Evening star., 1897-02-10
COUNTING THE Vote
hcKiDlGyald Hobart Formally
Declared Elected.
IN JOINT SESSION
The Galleries Were Crowded With
Interested Spectators.
TEE Vice PRESIDENT PRESIDED
Some Incidents of the impressive
Ceremony.
TEE Vice PRESIDENT PRESIDED
OTHER LEGISLATIVE DOINGS

rihai action IN the case Of the election
by the people of William Mckinley and
Garret A. Hobart President and Vice
President of the United States was taken
this afternoon in the presence of the
American Congress. The official ceremony
was held in the House of Representatives,
the Senate attending.
The proceeding today was the culmina-
ton OF series OF events extending over
The space of a year, all having for their end
the object accomplished today when Mr.
Mckinley and Mr.. Hobart were declared.
in accordance with law, duly elected Presi-
dent and Vice President
The first of this series of events occurred
about twelve months ago. or less when in
small communities throughout the land
consisting of wards and voting precincts.
in cities and of townships and other divi-
sions in the country, republicans began to
gather In public assembly. They discussed
the choice of candidates for President and
Vice President
Ihey selected men 10 attend county con-
fentions, to be held later, to express this
choice. Another set OF delegates subse-
quently went into state conventions and
named men to represent their constituents
at national convention, which was 10
finally make the nominations
This proceeding was varied in some states
by the holding of district conventions and
the selection only of delegates-at-large by
the state conventions.
Months were required TO accomplish all
this, and ii was June before the will of
the republicans at large. announced at
their primary meetings. found expression
in the nomination of Mr. Mckinley and
Mt. Hobart.
The Electors Send Their Votes.
Then commenced another series of events
| In each state a set OF officials had been
nominated, called presidential electors In
order 10 accomplish the election of Mr.
Mckinley ana Mr.. Hobart it was necessary
to elect these presidential electors. This
was done upon fixed day last November.
Then, upon speciIled cate all OF the
presidential electors met in their respective
states ana cast their votes for President
and Vice President This action was cCrti-
fled TO the President OF the United States
Senate in sealed communications.
Today these communications were OPEN
| ed in the presence OF Congress and the
votes counted. only today, therefore. has
| IL become officially known who were elect
| ed President and Vice President last No
vember.
The counting of the electoral vote, as to-
| days ceremony was called, attracted a
great thrcng of interested people 10 the
Capitol 1t was impossible to provide seats
| in the galleries of the House for all Who
tickets OF admission were isscci TO each
senator and representative. The holders of
| these together with three hundred persons
admitted to the public gall ary, co:npr sed
| the spectators of the act of counting the
votes
Galleries Crowded Early.
| Although the ceremonies were rot TO be-
| gin until l o'clock, the galleries were
| thrown open to the fortunate possessors
| OF tickets at 10 o'clock, and within hall
ar hour all the galleries except those re-
served for the diplomatic corps and the
Pre- sident were packed TO the doors with
| ladies in gay toilets and well-known men,
| T. any of them from a distance.
The hsll made brilliant setting for the
| impressive scene Above, through stained
glass, which hlied the interstices of the
| high fretted ceiling, shone the escutcheons
| of the various states, while the decorations
| of gray and gold relieved the dark spaces
| atove the densely crowded galleries.
| The crowds in the galleries were in the
| best of humor as they waited for the cere-
| monies to begin, while on the iloor the
members good-naturedly exchanged saluta-
| tions. The democrats who four years
ago laughed at the expense of their po-
| litioal adversaries today had the tables
| turned upon them.
Exactly at II O'Clock Speaker Reed. clad
| in a long black frock coat, ascended the
| rostrum, and standing in front OF the
] bright American flag which draped the
wall IN MS rear, Win one U MS
gaNel subdued the countless babel OF
voices.
Rev Couden the blind chaplain. seemed
impressed with the spirit of the occa-
sion and delivered an inspiring prayer:
| Many of the spectators rose and stood
with bowed heads.
Formal Proceedings.
As soon as the reading of the journal
was begun the babel broke forth only to d.
| interrupted with a sharp round of applause
| from the republicans as Mr.. Dingley, chair
man Of the committee on ways and means
and the floor leader of the House. walkot
down the aisle to his seat. When the read
| ing was concluded some routine matters, in
| which the spectators were in no wise inter.
ested, was transacted. Mr. Henderson
| 0owa) asked unanimous consent for the
| considers tion of minor bill reported by
| the judiciary committee. He explained It
| but Mr. Harrison CAla.) promptly objected
Then Mir. Henderson moved a recess unit
five minutes of ! O'Clock. but was de
| feated. He next called for the regular
der.
.'This is the regular order" replied Speak
er Reed sharply.
! Mr. Aldrich, chairman OF the committee
| on accounts. got the floor with some resolu-
tions, ard, after a little cross-fring with
| Mr. McMilin Crenn.), he got them passed.
| Mr. Mccall CTenn) tried to secure con-
| sfdera lion for bill to pay w. G. Brownlow
of the old Knoxville Whig moneys due for
printing before the war but Mr.. Sayers
| CTexas) objected.
The fortihcations and post office appro-
priation bills were reported.
Mr.. Brown Uenn) succeeded in having
passed the Senate bill. to amend the act
| creating the circuit court Of appeals in re-
gard to fees.
At 1850 pm. the House took recess for
five minutes.
In the meantime every seat In the gal.
leries, save those reserved for the execu-