The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-02-11


joined to-day with the Senate.-in witness.
ing the count of the electoral vote for
President ana Vice President of the
United States for the term beginning
March 4, 1897. and after the announce
mcnt of the result adjourned.
The votes OF the several States were
read in turn by the teliers, Senators
Lodge and Blackburn, and Representa-.
tives Grosvenor and Richardson, and the
result was stated By Vice President Ste.
vcnson, who presided.
1t was that Mckinley had received 271
votes for President and Mr.. Bryan l16:
that Mr.. Hobart hal received 21l votes
for Vice President: Mr.. Sewall, 1l9 and
Mr.. Watson 81. It was stated that this
was sufficient declaration in law of the
election oe Mckinley and Hobart for the
term stated as President and Vice. Prcsi-
dent respectively.
The proceedings were witnessed by an
immense crowd of spectators, which
filled all the galleries. but without the
crush III the building that hats marked
previous similar occasions The specta-
tors were largely the members of Con-
gressmen's families and their intimate
friends, the galleries by resolu ton. having
been reserved for their use. One section
of about 200 seats was thrown open to the
public.
The abandonment by Murray, OF South
Carolina, of his cviouslv.announced in
tention to object to the counting of the
vote of that State, had The effect OF de.
creasng general interest. 1t fell to Mr.
GrosVenor's lot To announce the nine
votes for South Carolina for Bryan and
Scwnll As lie did so an eXpectant
silence fell on the assembly, but not n
whisper OF protest was heard. Mr.. eros
venor declared that the certificate ap.
peared to he i'll proper form and it.was ac-
ccptcd.
In the hour prior to the assembling of
the joint convention the Notifications
and the postotiice appropriation bills
were reported and placed on the calendar
The notifications bill carried IN appro
priation of 50, IFS, 325 or upwards of 3d.
600, 600 below the estimates. No new
works are authorized. the policy adopted
in the Fiftieth Congress of continuing
present projects being adhered to. The
postoilice bill carries an appropriation of
500, Gil IA, being 81 ,003, 691 below the
estimates, and 50, 040, $50 greater than the
amount for the present fiscal year. There
is an increase of the allowance for free
delivery and also 70" the letter curriers'
i'll 1cw free district offices.
The members OF the Senate, headed by
Sergeantat- Arms Bright and Assistant
Layton. appeared ut the main door on the
north side II few minutes before O'Clock
and were annolinced by Doorkeeper
Glenn. Following the Nice-President
and Secretary of the Senate Cox came two
of the dOOrkeepers carrying the mahoS-
ony boxes containing the sealed electoral
returns from the several States. The
ncstors of the Senate, Morrill,, of Ner..
mont, and Sherman, of Ohio, headed the
procession and took the seats Immediately
in front of the speaker and to tho right.
The other Senators. the Representatives
rising to their feet, found their seats on
the first four rows. At one sminute be-
fore | o'clock, President Stevenson
called the convention to order, Speaker
Reed sitting to his right, and Lodge,
Blackburn, Grosveror and Richardson,
the tellers of their respective Houses, in
front at the clerks desk.
Mr.. Stevenson said: 1.-THE Senate and
House Of Representatives have met in
Joint session pursuant to the law Of the
United States on this day appointed for
the opening of the certificates :.nd count.
ing of the votes Of the electors for presi-
dent and Vice. PRESIDENT of the United
States. The certificate for the State of
Alabama will be read
Then Senator Blackburn read the GER
tificatc of Alabama in full, and the result
announced II votes for William Jennings
Bryan, of Nebraska, Tor President, and | |
votes for Arthur Sewall, of Milne, for
Nice-President.
Senator Sherman-I move, Mr. Presi.
dent, that the reading of the formal GER.
tificate he omitted in the case Of the re-
manning States.
The Vice President-If 40 Objections
the certificates will not he read, but the
result will he announced by the telers
after they have satisfied themselves of
the correctness of the returns.
The tellers, then in rotation, announced
the votes of the several States. The en-
velope in each case was handed TO the tel
lers. opened and the certificate examined
This required IL minute or more
There were no surprises i'm the an
nouncemcnts the electors having voted
us it was expected they would when
chosen last November.
Mr.. Grosvenor's statement that Califor-
mia had cast an electoral vote for'Arthur
j. Sewall, of Maine, for Vice President
of the United States,'' evoked several
questions as TO the accuracy of the ~, -
but no formal action was taken
y laugh was raised at the expense of
MIR. Lodge, who announced the vote of
Missouri for William Mckinley, which it
was not ut all, the vote having gone to
Bryan. 1t also fell TO Mr. Grosvenor to
with II sense of satisfaction manifest to
ALL The call of the States having been
completed the e-Presitient said the
tellers would announce the result of the
vote. This was. done by Senator Lodge,