Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1893-02-17
THE VERDICT IS RATIFIED.
Cleveland and Stevenson Can Now
Be Inaugurated.
A Ceremony Which Attracted An EnOr-
nous Crowd to the Capitol.

nous Crowd to the Capitol.
Grover Cleveland, s.of New York, and
Adlai Stevenson, of IIlih4|sS weS officially
announced to have been elected President
and Vice President of the United States.
Although the country at large was pretty
we'll sati fed by noon on the 9tn OF last NO
vember that these gentlemen bad been chosen
for the two Offices named, their election was
10. constitutionally announced unth
O'Clock Wednesday. At that hour the HOUSE
and Senate met in joint session to e1ere'se
the highest function Of Congress, that OF
counting the electoral vote OF tne se'eia'
States and certifying to the election OF
President and Vice-President
LADIES CROWD THE FLOOR.
Coming. as it does, only once In four years,
the ceremony always excites interest "hhe
the proceedings are most simple aud routine
in their character there is something about
them that always attracts big crowd.
Thr hours before the joint session was 70
be held mea and women came fiocsing 70 I'd
Capitol in order to secure advantageous
seats in the public galleries Nnen eIe
| House met at IL o'clock there was not stand-
ing room left except in the reserved ana
tress galleries. Cards of admission had oeen
! issued by the members for the reserved gal-
! Ieres ut, as is usual on such occasions, tners
were about twicea many ckets dl'tTlou'eu
as there were seats for the holders.
In consequence of this ral her unusual
scene Yves presented OF the floor Oh .ne
House. By resolution it was olderel tnas
/ kso1-o nd W
not find admission, and the ladl OF Tue 'ou
lies of Senators and members should De ao-
mitted to the floor. Within FIVE minutes
after the passage of the resolution every
space except that reserved for the oe'aoois
was occur led by fine dressed women anu
many pretty children. Several OF the IN
qressmsp surrounded themselves with theh
wives and ch ldren and gave the occa'i'"
the appearance of big family airalr.
THE SENATE ARRIVES.
At1e:55 o'clock Doorkeeper Turner, Of the
House announced:-
"The Vice-Pres ident and the United States
Senate and all eyes were turned to the
main entrance to catch glimpse of the only
really uniq e feature Of the occasion. This
was the venerable Captain Bassett, whose
function it has been for more than half
century to assis tat the counting OK the cleo
toral vote. Past three score and ten, he has
been in the employ OF the Senate for sixty
ona wears. and assisted at every ceremony
similar 10 that of to-day since Martin Van
Bnren was elected The old servitor has
been quite i'll this Winter and showed the
effects in his slow step and white cheek. He
entered attended by a squad of Capitol
police. The two boxes containing the el'c-
toral votes were carried on either side by
means of a broad strap thrown over the old
rentleman's shoulders. His partially bald
head was protected from draughts by a
silken cap which hid much of the glory OF
the Captains snow-white hair, and gave 70
him strange appearance.
COMPUTING THE RETURNS.
After Captain Bassett had deposited his
valuable burden at the Speakers desk, and
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 the VIII le proceeding
which was disturbed twice by applause. The
first time this occurred was when the vote OF
Illinois was announced for Cleveland and
Stevenson. It was promptly checked by
Vice. President MOI ton and was not repeated
until tne final announcement when there
was hand-c!apping among several OF the
members. but which was not Joined in gen.
orally by the audience.
The ceremonies attending the counting OF
the vote are prescribed by joint resolution
reported by Senator Hoar in 1883, and which
has been made applicable to all succeeding
elections and has been incorporated 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
Maine, and Mr.. Blackburn, Of Kentucky.
At the last electoral count the tellers for
the Senate were Mr.. Manderson, OF Nebraska
the president pro tenn. Of the Senate, and
Mr. Harris of Tennessee, the Democratic
Nestor Of that body. Speaker Crisp ap..
pointed Judge Chipmsn, OF Michigan, ana
Henry Cabot Lodge (SenRtor.elect from
Massachusetts) as tns House telIers. Four
years ago the corresponding Off ials were
Mr.. Ermentrout. OF Pennsylvania, aud Mr..
Baker, Of New York.
The actual ceremonies were nearly the
same as four years ago, with slight di1er-
ence in personnel. The members OF the upper
chamber were, of course, received by the
House with becoming respect. The wee
President ascended the Speakers platform
and took his seat at the right hand OF
Speaker Crisp, the Senators ranging them
selves in the places assigned to them on the
right Of the hall.
After the last certificate had been read
and the results footed up the Vic e-President
made the customary announcement that
Grover Cleveland, of the State of New York,
was elected President of the United States,
and that Adlai Stevenson was electe Vice
President OF the United States, each for the
term beginning March A, 1898, and that TO
this result would be entered together with
list of the votes on the journals Of the Senate
and House Of Representative