The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1897-02-18
BALLOTSARE COUNTED
Final Act in the Presidential
Election of 1896.
VERDICT RATIFIED BY CONGRESS
Were Filled With Guests Come
to Witness the Ceremony.

W JUICES tho ceremony
Washington, Feb. IL. The first
public exercises in connection with the
incoming administration occurred at
the capitol today when the houses Of
congress in joint session in the spacious
hall of representatives counted the cleo
toral votes of the various states and
listened to Vice-President Stevenson
formally announce the election of
William Mckinley as president and
Garret A. Hobart as vice-president of
the United States.
The weather was propitious. The
galleries of the house, save SMALL
space capable of seating only 200 per-
sons, were especially reserved for ticket
holders. The stairway and elevators
were beseiged in vain by the eager null
titude. Tickets had been distributed
by the senators and representatives,
and their guests consequently consti-
tuted the distinguished assemblage.
Although the ceremonies were not to
begin until o'clock, the galleries were
thrown open to ticket-holders at 10
O'Clock. Within half an hour all the
galleries except those reserevd for the
diplomatic corps and the president were
packed to the doors. Many ladies in
gay toilets were present. The crowds
in the galleries were in the best of
humor, while on the floor the members
good-naturedly exchanged salutations.
. Exactly at IL O'Clock Speaker Reed,
in long, black frock coat, assembled the
rostrum.
Shortly before l O'Clock the members
of the senate left their seats and walked
across to the hall of the representatives.
The members Of the house remained
standing, while the senators took their
places An assistant of Clerk Cox car
ried a red cherry steel-clasped box, in
which the returns Of 45 states reposed.
Vice-President Stevenson, who is by
law president over the joint session,
took his place by the side of Speaker
Reed.
Tellers Lodge of Massachusetts and
Blackburn of Kentucky, on behalf of
the senate, and Grosvenor Of Ohio, and
Richardson of Tennessee, on behalf of
the house, then assembled to the clerks
desk and Immediately below the speak
er's table and prepared to count the
vote.
Vice-President Stevenson assumed
the gavel and announced the purpose Of
the joint session. He unlocked the
box and broke the seal of the returns of
each state as reached. The formal GER
tificate of Alabama was read in full by
Blackburn, after which the reading Of
the long certificates was dispensed with
on motion of Sherman, the tellers SIM
ply announcing the results after ascer-
tanning by inspection that they were in
due form. The tellers made the an
nouncements in rotation.
At lao P. M. the vice. president
stated that the count had closed, and
directed the tellers to announce the re-
suit. There was hasty consultation
by the tellers, and then in strong
voice Lodge announced:
''The state of the vote for president
and vice president of the United States
as found by the tellers is: Whole num-
Der of electors, AIT, of which major
ity is 224. William Mckinley, of
Ohio, has received 271 votes for pres
ident, and w. J. Bryan, of Nebraska,
has received 176 votes.
''The state of the vote for vice-presi-
dent is: Garret A. Hobart has re-
ceived 271 electoral votes, Arthur
Sewall 149 and Thomas e. Watson %
votes"
Lodge handed the result to the vice
president. Stevenson rose and repeated
the vote, adding the constitutional an
nouncement that William Mckinley
and Carrot A. Hobart were elected
president and vice-president respective
", for the term beginning March 4.
This closed the proceedings, which
lasted fifty minutes, and had been de-
void of incident. The senators marched
back to their chamber and the house
odiourno1