The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-02-10
COUNTING ELECTORAL VOTE.
An Interesting Ceremony Perfo rmed
by Congress Today.
Count and Tabulation Proceeds With
Great Form-Galleries Are Always
Crowded-No Announcement Made as
to Who is Elected.

Great Form-Galleries Are Always
Crowded-No Announcement Made as
to Who is Elected.
ESPECIAL TO THE PREss.J
Washington, February 9.-Today will
OCCUR one of the most interesting cere-
monies participated in by the two Houses
of Congress, the counting of the electoral
vote, In accordance with the law and
the Constitution the presidential electors
have met in their several states, cast
their votes for the candidates of their
choice, aDd transmitted the result by
special messengers, who have delivered
the messages into the hands of the Vice
President.
These forty-6ve messengers having
brought in the returns from as many
states, the two Houses will proceed to
tabulate and count the returns on We'd
neaday. The tabulation and count pro-
ceeds with considerable form. At one
O'Clock the Senate form in line, the
sergeant-at-arms leading and tht Vice
President and Secretary of the Senate at
the head of the file, and march from
their cham ber, through the rotunda and
to the House side. They there present
themselves at the door, and the door
keeper Of the House meets them. lie an
nounces to the Speaker tho Vice Presi-
dent and the Senate of the United States.
The members and officers cf the House
rise TO receive them. The Vice President
takes the Spea ker's seat, the latter oocu
pying chair on the Vice President s
eft. The Senators take sents reserved for
them.
Meanwhile the great galleries of the
HOUSE have been filed with an eager and
interested audie nee. Il is a difficult
matter to gain admission to these
galleries, since only two tickets are is
sued to each Representative, Senator ana
Judge of the Supreme court. This num-
ber is not suffi Client to accommodate the
families of most mem bers. to say nothing
Of friends or constituents who may be
desirious of attending. In former years it
has been customary to issue large num-
ber of tickets: but as the GALLERIES will
hold only given number, many ticket
holders have been disappointed. This has
brought pressure to allow such disap-
pointed ones to have seats on the flo or.
Such intrusions on the floor greatly mar
the orderliness of the ceremony, and
might Re serious matter in case OF a
close and disputed election. So this year
only tickets enough for the seats have
heen issued, and an effort is TO be made
to keep thu floor reserved for Senators
and Representatives,.
The audience and the members having
assembled the Vice President takes the
gavel and the proccedinRs begin. Pre- :
viously four tellers have Deen appointed,
two on the part of the Senate. For We'd
nesday the Vice President has appoin ted
Senators Blackburn of Kentucky and
Lodge of Massachusetts, as tellerg, and
Speaker Rect has selected in tho House
# Representatives Grosvenor Of Ohio and
Richardson OF Tennessee. Mr.. Grosvenor
ucis for the Republicans and also is the
lnnn who is undoubtedly most gratifying
to Mr.. Mckinley. Mr. Richardson repre-
sents the party Of Mr.. Bryan.
These four teflers take their places at
the clerks desk and the Vice President
announces that the count will begin, and
the certificate from the State of Alabama
is presented and read. Then the other
state certificates are presented in alpha
betical order
After the reading of each certificate,
the Vice President cnlls for objections.
Such objections must be- in writing and
he signed by at least one Senator and one
mem ber of the House. The objections
having been read, the Senate wiuhdrRws
and the two bodies consider the objec-
tions separately. Then they rsassem bic
and 40 on with the count.
. 1t Is not probable that objection will be
made in any case, unless it be WHEN
south Carolina is called. Representative e
Murray, q coal-black colored man, and
the only one in Congress, represents the
Charleston district, and has talked Of OBJ
jecting to the South Carolina vote on the
ground that the people there do not enjoy
a Republican form of government. 1t is
doubtful, however, if lie does 80.
she vote having been tabuIated, the
telleYs announce how many votes have
been cast for each candidate, but there is
no announcement as to VINO is elected.
Many hnve thought it strange that
such announcement should not be made,
ut the Constitution does not so provide.
Hawever, the man elected is sup ssed to
be watching, and has never yet failed to
appear and take his sent although no
one announces his election, and he is not
off cially informed of it.
After the vote is completed, tho Senate
withdraw, and the COURSE of Congresson-
al life rnceeds as before.
Christians Defeated the Turks.