The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-03-01
CONGRESS COUNTS VOTES
Declares Roosevelt and Fairbanks to
Be Officially Elected.
DESCRIPTION OF THE CEREMONY
Much Hilarity Among Senators and Rep
resentatives During the Reading Of
tho Credentia1s-Both House and Sem
ate Meet Jointiy-Nrrs. Roosevelt, Son
and Daughter Present.

StO uAoct
and Daughter Present. :
Washington, D. C.--Assembled in
joint convention. the two Houses OF
Congress observed the last formaiity
required to assure the election of Theo-
dore Roosevelt to the Presidency and
Charles Warren Fairbanks to the Vice
Presidency. They canvassed the votes
cast by the so-called electoral colleges.
That is, a committee of Senators and
Representatives solemnly read the, OH
cial documents declaring the facts
known on the ereningaOfs Election Day.
The ceremony was begun at / o'clock
in the afternoon, Senator Frye, in ac-
cordance with the. terms of the statute
occupying the chair. with Speaker Can
non on his left. He announced thai
unless there was objection the reading
Of the formal parts of the credentials
would be omitted. There vas INT
IF there is no objection" said Mr..
Frye. "the chair will now open the
credentials from the State Of Alabama,
and the tellers will count and make a
list Of the votes from that State
There was no objection, but Mr. Frye
had forgotten to announce the tellers.
An awkward pause occurred at that
point and continued until Mr.. Frye
ordered the tellefs to come forward.
His admonition brought Senators Bur-
rows. Of Michigan, and Bailey, Of
Texas. and Representatives Gaines. Of
West Virginia. and Russell, Of Texas,
to the clerks desk.
Cries of Louder! greeted the effort
of Senator Burrows to announced thai
'tSe credentials of the State Of Ala.
bama appear to be regular in form and
duly Authenticated When Senator
Bailey, in a rich, clear and sonorous
voice announced the vote Of Arkansas
there. was a scattering round OF ap.
plause.
At the announcement that Maryland
cast one vote for Roosevelt there was
spirited applause. but there was a
greater volume Of hilaritJ when it was
proclaimed that the State cast seven
votes for Parker and Davis.
A prolonged 5demanst.at i0n occurred
when the vote of Missouri was read
and recorded. The reading fell to thdi
lot of Representative Gaines. AS soon
as he announced that the State voted
for Roosevelt, the Republican Repre-,
sentatives ~applauded with great yig0r,
The Senator's sitting to the right OF the
presiding officer, as required by law,
looked on,with Amusement written on
their, faces. Representative Louden-
slayer pounded the desk in front OF
him so as to make a din that could be
heard above q cackling laugh coming
from the vicinity of Representative j.
Adam Bede.
The demonstration was renewed
when the votes for Fairbanks were
By this time the nantes.
itation had become 81 bOisterous that
Theodore Roosevelt. Jr., sitting with his
mother and aunt. Mrs. W. s. Cowles.
>and sister. Miss Alice. in the first row
Of the Executive gallery, permitted
himself the luxury Of a smile that by
easy sta res in a very short time over
spread his entire face. Before that
time he had been the most solemn
faced person in the crowded galleries.
At Las D. m. forty-fye minutes after
the convention was called to order,
fbe Y was finished. Then Mr..
Frye said: 1.-THE credentials OF all
the States have been read, The teiiers
will now make iual ascertainment OF
the result and report the same to the
president pro temnorp of the Senate"
Five minutes lator Senator Burrows
reported. to President pro tempore
FRYE that Of the 4T6 votes cast Roose.
velt and Fairbanks had each received
CSC votes and Parker and Davis l4o
votes.
Then the presiding officer. after re-
peating the report made by the teilers,
said:
s.This announcement by the Presi.
dent OF the Senate shall he deemed a
sufficient declaration of the persons
elected President and Vice-Presldent
of the United States. each for the term
beginning March 4. 1905, and shall be
entered together with lists Of the votes
on the Journals Of the Senate ana
House Of Representatives. Gentle
men. the purpose for which this JOINT
convention has been called having been
ACCOMPLISHED. the presiding officer dls:
solves the joint convention. Senators
will return to their chamber"
The Senators withdrew. anu tne
House and galleries were speediiy
emptied. :.