Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-02-18
THE VERDICT IS RATIFIED.
Cleveland and Stevenson Can Now
Pe Inaugurated.
\ Ceremony Which Attracted An Emory
nous Crowd to the Capitol.

nous Crowd to the Capitol.
Grover Cleveland, of New York. and
Adlai Stevenson, of Illinois, were officially
announced TO have been elected President
Al hough the country at large was pretty
w II sati fled by neon on the 9th Of last No
vember that these gentlemen fad been chosen
for the two offices named, their election was
no constilutionaliy announced until !
o'c.ock Wednesday. At that hour the House
and Senate met in j,nt session to exercise
The highest function of Congress, that Of
counting the electoral vote of the several
States and certifying to the election Of a
President and Vice President.
LADIES CROWD THE FLOOR
Coming, as it doe, only once in four years,
the ceremony always excites interest. While
the proceedings are most simple and routine
!n s.eir character there is something about
them that always attracts big crowd.
Thr, hours before the joint session was to
be held me1 and women came focsi 6 to tn
Capitol in order to secure advantageous
House met at IL O'Clock there was not stsnf-
ing room left except in the reserved and
Press ,lleries. Cards Of adm sion had been
issued by the membe for the reserved gal
leries Tut, as is usual on such occasions, there
were about twice as many ckets distributed
as there were seats for the holders.
In consequence OF this a ra her unusual
seen, was presented o, the floor of the
House. By reso ution it was iderei that
lad es holding gallery tickets and vi" coud
not find admission, and the ladi CT the am
lies OF Senators and members should be ad-
mitted to the floor. Within FIVE minutes
after the passage of the resolution every
space except that reserved for the Sc ators
was occur led by fine dressed women ana
many pretty children. Several Of the Con-
gressm n surrounded themselves with their
wives end ch ldren and gave the occasion
the appearance of big family affair.
THE SENATE ARRIVES.
At 1855 O'Clock Do rkeeper Turner, Of the
House an ounced:-
1.-THE vice-Pres ident and the United State.
Senate" and all eyes were turnei to the
main entrance TO catch glimpse of the only
really uniq feature Of the occasion. This
was the venerable Captain Bass tt, whose
function it has been for more than half
century to assis tat the counting of tie cleo
toral vote. Past three scors and ten, he has
been in the employ OF the Senate for sixty
ON years. and as listed at everv ceremony
sir liar TO that of to-day since Martin Van
Buren, was elected The old servitor has
been quite i'll this w inter and showed the
effects n his slow step and white cheek. He
entered attended by squad Ct Capitol
police The two boxe containing the Ell c.
fora! votes wer. carried on either side by
means of broad strap thrown over the old
gentlem ms shoulders. His partially bald
head was protected from draughts by a
silken cap which hid mu' h of the glory OF
the Captains snow white hair, and gave to
him strange appearance.
COMPUTING THE RETURNS.
After Capt,in Base bad deposited his
valuable burden at the Speakers desk, aud
unlocked the boxes, routine proceedings be-
gan They were very Interesting, being the
announcement of the vote of each State by
one of the tellers. There was. however, an
air of dignity about .he VIII le proceed &
which WIS disturb ed twice by appla Sc. The
first tim this occurre | was when the vote OF
Illinois was announce for Cleveland and
Stevenso". 1t was promptly checked by
Vice Presi lent Mo ton and WAS not repeated
until tire final announcement, when there
was hand-clapping among several OF the
orally by the auiienci.
The ceremon e. attending the countin Of
the vote are prescribe by Joint resolution
reported b. Senator Hoar in 1883 and which
has been made applicable to all succeeding
elections and has been incorpora. ed in the
supplementary revised statutes,
THE TELLERs
Vice President Morton some days since
appointed as tellers on behalf Of the Senate
for this important ceremony, Mr. Hale, OF
Mains, and Mr. Blackburn, of Kentucky.
At the last electoral count the te'lers for
the Senate were Mr.. Henderson Of Nebraska
the president pro tenn. of the Senate, and
! Nestor of that no iy. Speaker Crisp ap-
pointed Judg { hi min, of Michigan, and
Henry Cabot Lodge Senator, elect from
Massschusett) as tn :, Hous, tellsrs Fou
| yea ago the CORES po .deng Off isls wer
Mr., trmcntrout. Of Pennsylvania, ard MI
! Baker, OF New York
/ TIE actual ceremonies were nearl Y tn
same as four years ago, with slight differ
/ ence III personnel. The members of the W, 90
CHAMBER were, of course, received by tn
I Hose with bee, ming respect. The Vice
President assembled the Speakers platform
/ aud toof his seat at the right hand o
! Speaker Crisp, the Senators ranging them
selves in the places assigned TO them on thu
4 right Of the ball.
] After the last certificate had been req,
/ and the results footed up the Vic -Pre,iden
made the customary announcement iha
/ Grover Cleveland, of tn State OF New York
/ was elected President Of the United S. les
and that Adlai Stevenson was ell cite Woo
President of the United States, each for tn,
term beginning March 4, 1893, ard that tt
this result would I've on,ered together with
list of the votes on the j, irnais of the Senat
sld House OF Representatives.