The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-02-19
TIE ELECTORAL COUNT.
An Important Constitutional Question
Snrun- hY Senator Edmuads.

Inc ELEO iOFHL- SGONts
An Important Constitutional Question
Sprung by Senator Edmusds.
WASHINGTON, February 1.-THE gal
leries Of the House were not opened until |
1G:l5 this morning and were soon crowded /
and tho steps utilized for resting places. j
That portion Of the gallery reserved for |
families end friends OF Senators |
and Representatives was occupied !
mainly by ladies, while the position given !
up TO the general public was almost eX-
clusivcly filed with gentlemen. The execu- |
tive gallery was vacant and one diplomat
sat in solitary state in the gallery reserved
for the diplomatic corps.
On motion OF 9Ir. Keifer the Clerk Of the
House was instructed to inform the Senate
that at twelve o'clock the House wonG be
prepared to receive that body in conformity
with the provisions of the concurrent Teso-
lutiou reiatiEg to counting the Electoral
votes. At few moment before twelve the
Speaker pro ten. requested the members to
clear the 6rst two rows Of seats for Senator's.
At precisely twelve O'Clock the Senate OF
the United States was announced and were
headed BY SiT Edmunds and officers Of that
body. The Senators filed in and took the
seats assigned them, the President of the
Senate eating himself by Acting Speaker
Blackburn. Formal business then com
nenced.
SeraIor Edmonds, cH railing the assem-
oily 10 order, said: Tine two houses OF
Congress have met in pursuance to the cor
stitution and laws and a concurrent reso!u-
ton for the purpose Of executing the duty
required BIZ the constitution and laws in tho
matter of counting the electoral vote fsr
President and Nice-fTeSideD of the United
States. cast by the electors of the several
States, for tie term commencing March 4,
1885. The te!lers appointed By the Two
houses will please take tEeir places" the
votes OF the States were then announced in
alphabetical order, after which Senator
Edmulds rose and said: Il have now
opened the certificates OF the electors 81 all
the States and their votes have been re
ported. The telers viii now make their
cOmputation snd report the state sOf the
vote" AfteTthe telleTs had devOtcf them
selves TO figCring several moments Sen
ator IIuar read and handed the result OF
their computation to the presiding officer,
who said: Senators and gentlemen or the
House of Representatives, the telicrS have
reDOrted 10 the presiding officer tee state OF
the vote, from which it appears tl7t Grover
Cleveland, of the State OF New York, re-
ceived 2l9 VOtes for the Office OF President
of the United States; that games u.
Blaine. OF Maine received 1S2 Votes Tor the
same Offices that Thomas a. Hendricks, OF
Indiana. received 2l9 votes for the Office of
Vice-PresIdent Of the United States;
that JOHN a. Logan, Of Illinois, received
lS2 votes for the same office; wherefore,
| declare that Grover Cleveland. OF the
State of New York has received a majority
of the votes Of the whole number of cleo
tors as hey.appear in the certificates read
by the tellers and so appears TO have been
elected President of the United States for
four years, commencing on TIE 4th day OF
March. 1885, and that Thomas 4. Hen
bricks, of Indiana, has received majority
of the votes of the whole number OF cleo
tors as they appear Oil the certificates read
by the telle-s, and so appears to be elected
Vice-PzeSjdent Eof sthe United States for
four gears, commencing on the 4th
dsy of MarcS, 1885. The President o!
the Senate makes this declaration only as q
public statement in the presence of the
two houses of Congress of the contents o.
the paGers opened and read on this occasion,
and not rs possessing any authority i'll law
to declare any legal construction whatever
Here the immense audience broke into ar
plause and cheers; which the presiding OIL
Ger ATTEMPTED to suppress, but with little
effect The Senate then retired to Is
chamber and the House took recess 10
fifteen minutes.
IN THE SENATE.
Atl:25 D. IN. the Senators returned IL
their chamber and the President pro TEN.
having resumed the chair the te!lers on the
part o. the Senate (Hoar and PendletOn) ap
peared, and on their behalf Senator boar re
ported the electoral count When the tellers
report was completed. the President OF the
Senate repeated verbatim the closing sen
tence of the announcement made by him II
the Reuse relating to the declaration o
the Vete That sentence was as fol
lows: And the President of the Senate
makes this declaration only as public state
ment in.the presence of the TWO Houses o
Congress OF the contents of papers opened
and read on this occasion and as not pos
sessing any authority in law to declare an!
legal conclusion whatever This an
nounceIRent led to much comment, man
OF the Senators expressing their decide
oppositiOn and dissent. Two resolutions
Offered by Ingalls, and Hoar went over I'll
Thursday, when the subject would be II
opened It was thought a very impOrtan
constitutional question would now bav
10 be settled.