Year: 1877

certificate or paper rs tie certificates ol
papers from sHth State shall he opened
excepting duplicates of the same rttuln>,
they shall be read by the tellers, and
there,ipon the president Of the Senate
shall call for objections, ii any. Every
objection shall be made III writing. and
shall state clearly and concisely, and
without argument, the ground thereof,
and shall be signed by ut least one sen
ator and one member of the House OF
Representatives before the same shall be
received. When all such objections SO
made to any certificate, vote or paper
from State shall have been received and
read all such certificates. votes aud
papers so objected to, and all papers ac-
conpanyilfg the same, together with such
objections, shall be forthwith submitted
to said commission, which shall proceed
to consider the same, with the same
powers, if any, now possessed for that
purpose by the two houses acting sepa-
rately or together. and by majority of
votes decide whether any and 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 petitions, depositions, and other
papers, if any, as shall by the Constitu-
tion and now existing law be competent
and pertinent to such consideration,
which decision shall be made in writing,
stating briefly the ground thereof, and
be signed by the members OF said
commission agreeing therein. Where
upon the two houses shall meet
and such decision shall be read
and entered in the journal of each
house. And the counting of the votes
shall proceed in conformity Herewith,
unless upon objection made thereto in
writing by at least five senators and five
members of the House of Represen-
tatives. the two houses shall separately
concur in ordering otherwise in which
case such concurrent order shall govern.
No votes or papers from any other State
shall be acted upon until the objections
previously made to the votes or papers
from any State shall have been finally
disposed of.


SEC. 3. 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 on O mo-
ton 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 counting OF
any electoral vote OF 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 for ten minutes and not
ofterer than once, but after sach de-
bate shall have lasted two hours it shall
be the duty Of each house to put the
main question without further debate.


SEC. 5. That at such Joint meeting OF
the two houses seats shall be provided
as follows: For the president Of the
Senate, the speakers chair for the
speaker, Immediately upon his left; for
the senators, in the body of the hall,
upon the right of the presiding officer ;
for the representatives, in the body OF
the hall not provided for the senator's
for the tellers, secretary of the Senate
and clerk of the House Of Representa-
tives. at the clerks desk for the other
officers of the two houses, in front Of the
clerks desk and upon each side of the
speakers platform.


Such joint meeting shall not be dis
solved until the count OF electoral votes
shall be completed and the result de-
clared and no recess shall he taken I'M
less question shall have arisen in re-
gard to the counting Of any such votes or
otherwise under this act, i'll which case
it shall be competent for either house,
acting separately i'll the manner herein
before provided, TO direct a recess Of
such house, not beyond the next day
Sunday excepted), at the hour of ten
o'clock in the forenoon. And while ony
question is being considered by said com
mission either house may proceed with
its Legislative or other business.


Sec. 6. That nothing in this act shall
be held to impair Oh affect any right now
existing under the Constitution and laws
to question by proceeding in the judicial
courts of the United States the right or
title of the person who Shall be declared
elected or who shall claim to be Presi-
dent or President of the United
States, if any such right exists.


SEC. 7. That said commission shall
make it's own rules, keep a record OF its
proceedings, and shall have power to
employ such persons as may he necessary
for the transaction of its business and
the execution of its powers.