Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-02-13


AL vorE-coL o'FERRALLs ACCOUNT OF THE
INTERVIEW WITH GROVER CLEvELAND-PER-
soNAL NOTES.
Especial Correspondence of Staunton Vindicator.]
WASHINGTON, Feb 1.-THE electoral votes
of the various States were canvassed to-day
by the two houses of Congress in joint session,
and the result of the late election was official
ly declared. There were no external circum-
stances attending this important event worthy
of note, unless the frightfully cold wave that
rolled over the capitol last night, sending the
mercury down to zero, may be deemed sym
bolic of the frigid zone into which the Repub
lican party was carried by the November gale.
If any member of that party has consoled
himself with the hope that it might be found
after all that New York. or Kentucky, or Texas
had cast their votes for Blaine and Logan, the
illusion was rudely dispelled to-day, by the
official announcement that Grover Cleveland,
of New York, and Thomas A. Hendricks, of
Indiana are duly elected President and Vice
President respectively, for the term of four
years from the 4th day of March, 1885.
The ceremonies which were wholly devoid
of any sensational features, took place begin
ming at noon in the Hall of the House. Half
an hour before that time the galleries were
| filed to OVERLOOKING, a large number of ladies
| richly attired gracing the scene with their
presence. The Diplomatic gallery was well
| filed the representatives of foreign govern
ments, from the continents and the far off isles
of the sea, sitting as interested spectators, to
| see how we choose our rulers The space in
rear of the seats on the floor of the House was
densely filled with ladies and gentlemen,
friends CT the Congressman, who had been
favored with invitations. Every available foot
of standing room was occupied. Besides the
| 401 Senators and members, nearly all of whom
were present, the number of spectators was
not less than $1,000 To accommodate the
| grave and reverend Senators the first two rows
of seats Immediately in front of the Speakers
desk, were vacated by the Representatives,
who slowed themselves wherever they could
find place to sit or stand.
At precisely 10 o'clock Mr.. Blackburn, the
Speaker pro tenn, raped with his gavel and
| announced the Senate of the United States,
| whereupon the members arose to their feet.
| Down the center aisle marched the Senators,
| two and-two, with Edmunds, solemn and state
| ly, his frosty pow covered by black skull
cap, at the head Of the procession. Mr.. Ed
munds assembled the platform and was politely
bowed into the Speakers chair by Mr.. Black
burn, who seated himself in chair at his left.
Then they all sat down, and President Ed
muuds plunged briskly into the business of the
hour. The tellers on the part of the two
| houses were at the clerks desk below the
''pulpit'-Senator Hoar of Massachusetts, and
Representative Clay of Kentucky, on the right.
and Senator Pendleton and Representative
Keifer both of Ohio, on the left. It will be
noticed that Ohio, with two of the four tellers
had unusually facilities for ensuring fair
COUNT
At minutes past -, Mr. Edmunds closely
watched by Mr.. Blackburn, open the sealed
packets received, one by messenger and one by
mail, from the State of Alabama, and with the
proper announcement of the character of the
| documents he handed them to Hoar and Clay.
They were duly examined and Mr.. Hoar read
one of them entire. The document like IL
the others, was tediously long, the law re-
| quiring in all such matters painful particu-
larity of detail. The reading of this occupied
nearly Is minutes. AT that rate the entire
proceeding would occupy six hours. It is
| quite possible that under all the circumstances
! the Democrats would have been able to sit
with Christian patience even for SO long
| time. Senator Sherman seemed to take little
interest in the proceedings, however, and
| doubtless in this respect. fairly represented
his party colleagues in both houses. He moved
| that the various documents be duly examined
by the tellers, but that only the essential parts,
announcing for whom the votes were cast, be
read. This met with unanimous approval,
and under this arrangement the work was rap
| idly accomplished, the whole ceremony occu-
| plying but a few mi nutes more than an hour.
Each of the tellers in turn read the votes of
the States, as they were opened and handed
them by Mr. Edmunds.
| Under the heavy pressure Of such weighty
| duties all the tellers made mistakes which
caused much laughter at their expense. At the
very outset Senator Hoar began to read
"United States of Alabama" eliciting half a
| dozen EXPLANATIONS such as, ''What country is
that?" Senator Pendleton gravely announced
| that Maine had cast six votes for ''John A.
Logan, of indiana, for Vice President which
was greeted with boisterous levity. Mr. Keifer
read the vote of Marylund as Sc votes for
J Grover Cleveland for President" "How
many" asked score of voices. Then the
ex-speaker adjusted his eyeglasses, took an
other look at the figures, and announced
.seight votes for Grover Cleveland" This was
received with great laughter and cries of 'No
cheating!" 'Fair count ~ all of which afforded
| the large crowd much amusement, and reliev-
| ed the somewhat monotonous character of the
proceedings. Mr.. Clay's turn came when he
read that New York had cast ''36 votes for
| Grover Cleveland and SO for Thomas A. Hen
bricks" 'sWhat for 2" shouted dozen voices,
| whereupon he corrected the announcement so
| as to convey the essential information that the
one had been voted for for President and the
other for Vice President.
As the votes of several of the States were
| read there was an evident desire on the part of
the Democrats to give vent to their feelings
by little applause, but the stern and
austere appearance Of Mr.. Edmunds was sufi-
cient to repress any demonstration until New
| York was given. Then some one clapped his
hands as s'starter" and there was vigorous
response, which ran over the house and
through the galleries. The presiding officer
| pounded savagely with his gavel, and in a
4laat III "a