Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1877-02-08
AFFAIRS OF THE NATION.
EEnrom a Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Feb. 5, 1877.

Week before last the passage of TIT
hi Tor counting the electoral vot'
vas the intensely interesting event II
the proceedings Of Congress. Las
week there was no less intense inter
~ excited by the selection of tat
members who should compose it, anc
next the prompt organization fol
work of the great Tripartite Tribunal
which shall determine and pronounce
who's President. 1t is truly a great
event. ! will not stop to phlloso,
rhise or moralize, however, bnt pro-
eeed to give your readers all the de-
tails which can be compressed into Il
column letter.
On Monday, as I stated IN my last
the President gave the bill his APP
proval, accompanying it with short
message which won the approval OF
all parties. On Tuesday therefore
each House was engaged in the selec
ton of it's members. On the part OF
the Senate, Messrs. Morton Edmunds,
and Frelinghuysen, republicans, and
Thurman and Bayard, democrats,
were elected. On the part of the
House, Messrs. Payne, Hunton, and
Abbott, Iemocrato, aud Garfield and
Hoar, republicans, were elected. On
Thursday communication was re-
ceived from Associate Justices Cliff
ford, Strong, Miller and Field, Of the
U. S. Supreme Court, announcing
that they had selected Associate
Justice Bradley to be the fifth Asso-
ciate Justice upon the commission
These constituted the Triparute com,
mission assembled in the Supreme
Court roo1 the same day aud took
the prescribed oath. On Thursday
the two Houses of Congress met at |
o'clock 10 commence the counting OF
the electoral votes. The galleries Of
the House were filled with spectators.
10 prevent over crowding only such
was admitted as had been furnished
with tickets. Consequently hundreds
were unable to get in. The JUDD ye>
OF the Supreme Court soon came III
without any formalty and took chairs
in front of the Speaker. The Senate
was then announced and the members
OF the House rose AS the Senators filed
in two by two and took the chairs
provided for them. In few minutes
perfect order prevailed and Vice
President Ferry took the Speaker 5
chair to preside and open the cleo
toral returns. Mr.. Ferry hal
the returns in a box about foot
square. He announced in the usual
formal manner that the Two houses
had met to be present at the opening
of the certificates and the counting OF
votes for President and Vice President
for four years from the 4th of March
Then he opened the box and taking
out the returns from Alabama broke
the seal and handed the papers to one
of the tellers to read. The presiding
officer then inquired if any objections
we're offered to counting the vote Of
Alabama as reported. No objections
being made the ten votes Of Alabama
were ordered to be counted for Illdel
and Hendricks. The vote Of Arkan.
sas, six for Tilden, was next counted
without objection. California SIX, and
Colorado three for Hayes and Wheel,
er were next counted. Connection,
six and Delaware three, for TlIder
were received without objection. The
next certificate opened was from Flor
ida. First, Mr.. Ferry opened and the
teilers read the regular and Lawful
return from the State, which was seen
to comply with the law in every par
ticular. This return, OF course, gave
four votes for Hayes and Wheeler
Mr.. Ferry next produced and opened
a second return, which proved to be
the vote Of the Tillen electors, which
was certified to by the Secretary Of
State. This read, a third return re.
ceyed only yesterday was opened
This set Of papers is the result Of the
rev count ordered by the Legislature
Then followed the presentation OF OBJ
jections. Mr.. Field presented Ions
written objection to the Hayes return
signed by several Senators and Rep
1eseLtatives. Senator Jones also objec
I