The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1889-02-22
STATE VOTES COUNTED.
THE TWO HOUSES OF CONGRESS MEET
IN JOINT SESSION.

THE TWO OUSES OF CONGRESS MEET
IN JOINT SESSION.
Harrlson and Morton Formally Declared
Elected President and Vice President Of
Capitol Throngcd.
Washington ID. c. spcc.ai.l.
1t was Schiller who told us that every
rold leads to the end Of the world. The
end ofthe world for all Washington ON the
18TH inst. was the Capitol. It was IL bright.
clear. cold day. Washington City. tho
necca Oh the slght-seer In this country. is
DO SO familiar in the Inauguration days. 1t
was known that tho proceedings OF the
counting of the electoral vote were to be OF
the most formal character. There wcie to
scenes which have characterized this cerc-
Mony ut some periods in our history were
70 be witnessed. There was no qucs-
eo,ao as to the result. 1t was ono OF tho
colucst days OF the season, the thermome.
ter Indicating IL little below 20 degrees,
Mnlch is cold weather in Washington. The
!o!ht convention met ut 1 p. M. md the
Iwo houses assembled ut noon. yet us
carry as lo o'clock the convcyanccs lending
10 inc Capitol were crowded, and tho CORR.
dors about tho House. where the ceremony
Was 70 DC held. were jammed with people
crusning to find seats i'll the gallery. which
was already filled. Thu House. Us seems to
be the custom on such occasions, had
caused a large number of seats in the zen.
erai galleries to be reserved for members.
anu hiu issued tickets fur In excess of tho
capacity oil these galleries.
tho me moor OF inc House was arranged in
inc usual manner. Extra chairs were
paced IN all the vacant spots for the Sens
atc anu Tor such other distinguished p,r:
sons as We're to be admitted. The House
:. sotaiheu ITS rules and adopted a resolution
mere were ON the floor tht famiiics of
members. Those who were cliivairic rave
up tnelr seats to ladies. and tho electoral
Gun proceeded as in II joint convention
of the people.
The galleries ut the Hous. end were filed
early. andin tho dim. uncertain li.ht which
rs strained down into the vast House
through the stained glars in tho ceiling,
mere ecmcd to be all about that exranse
one great black fringe lighted up at inter-
walls by human faces. The mo~notonaus as
pect was not relieved by the bright colors
OF the Indies dresses. for there seemed TO be
y gul somberncss of color, even in the
diplomatic gallery. That gall nv at first was
empty. but long before the proceedings had
begun a few diplomats. and u great many
persons who were not diplomats, obtained
access through the swinging doo.s. Among
lnose present were the Austrian Minister,
the English legation. the German Minister,
and one or two minor diplomats unknown
to fame.
me electoral count was conducted not
only under different circumstances from
any which have preceded it. but it was the
hrst to be held in accordance with the pro.
visions of the now law. which bears date
only on February 8 of this year. The only
ou.Ward INDICATION that the new law had
gone into effect was the fact that the two
houses resolved themselves into u joint
convention without the customary notice
from the House to the Senate that the lower
Joint convention.
IN tho Senate the presiding officer dis.
piayed unusual expedition in disposing of
the morning business. and ut five minutes
baI RE-; 1 o,sioek announced that the limo
OF the Senate. Then the senate, preceded
Dy lts s~ergeant-at- Arms. Mr.. Cassidy. and
inc venerable Doorkeepcr. Hassctt, formed
N inc ana marched through the long corri-
aors ana beneath the dome to tho House.
brown covered box, which contained
the certificates of the electoral col
ieges.. which We're the official record of tho
cie.1ion OF Harrison and Morton. These
cefllllciltcj llt been carefully guarded by
the presiding officer of the Senate since they
were received i'll a; private part of the build
ing IN Il great safe especially prepared for
the PURPOSE. and the safe itself had been
under special guard since the uuy OF the nr-
rival OF the first certificate.
Arm i'll arm with Senator Wilson, nr Iowa.
ak ex-senator Ferry. of Michigan.
The procession from the Senate arrived in
advance OF the appointed hour The vencr-
able Senator Morrill,. wearing Il liaavg over
cont. for the day WAS sharp: j! : and
Dawes. of Massachusetts. and join. her
man made a notnblc grouD ON on, 4 the
front sofits; Payne and Coke. Glib O.. and
Slair occupied the next sofa; Stanford and
stewart. the two noted Representatives
from the Pnciilc coast. were ncxt. Eustis
sat by tho side of Chace. tho Quaker
Senator from Rhode Islnnd. the only |
memoer OF the Senate now who always
Ferry, of Michigan. and William l.. li,and-
Ter sat together. Daniel. the "Columbian |
orator of Virginia. and p.sco. of Florida, |
Who looks like Il Snaninrd. We're next, sit
and ,Cullom were next. Butlcr. of south
Carolina. sat by Sabin. Palmer, of Michigan. |
occupied n chair near linndnll. Mcpherson
sat close to Salisbury.
On one Of the back rows in the space al-
lotted to the Senate were two of the most |
conspicuous men In that ~body-EvarLs and
E!dmunds. Ransom and breckenridge came
in late. The detailed certificates of each |
stat" mere waived. and only tho results
"This announcement of tiis state of tho
vote by the President of the Senate is by |
INV y sufficient declaration that benjamin
harrison: OF the state Of Indiana. is elected
SAO oittCA I luu HID l
Levi p. Morton. of the State of New York.
is elected Vice President of the United |
States. each for the term beginning Mnrch
4. 1882"
1t Will be remembered that in 1855 Mr.. |
Elmunds. upon the completion of the count, |
said that his declaration OF the vote was a |
mere statement OF what appeared upon tho
Taco OF the papers. and that it hud no legal |
effect whatever. This attracted attention, I
as such IL statement was without precedent. |
The announcement was intendcdt to call ut. |
tcntion to the fact that tllcre WIS no law |
which gave to the joint convention the au- |
t'lority. to declare who was elected Iresi- |
dent; that the only Office the joint convcn.
ton then had was to count the votes and /
declare tho result; and that there was no |
provision for declaring the legal effect Of
that result.
The two houses then separated and the
joint convention was dissolved. TIL. record
of the declaration of the vote of the Joint
convention was entered upon the Journals |
of the two houses. Nothing now remains
Il so A1.~ .I --