Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-02-07
House arose and the Senate members
fled down the main aisle aud took
seats on the demot ratio side.
THE ELECTORAL COUNT


THE COUNT COMMENCEs-THE TWO
HOUSES IN JOINT SESSION.
WAsHINGToN, Feb. /.
The President of the Senate took
the chair, the Speaker of the House
being on his right, called the House
to order, and amid perfect order said,
that in obedience to the Constitution,
the Senate and House of Representa-
tives have met to be present at the
opening of the certificates and count
ing and declaring of the results of the
electoral vote for President and Vice
President of the United States, for a
term of four years, commencing the
fourth of March next, and in compli-
ance with law, the President of the
Senate will now proceed, in the pres
ence of the two houses, to open all the
certificates of the several states, and
in their alphabetical order, beginning
with Alabama.
Bassett, Assistant Doorkeeper of
the Senate, then brought in the strong
box in which were the certificates,
and placed them on the desk before
the President Of the Senate, who then
opened it. took therefrom the certifi-
cate from Alabama, and handed it to
the Tellcrs, who were seated just be-
low him at the Clerks desk, and Al
lison, one CT the Tellers, read the doc
ument in extenso, the result being
that SamuelJ. Tilden, of New York.
and Thomas A. Hendricks, of Indi-
ana, had received the ten electoral
votes of Alabama. The Vice Presi-
dent said the certificates received
from Alabama by messenger, having
been read, the duplicate certificate
received by mail, would be read.
Stone was reading the duplicate
certificate when he was interrupted
by Senator Conkling, who suggested
that it was hardly necessary to read
the duplicate certificates, but that
when the first certificate was read by
one Teller, the other TelIers should
look over the duplicates, in order that
might be made.
The President of the Senate asked
if there was any objection to the
proposition, and there being none,
ne stated that this course would be
pursued.
Stone having then resumed and
the reading of the duplicate
certificate, the presiding officer said |
'ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THE
CERTIFICATE FROM ALABAMA ?"
After pause-"The Chair hears
none. The votes of the State of Ala
bama will be counted. One of the
Tcllers will announce the vote, so
there may be no mistake. The result
was announced by Mr.. Cook.
The same ceremonial! was observed
the next state, Arkansas,
and the result was that the 6 votes of
Arkansas were for Tilden and Hen
bricks.
The next state was California. g.
votes for Hayes and Wheeler.
Then Colorado, 8 for Hayes and
Wheeler.
Connecticut 6 for Tilden and Hen
bricks.
Delaware, 3 for Tilden and Hen
bricks, etc.
When Florida was reached Stone,
teller proceeded to read the certifi-
Gates, the first of which showed four
votes for Hayes and Wheeler and the |
second for Tilden and Hendricks, |
the former being authenticated by |
The late Governor, Stearns, the latter
by Atty. Gen. Cooke.
The presiding officer then handed |
The tellers still another certificate
from Florida, received through a
Jan 3lst, corresponding |
with the one received by mail on the |
18th of January, it being an anthem
tication of the act Of the Tilden elec-
tors and made by Gov. Drew.
After a partial reading of the paper
accompanying the third certificate,
proposedthat the reading be
as completed, and the re-
suit be announced, as under the late
act of Congress, all papers would be
referred to the Provisional Tribunal.
So ordered.
The presiding officer then asked
whether there was any objection to
counting the electoral votes of Flori-
la.
Representative Field sent to the
clerks desk written objection to the
first certificate for Hayes and Wheel
er, signed by Senators Jones, of Flor
ida Cooper and Mcdonald, of Ind.
and Representatives Field, Tucker,
jerks and Springer. These objections
were referred to the Electoral Com
and the Senate returned to
its own chamber.