six, Delaware, tnree
votes tor Tilden. When tie reading Of tue
| Delaware certificates was concluded, the
presiding officer asked inadvertently II there
was any objection to counting the VOTES of
Florida, but he Immediately corrected him
self, and substituted Delaware, amid sup
| pressed laughter. Then Florlda was reach
ed. and Mr. Stone proceeded to read the
certificates. The reading vi the hrst GER
ticate showed fOur votes Tor Hayes. Inc
presiding officer handed to the teller an
other certificate, which was also read Dy
Mr.. Stone and showed four votes for Tilden-
The former certificate was authenticated Dy
Gov. Stesrns, the latter by Attornoy-uen-
eral Cooke. Then the presiding oihcer
handed down still another certificate trOm
Florida received through the messenger
January 3lst, and corresponding To one
received by mail January 30th. Inis
is the authorization OF the ACT Vi
the electors who voted for Tilden, and
is made BY the present Governor Drew.
After some half an hour had been spent
IN reading the papers accompany
ing the third certificate, Mr.. Conk-
ling proposed that the rcrding De
regarded rs completed. and that the re-
|
asked whether there were oh .ectIons to
counting the votes from Florida; and Mr..
Field. Of New York, sent to the clerk $
desk u written objection to the first certit-
cate, signed by Senators Jones, Cooper
and Mcdonald and Representatives Field J,
Tucker, jerks and Springer The clerk or
the House read the paper. Ii asserts that
the persons assuming to act as Preslden-
Dental Electors never werr duly ap-
pointed !; that the other iour had been
elected and had an irrevOcaole title u the
office: that tho certificate Of the election OF
the first four persons, WAS uutruly and cor
ruptly procured and made IN pursuance nt
a conspiracy between tnem and NJ. L..
Stesrns, late governor: that they were
usurpers. and that their acts sre illegal,
null and void. The objections were referred
to the electoral commIssiun, and the SEN
ate returned to its own chamber.
THE TsIPARTITE COMMISSION.
The tripartife commission to hear and de-
eide disputed questions regarding the eiec-
tOral votes, met NJ three Ucloek In the su-
preme court room; Justice Clifford prsSi-
ding. A communIca tion WAS received from
the two Houses OF Congress in joint session,
stating that more than one return or paper,
purpOrting To be the return or certificate o I
electoral votes of Florida. having been re-
ceived and opened. and objections thereto
having been made, said returns with all
accompanying papers, and also objections
| thereto are submitted To the committee.
Justice Bradley said he understood there
were three certificates from that state,
and thought the proper course would
be t. have the three certificates
read and objection then msdo. Justice
Miller suggested in view Of the length
of the documents it would be better to have
them printed and then each person could
, read them Tor himself. Representative
Payne moved that the certificates With ac-
: companying papers be printed, which was
agreed to The presiding justice stated
, that the motion TO PRINT included certih-
| Gates, objections, and papers accompanying
, the certificates, and nothing else, and that
it WAS desirable the printing be done with
out delay. lie then asked II there were
, counsel present who would take part
after the managers OF the objections
have stated the case on one side and
: the other. Mr.. Evarts said Senator
. Sargent will make a statement in that re-
r gard. MIR. Sargent said the persons whose
| names are signed to ono paper are senators
5 Conover. Sargent and Sherman, and repre-
sentatives McCrary. kssson, Woodburn and
Dunnell. Tnere had been no opportunity
| up 10 THIS mOmeut VI cOusultluk WIN tue>o
gentlemen 20 ascertain which of them will
state to the commission their objections.
The presiding justice said two objectors
may present the case and requested that the
, names Of two who would do 50 be
, made known to the commission a
soon As convenient. tie then asked
Mr.. Field to state the names of the ohlector.
: on the other side Mr. Field said the objectors
l to the irst returns are Senators Jones Flor
ida), and Cooper; and Representatives
: Thompson, jerks and myself Mr.. Alb
bott then moved that papers accompanying
the objections be also printed.
: Senator Edmunds submitted that 1t was
# possible under the statute under whleh
. the commission acted, that there may be nc
{ papeis lawfully accompanying an ooJec-
tion, the statute providing only ior sIeh
t papers accompanying certihcates lie
4 thought 1t was METER tor the conslders'
q. ! tlnn