The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1931-01-30

qua. US were stationed at every en-
trance to enforce this order.
Shortly after noon the senators
filed into the house chamber, and
, took their seats in a semicircle ar
ranged for them in front of the
speakers desk. The presiding Off
Ger was conducted to his chair, and
tellers took their places at the
clerks table. Vice President Breck-
enridge then arose and in a calm,
firm voice, announced that the two
houses were assembled to count the
electoral votes for President and
Vice President of the United States.
at is my duty" he said, 'to open
the certificates of election in the
presence of the houses, and l now
proceed to the performance of that
duty"
No one knew the gravity of the
occasion better than the chairman.
None realized more than he that
fully three-fourths of those who sat
beneath the vaulted dome were
armed to the teeth, and that the
slightest spark might touch off a
shocking conflagration. But those
who expected John G. Breckenridge
to stultify his high office by con-
spiracy to overthrow the govern
ment did not know the man. Firm
ly believing the triumph of the Re
publican party to be a menace to
the South, he would shortly return
his commission as senator to his
constituents in Kentucky, forsaking
fame and fortune under. the Stars
and Bars. But today he was presid-
ing officer Of the federal senate, and
Jupiter never ruled a council of
Olympus with firmer hand.
A southern member arose. but the
chairman anticipated him. Eek
cept questions of order, no motions
can be entertained" he declared.
The senator stated that he wished
to raise point of order. SIS the
count Of the electoral vote to pro-
coed under menace?" he shouted.
Shall members be required to per-
form a Constitutional duty before
the Janizaries of General Scott are
withdrawn from the hall?"
"The point of order is not sus-
tained," ruled Breckenridge emphat-
ically, as he directed the count to
proceed.
Slowly, one after another, the long
sealed envelopes containing the votes
of the various states were opened.
Maine for Lincoln" was followed
by a slight ripple of applause. South
Carolina for Breckenridge" was lost
in an outburst of hand-clapping,
quickly and starnly suppressed by
the presiding officer. Then, in
breathless silence and with profound
attention on the part of all present,
John c. Breckenridge arose from his
seat, standing erect, the most digni-
fed and imposing person in that
presence.
abraham Lincoln" he announced
with a distinctness that carried his
mellow voice to the most distant
corner of the gallery, ''having re-
ceived a majority of the whole
number of electoral votes, is duly
elected President of the United
States for the four years beginning
on the fourth of March, 1861"
How the Civil war touched person.
ally this southern family, the Lincolns.
who occupied the northern White
House during those four eventful
years, is shown in another incident
told by Mr.. Townsend. Mary Todd
had half-sister named Emile, and
she married Ben Hardin Helm, a Lex
ington boy who was graduated from
West Point shortly before the open
ing of the Civil war and cast his for
tunes with the Confederacy.
The aftermath is told in these words
of Judge David Davis:
81 never saw Mr.. Lincoln more
moved than when he heard of the
death of his young brother-in-law. Ben
Hardin Helm, only thirty-two years
old, at Chickamauga. 1 called to see
him about four o'clock on the 22d of
September. l found him in the great
est grief. Davis said he, 4 feel as
David of old did when he was told of
the death Of Absalom. l saw how
grief-stricken he was. so l closed the
door and left him alone"
GO by Western Newspaper Union.)