Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1889-02-23
COUNTING THE VOTE.
Harrison and Morton OficiaIIy Declared
Elected.

Hill set the silver mace Oh It's peucS-
tai, to signify that the House of Re-
representatives. was now in session.
Speaker Carlisle raped on the desk
to bring the House to order, but no
one needed. Chaplain Milburn laid
aside the cigar he was smoking in
the lobby, and walked rapidly to the
reading clerks desk, delivered
PRAYER suitable to the occasion. He
said:
"God Of our fathers, as the Senate
and the representatives of the people
will presently assemble in Congress
to announce and record, according
to prescribed form, that Benjamin
Harrison and Levi Perry Morton
have been chosen by the suffrages of
their citizens to the offices of
President and Vice President of the
United States, we humbly and de
voutly pray that Thou wilt have
them and their families in Thy sacred
care. Guard them from all peril and
danger and prolong their lives grant
them health and peace and everlast
ing blessings. Standing, as we do,
on the threshold of the second CEN
tury of our national history, when
theSbrains of the masses of men are
touched by finer intelligence and
possessed by more sensitive feel
ing, when mans monarchy in nature,
and the masterdom of its laws and
energies, are charging; when indus
try and inventive skill, the means of
transportation and communication,
are increasing when populations all
are charging and men are coming
closer together, and questions civil,
social, spiritual, are being agitated as
they never were before, in this time
of universal ferment and agitation,
Thy servant, the President-elect, has
been called by his fellow-citizens to
one of the most solemn and honora-
BILE posts to which a man could be
summoned to bear the sword, to
guard the Treasury, to maintain the
Constitution, and to execute the laws
of the nation within the united broth
erhood of sovereign states, and so
we humbly and earnestly pray that
Thou wilt Undue him and his advi-
sors with an excellent spirit and I'M
Outstanding, and may the peace of
God, which passeth all understand
ing, keep his heart and mind in Thy
knowledge and Thy fear, and so make
the land have peace and prosperity,
and the benediction of our God rest
on us all, we ask through Jesus
Christ our Lord"
THE SENATE ARRIVES.
A few minutes before one o'clock
the Senate formed in body in the
Senate Chamber and marched over
to the House of Representatives,
where the vote was ordered to be
counted.
Sergeant-at-Arms Canady took his
station at the main entrance to the
Senate Chamber, and the Senators
quickly formed in line, and, headed
by Mr. Canady and the venerable
Captain Bassett, marched in double
file through the principal corridor to
the House of Representatives.
Senator ingalls,, by virtue of his
Office of president of the Senate,
walked ahead of his colleagues, but
with this exception, there was no or
der observed, and each Senator fell
in line wherever he saw opportuni-
ty. The rear of the line was brought
up by Senator Chandler, Wilson
Gowa), ex-senator Ferry (Michi-
gan), and several of the principal
clerks of the Senate. A squad of
Capitol policemen was stationed just
outside the Senate Chamber, and
kept back the crowd until after the
procession had passed to the House.
Senator ingalls, leaned on the arm
of Secretary McCook, and Captain
Bassett carried the box containing
the returns from the Electoral Col
lege. The representatives remained
standing until the Senators had TAX
en- the seats assigned them, and then
Senator ingalls,, seated on the right
hand of the Speaker, called the joint
assembly to order.
Mr.. Ingalls, then said: "This be-
ing the day and the hour appointed
for opening the certificates and
counting the votes of electors for
president, the Senate and House of
Representatives have met together
pursuant to the Constitution and the
laws of the United States. If there
be no objection to the electoral vote
of the State of Alabama, the certifi-
cate will be read by the tellers, who
will make list of the votes thereof"
The presiding officer then broke
the seal of the certificate from Ala