Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-01-22

member shall die or become physically unable TO
perform the duties required 10y this act, the fact
Of such death or physical inability shall be by said
commission, before il shall proceed further, COM
municated to the Senate or House of Representa-
tives. as the case may be, which body shall imme-
diately and without debate proceed by viva voce
vote TO fill the place vacated and the person
appointed shall take and subscribe the oath here
inbefdre prescribed and become member of said
commission. And in like manner If any of the
said Justices of the supreme Court shall die or
become physically incapable of performing the
duties required by this act, the other of the said
Justices, members of the said commission, shall
immc diately appoint another Justice OF said Court
a member of said commission. and in such
appointments regard shall be had to the impair lal
tv and freedom from bias sought by the original
apUointm ents TO said commission, who shall there
upon Immediately take and subscribe to the oath
herein before prescribed and become member OF
said commits to fill the vacancy so occasoned.
III the certificates and papers purporting to be
certificates of the electoral votes of each State
shall be opened in the alphabetical order of the
States, : provided in section | of this act, and
when there shall be more than one such certit-
cate or paper, a. tue certificates or papers from
such state shall SO be opened. excepting dupli-
cafes of the same return they shall be read by the
tellers and heIeupon the Pr, sident of the Senate
shall call for objections, If any. Every objection
shall be made IN writing, and shall state clearly
and concsey, and without argument, the ground
thereo ami shall he signed by at least one Sena-
tor and one member of the House of Representa-
tives before the same shat be received. When all
such objection, so made to any certificate, vote or
paper from a ) tate shall have been received and
read all such certificates, votes and papers 50 OBJ
jectcd to, and all papers accompanying the same,
together with such objections, shall be forthwith
submitted to said commission, which shall pro-
coed to consider the same, with the same powers,
if any, now possessed for that purpose by the two
houses acting separately or together, and by ma
otity of votes decide whether any and what votes
from such State the votes provided for by the
Constitution of the United States, and how many
aud what person. were duly Apo nted electors in
such State, and may therein take into view such
petitions dispositions and other papers, If any, as
shall by the Constitution and now existing law he
competent and pertinent in such consideration,
winch decision shall be made in writing, stating
briefly the ground thereof, and be signed by the
members of said commission agreeing therein;
whereupOn the two houses shall again meet, ana
such decision shall be read aud entered Ia the
journal of each house, and the counting OF the
votes shall proceed 10 conformity herewith, I'M
less upon objection made thereto in writing by at
least five Senators and five members of the House
of Representatives the two houses shall separate
ly concur in ordering Otherwise, IN which case
such concurrent order shall govern. Noyoles or
papels from any other State shall be acted upon
until the objection previously made to the votes or
papers from any State shall have been finally dis
posed of.
SEC 3. That while the two houses shall be in
meeting as provided in this act, no debate shall be
allowed and no question shall be pat by the pre-
siding officer except to either house on motion
to withdraw, and he shall have power to preserve
| order.
| SEC 4. That when the two houses separate to
decide upon an objection that may have been
| made to the counting of any electoral vote or
votes from any State, or upon objection TO re-
port of said commission, other question arising
under this act, each Senator or Representative
may speak to such objection or question ten min
utes and not oftener than once; but alter such
debate shall have lasted two hours, shall be the
duty of each house to put the main question with
out further debate.
SEC 5. That at such joint meeting of the two
houses seats shall be provided as follows: For
the President of the Senate, the Speakers chair;
| for the Speaker Immediately upon his left; the
Senator'S in the body of the hall upon the night OF
| the presiding officer for the Representatives, IN
| the body of The hall not provided for the Sena-
tors for the tellers, Secretary of the Senate aud
| Clerk of the House of Representatives, at the
Clerk desk; for the other officers OF the Two
houses in front of the Clerks desk aud upon each
| side of the Speakers platform Such JOINT meet
ing shall not he dissolved until the court Of the
electoral votes shall be completed aud the result
declared, and no recess shall be taken unless a
question shall have arisen in regard to counting
any such votes or otherwise under this act, in
which case it shall he competent for either house
acting separately in the manner herelnbefore pro-
vided to direct recess OF such house not beyond
| the next day, Sunday excepted at the hour OF 10
clock in the forenoon; and while any question Is
being considered ny said commission either house
may proceed with its legislative or other business.
SEC 6. That nothing in this act shall be held
to impair or affect any right now existing under
| the Constitution AID laws to question, by pro-
ceeding in the judicial courts OF the Cnted States,
| the right or tile of the person who shall be de-
clared elected who shall claim to be President
or Vice President of the United States if any such
right exists