Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1877-02-08
The Count Commenced.

At one P. NJ. on the 1st inst, Speak.
er Randall announced the arrival OF the Senate
in the Hall Of the House of Representatives
tor the purpose of counting the electoral vote
tor President.
The President OF the Senate took chair,
Senators aud Members were seated, the Presi-
dent of the Senate said: *'The joint conven.
ton OF the two houses OF Congress for count.
ing the votes for President aud Vice President
will now come to order" Perfect silence
followed, and the President of the Senate
continued ''ln obedience to the constitu-
ton, the Senate and House OF Representatives
have met to be present at the opening OF the
certificates and the counting and declaring
OF the results Of the electoral votes for the
Offices OF President and Vice President of
the United States for the term OF four years,
commencing the 4th day of March next In
compliance with the law the President of the
Senate will now proceed, in the presence OF
the two houses, to open all the certificates
of the several States, and in their alphabet
ical order, beginning With the State Of Ala
bama.'
Senators Allison and Ingalls,, Republicans,
and Representatives Cook and Stone, Demo-
Gratis, on the part of the House. The States
were called in alphabetical order and Ala.
bama, Arkansas, Connecticut and Delaware
were counted tor Tilden and Hendricks, and
California and Colorado tor Hayes and
Wheeler. Then Florida was reached, and
Mr.. Stone, the teller, proceeded to read the
certificates. The reading Of the first certid-
cate showed the four votes of Florida to be
for Hayes and Wheeler. Then the presiding
officer handed the tellers another certi6-
cate. received from the same State, which,
on being read by Mr.. Stone, showed four
former certificate was authenticated by
the late Governor Stearns; the latter by At
torney General Cooke. Then the presiding
officer handed down to the tellers still another
certificate from Florida, received through a
h Sse OF and
3Oth OF January. This third certificate is the
authorization Of the electors who voted for
Tilden and Hendricks and is made by the
present Governor, Drew. Objections to the
first certificate TOR Hayes and Wheeler were
sent to the clerks desk, signed by Senators
ana, and Representatives Fields, Tucker,
jerks and Springer. The Clerk OF the House
read the paper. 1t asserts that those persons
Pierce, Humphreys, Holden and Young
assuming to act as Presidential electors, never
were duly appointed by the State of Florida,
or in any manner whatever; that the other
four persons had been elected, and had ire
vocable title to the Office that the certificates
OF election Of the first four persons was un-
truly and corruptly procured and made. in
pursuance OF conspiracy between them and
NJ. L. Stearns, late Governor that they were
u>urped, and that their votes are illegal, nun
and void.
Further objections being called for, Sena.
tor Sargent sen. up to the Clerks desk. on
behalf Of himself and Senators Conoyer. SRer-
man and Teller, and Of Representatives
Woodburn, Dunnell, Kasson and McCrary.
three sevral sets OF objections to the votes
cast by Messrs. Call, Hinton, Bullock and !
Young, the Democratic electors, on the ground |
that the papers are not authenticated. as re- |
1nired by the constitution and laws. Senator |
Jones, OF Florida, made an objection specially |
to Humphreys, as holding an office OF trust !
and profit under the United States. Mr.. Kas. |
son made an additional objection to the third |
ret Of certificates, because they were not au-
thenticated by the person who held the Office |
Of Governor at the time that the functions of |
the electors were exercised.
Presiding Ofdoer-"Are there further obiec- |
tions to the counting OF the vote of Florida %
After pause. eff there be none. the certii- |
Gates and papers, together with other papers
accompanying the same, as we'll as the obiec- |
tons presented, will now be transmitted to |
the Electoral Commission tor Judgment and |
decision. The Senate will now withdraw to |
its chamber, 80 that the house may separately |
determine the objections"