Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-02-09
COUNTING THE ELECTORAL VOTE.
The Event Draws Immense Crowds
to the National Capital.
Congress in Joint session Yesterday
Enmnfrd lie Nntr md inrmnlly Declnreti

TO tue NGIlO1dl CdIOlIdl.
Congress in Joint Session Yesterday
Counted tie Vote and Formally Declared
the Election of Cleveland and stevenson
United Press Dispatch by Special Nirea.
WAsuISGToE, Fob. s. - immense
crowds We're drawn to The capitol to-day
by the merely formal ceremonies Incl
dent to the official counting of the cleo
toral vote. 1t was Hn undress rehearsal
Of Inauguration. 7 lie bright sunshine
and breeze which marked the day were
boldly claimed as Cleveland weather."
and were sharply contrasted with the
dismal atmospheric surroundings which
have SO unfortunately accompanied
nearly every one of Mr.. Harrison's
public appearances, commencing with
the drenching rain of his Inauguration
day, and even following him into each
OF his private duck neutrality-suspicious..
Visitors flocked into the city at an
early hour, and the stands on the streets
in the line Of the proposed procession
are in course of erection, so they have
had the occasion of the first public de-
monstratton; and it was most success
full one in point of numbers and enthu-
siasm, though there was little in the
actual proceedings to call out any ex-
element.
The statute prescribing the ceremonies
attending the counting of the vote pio-
vides that the two houses of Congress
shall assemble in the hall of the House
of Representatives on "a certain We'd
nesdny in February" which this year
falls on the Sth, lat 10 o'clock, and the
President of the Senate shall be
the presiding officer; that two
persons be appointed tellers on the
part of the Senate and two on the part
of the House of Representatives to make
list of the votes as they shall be de-
clared; that the result shall de delivered
to the president of the Senate, who
shall announce the state of the vote and
the persons elected, which shall be
deemed declaration of the persons
elected President aud Vicc-president Of
the United States, and, together with a
list Of votes, be entered on the journals
of the two houses"
Vice-president Morton some days since
appointed as tellers on behalf of the
Senate for this important ceremony Mr.,
Hale (Me.) and Mr. Blackburn (ky)
Speaker Crisp appointed Judge Chip
man (Alich.) and Henry Cabot Lodge
(Mass.l as the House tellers.
The actual ceremonies were nearly
the same to-day as four years ago, with
slight difference in personnel. There
was the ceramOnious opening of the
safe in the Nice-president's room, and
the taking out of the So sealed verdicts
supposed to represent the votes of the
IA states as received in duplicate by
mail and messenger; there was the
solemn procession, headed by old cap
tain Bassett, who has participated in
every presidential count for more than
go years, escorted by squld OF Capitol
police, to prevent raid being made
upon the precious locked boxes con
tanning the votes. This was precau-
ton originating on the fears of Vice
president Ferry in the troublous times
of the disputed count in 1877, and it
has since been kept up.
The boxes having been safely de-
posted in the House, the Senate, in
body, followed, shortly before l0O'clock.
The members Of the upper chamber
were, of course, received by the House
with becoming respect.
The Nice-president advanced to the
Speakers platform and took his seat at
the right hand Of Speaker Crisp, the
Senators ranging themselves in the
places assigned to them on the right Of
the hall, and the Speaker sitting at the
left hand of the Vice president, and in
that manner the count proceeded in the
presence of densely packed galleries
and crowded floor.
Following the precedent observed
upon former occasions, unless demand
was made that the certificates be read
in full, the tellers, having ascertained
that the certificates were in due form
and properly authenticated, omitted the
actual certificate of the aSccrtainment of
the electors appointed and the preiimi-
nary formal statement Of the proceed
ings of the college, and proceeded
rapidly with the reading and ascertain
ment of the result.
After the last certificate had been
read and the results footed up, the Vice
president made the customary an
nouncement that under the law this
was sufficient declaration that Grover
Cleveland, of the State of New York,
States, and that Adlai Il. Stevenson was
elected Nice-president OF the United
States, each for the term of four years,
beginning March 4th, 1893, and that this
result would be entered, together with a
list Of the votes, on the journals of the
Senate and House of Representatives.
The joint session was then declared
dissolved, the Senate withdrew and
each house resumed business in its own
chamber,