Year: 1877

ceived and read, all such certificates,
votes and papers so objected to, and all
papers accompanying the same, together
with such objections, shall be forth
with submitted to said Commission,
which shall proceed to consider the same
with the same powers, if any, now pos
sessed for that purpose by the two
Houses acting separately or together,
and by a majority of votes decide
whether any, or what, votes, from such
State, are the votes provided for by the
Constitution of the United States, and
how many and what persons were duly
appointed Electors in such State, and
may therein take into view such petit
tions, depositions and other papers, if
any, as shall by the Constitution and
now existing laws be competent and
pertinent in such consideration which
decision shall be made in writing, stating
briefly the ground thereof, and signed
by the members of the said Commission
agreeing therein. Whereupon the two
Houses shall again meet, and such de-
cision shall be read and entered in the
journal Of each House, and the counting
of the votes shall proceed in conformity
Herewith, unless, upon objections
being made thereto in writing by
at least five Senators and five members
of the House of Representatives, the two
Houses shall separately concur in order
ing otherwise, in which case such concur
rent order shall govern. No votes or
papers from any other State shall be acted
upon until the objections previously
made to the votes or the papers from
any State shall have been finally dis
posed of.


Sec. 8. That while the two Houses
shall be in meeting, as provided in this
act, no debate shall be allowed, and no
question shall be put by the presiding
officer, except to either House, or a
motion to withdraw, and he shall have
power to preserve order.


Sec. 4. That when the two Houses
separate to decide upon an objection
that may have been made to the count
ing OF any Electoral vote, or votes, from
any State, or upon objection to report
of said Commission, or other question
arising under this act, each Senator and
Representative may speak to such objec-
ton or question ten minutes, and not
oftener than once, but after such debate
shall have lasted two hours, it shall be
the duty of each House to put the main
question without further debate.


SEC. That at such joint meeting Of
the two Houses seats shall be provided
as follows: For the President of the SEN
ate, the Speakers Chair; for the Speaker,
Immediately on the left; the Senators,
in the body of the Hall upon the right
of the presiding officer; for the Repre-
sentatives, in the body of the Hall not
provided for the Senators; for the Tel
lers, Secretary of the Senate and Clerk
of the House of Representatives, at the
Clerks desk for other officers of the
two Houses, in trent of the Clerks desk
and upon each side of the Speakers
platform. Such joint meeting
shall not be dissolved unit
the count of the Electoral votes shall
be completed and the result declared
and no fecess shall be taken unless {
question shall have arisen in regard tC
counting any such votes or otherwise un
der this act, in which case it shall bt
competent for either House, acting sep
arately in the manner hereinbefore pro
vided, to direct recess of such House
not beyond the next day Sunday ex
cepted), at the hour of ten o'clock in thu
forenoon. And while any question is be
ing considered by said Commission
either House may proceed with its legiti
mate or other business.


SEC. 6. That nothing in this act shal
be held to impair or affect any right nov
existing under the Constitution and law
to question by proceeding in the Judicia
Courts of the United States the right o.
title of the person who shall be declared
elected, or who shall claim to be Presi
dent or Vice-President of the United
States, if any such right exists.


SEC. Z. That said Commission shal
make its own rules, keep record of it.
proceeding, and shall have power to EN-
ploy such persons as may be necessary fol
the transaction of its business and tht
execution of its power.