The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-02-22
ELECTORAL VOTES COUNTED.
Cleveland and Stevenson Form
ally Declared Elected.
The Impressive Scenes Attending
the Official Canvass.

Great crowds were drawn to the Capitol
at Washington by the formal ceremonies in
cident to the official counting Of tbs electo-
raj vote Of the States for President anG
Vice-President.
The ceremonies attending the counting Of
the vote are prescribed by joint resolution
reported by Senator Hoar in 1888, and in
corporated in the Supplementary revised
statutes. 1t provides that when the two
houses OF Congress are assembled In tho hall
of tho House of Representatives pursuant
to the requirement Of the Constitution, that
two persons be appointed tsllers on the part
Of the Senate and two on tho part Of the
House Of representatives, to make q list of
the votes as they shall be declare T. that the
result shall be delivered to the Preeident Of
tho Senate, who shall announce the vote and
the persons elected to the two houses, which
shall be deemed a declaration OF the persons
President Morton several days before ap-
pointed al tellers on behalf Of the Senate
for this ceremony Mr.. Hale Republican,, OF
Maine, and Mr.. Blackburn Democrat, OF
Kentucky. Speaker Crisp appointed Judge
Chapman, of Michigan. and Henry Cabot
Lodge, tSenator-slect from Massachusetts,,
as tho House tellsrs. ........
As early as ton o'clock . steady stream Of
people began to flow towards the great white
building on Capitol Hill, and long bsiore an
hour had passed every available seat In tho
galleries-excspt those reserved for the Exc
cutive and Diplomatic Corps-had an occu.
pant. Up to the tims Of the meeting OF the
House no one graced the bench reserved for
the Speakers family. In tho main public
gallery were many fashionably dressed
women.
The actual ceremonies preceding the cere-
monies of counting the electoral ballot were
nearly the same as four years ago. There
was tho cersmonious opening OF the safe In
the Vice-Pre5idents room and the taking out
of the eighty-sight sealed packages supposed
to represent the votes Of the forty-four
States AZ received in duplicate by mail and
messenger there was the procession, led BY
Captain Bassett, who has participated In
every Presidential count for more than sixty
years, and his escort OF squad OF Capitol
police.
Promptly at one o'clock the Senate,
headed by the Vice-Prasidsnt, Levi P. Nor
ton, entered the Hall Of the House. The
Vic:-President took the seat Of honor at the
right Of the Speaker, and having called the
joint assemblage to order proceeded formally
70 open ono Of the boxes In which were con-
Cdlu0O GuC T0IuEuS VI Iu6 ISloCkOTS VI euo
various States. The first return-that of
Alsbama-was handed to Senator Hale, one
Of the tellers, who, in low but distinct
voice, read the statement showing that the
eleven votes Of that State had been cast for
Cleveland and Stevenson.
Then the certificates were presented with
out formal reading, the tellers merely stat
ing the result. TIE utmost dignity was
preserved until Teller Blackburn announced
that the State Of Illinois had cast twenty
four votes for Cleveland and Stevenson.
Then the spectators broke into applause.
The totals announced by the Vlce.Presi-
dent were: Cleveland and Stevenson 277,
Harrison and Reid 145. Weaver and
Field ~.
Altar the last certificate had been read
and the results footed up, the Vics-Presi.
don't made tho customary announcement
that under the law this was q sufficient de-
claration that Grovsr Cleveland. Of the
State Of New York, was elected President ol
tho United States, and that Adlat Z. Steven.
SON was elected Vice-Presidento Of the United
States, eacn for the term beginning March
4, 1898, and that this result would be en-
tered, together with q list Of the votes, on
the journals Of tho Senate and House OF Rep.
resAntarives. ......' =
The joint session was then declared dis
solved; the Senate Withdrew, and each
House resumed business in its own chamber.