The National tribune., 1885-02-19
WASHINGTON GOSSIP,
The Weekly Collection About the Ma
tiOnal Capital.
CANYAsSING THE VOTE.

session performed the final act of our
somewhat intricate and cumbrous way of
choosing Chief Magistrate. They canvassed
the electoral votes of the varions States, and
the result-2l9 for Grover Cleveland and
Thomas A. Hendricks, for President and Vice
President respectively, and 1S2 for James IL.
blaine and John A. Logan-was duly pro-
claimed. This was hardly in the nature of
news, for the figures have been printed 10000
times during the past three months, and are
known aud read by all men. These have been
cold and weary months for Republicans If
any member Of that party has been comforted
by the hope that when the returns came to be
opened it would be found that at the last mo-
ment two or three dozen of the Democratic
electors had seen the errors of their ways and
lad, after all. cast their votes for Blaine and
logan, the illusion was rudely dispelled by
the official count"
The ceremonies took place in the hall of the
House. in the presence of $500 spectators, who
1illed the galleries and all the available space
on the floor, besides the nearly 100 Senators
and Representatives, who were in attendance.
Prompt TO the moment, as the hands upon the
marble face Of the great clock indicated the
l.our of noon, The Senate of the United
states " was announced at the main entrance.
AS Dir. Black burn, of Kentucky, Speaker pro
5sm, raped with his gsvel the members arose
10 their feet and stood in solemn awe, while
rhe grave and reverend Senators marched down
st the head of the stately procession was
President Edmunds, grim and austere, his
-rosty head covered with a black skull-cap,
which he wore during the session. He as
cended the pulpit " and was graciously bowed
into the Speakers chair by Mr.. Blackburn, who
took a seat at his left. Without moments
delay Mr.. Ednlunds proceeded with the bust
ness of the hour. The telers-Messrs. Hoar
of Massachusetts, and Pendleton, of Ohio. on
The part of the Senate and keifer, of Ohio,
and Clay, of Kentucky, for the House-sat at
q table immediately below the Speaker, with
pens ink, and ally-sheets, ready for business
The sealed packets containing the certificates
from the State Electoral Colleges, were in du-
plicate; one set having. according to law, been
sent by mail, and another by messengers.
These were opened in alphabetical order by
Mr.. Edmunds and handed to the tellers. As
the old Vermonter adroitly cut the envelopes
with knife he was closely eyed by Mr..
Blackburn, who evidently did not intend to
permit any slight-of-hand attempts to abstract
the returns from New York, or Kentucky, or
Texas and slip in substitutes that would give
The votes of those States TO Blaine and Logan.
Alabama was first in order. The legal form of
such documents is painfully elaborate and par
ticular, its whereaSss and oft-repeated phrase
ology being a "wearinesS to the flesh" But
Senator Hoar read it through to the last word,
the audience listening with heroic fortitude 1t
took nearl Y 10 minutes of solid reading and a
simple calculation told the inquiring mind that
at this rate the whole list of IS States would
consume six hours. Possibly, under all the cir
cumstances of the case, the Democrats might
cultivate patience enough to endure such a
siege, but TO the Republicans who didn't have
any interest in the proceedings worth mention
ing, anyway, the prospect was appalling. So
everybody mentally responded with fervent
amen when Senator Sherman arose and moved
that only the essential part of the returns
lie read showing the votes that had been given.
Even Mr.. Holman, of Indiana, fer once, did not
object, and the proposition met with unani-
nous approval. Under this arrangement the
States were worked of at the rate of nearly one
a minute, the whole list being gone through
with in little more than one hour.
Two or three times the Democrats allowed
their enthusiasm to get the better of their
discretion and broke out in applause when
votes for Cleveland were announced. Mr.. Ed
munds pounded yiciousiy with his gavel and
read them lecture, telling them that the pro-
ceedlngs must not be interrupted, and direct
ing the Sergcant-at-Arms to arrest "any gen.
tleman or other person" who should persist in
violating the proprieties OF the occasion. When
the final result was proclaimed, however, they
boiled over, and wave of loud applause swept
over the hall and through the galleries. 4 few
droll plumbers by the tellerS in announcing the
votes OF different States afforded some aniuse-
ment, and varied the otherwise dull monotony
of the proceedings. At the very outset Senator
Hoar read United States of Alabama which
elected cries Of What country is that"
Then there was laugh at Senator Pendleton's
expense when he said that Maine had given
Six votes for John 4. Logan, of Indiana" Mr..
heiier outdd them ALL lie announced that
Maryland had cast " six votes for Grover Cleve-
land, etc" 4 dozen voices in discordant
chorus, Whats that?" 4" How many?" Mr.
Keifer gave his glasses hitch, took fresh
look at the figures. and read eight votes for
Cleveland" Then there was a general laugh
mingled with shouts Of No cheatingi" Fair
Count" Eight TO seven is played out," 1t
Fad been imagined by some that the votes Of
several States would be objected TO on techni-
cal grounds but nothing of this kind occurred
A spirit OF grace mercy and peace brooded
-sver the assembly, and from first to last there
Jas nothing IN the nature of sensation. In
mediately at the close sir. Edmunds led
the solemn procession Of Senators out of the
hall, the House resumed its regular business,
and the electoral count was over.
CAMP-FIRE.
Burnside Post, OF this Department, gave a
most interesting Campfire on Thursday even
ing, the 18th inst. III their spacious Post ROOM
The interest of the occasion was increased by
the fact that Department Commander n. NJ.
Brooks, with the Department officers and staff
and nearly ali of the Past Commanders were
present
At the close OF a short business session, Com
mander Ingram called upon Past Department
Commander Alexander to preside, who, after
announcing the names of the prominent guests,
introduced the Department Commander who
made pleasant address. He was followed by
the Vice Commander and Comrades Burke
and Wisner. quartet from the Beethoven
Quartet Club, of this city, rendered most de-
lightful music, and received the hearty applause
of all present.
COmrade Alexander next introduced Com
raae Lewis Hanback,, a Member of Congress
from tho State Of Kansas. Comrade Hanback,
always eloquent, seemed to excel himself He
paid most beautiful tribute to Lincoln, and
afterwards, in graphic manner, described the
battle of Belmont.
He was followed by Comrade B0utelle. 4
Member of Congress from the State of Maine
who, IN no less interesting and eloquent man
ner, told of his early days in the Navy, and
how much he feared never being able to get
into an engagement with the enemy, and closed
with most interesting account of the capture
of Mobile, in which he participated as COM
mander OF one OF the war vessels engaged in
that undertaking. COmrade Boutele was as.
signed the hazardous duty of first taking a
boat over the distractions in Mobile Harbor
The boys were in good condition, after hear
ing Comrades Hanback, and Boutelle, to appre-
cate the last speaker. The Chairman intro
duced Ex-Governor Curtin, the great War
Governor Of Pennsylvania, ia a few fitting re-
marks, after which, amidst great cheering, the
old hero arose. To say that his remarks were