Year: 1877

. Icy W NRSAS4 eAN D
had thereon according to law.


As the clerk finished the reading OF
resolution, the Speaker announced the
opening OF the new legislative day, and
the noisy passions and tumult of the
hour were stilled for few brief moments
while prayer was being offered.


The stiffness was of short duration, for
while the clerk was reading the journal,
Mr.. Springer sscertained that the clerk
was omitting, as usual, the detailed
statements of papers votes, &c, and In
sisted that the journal should be read in
full.


That demand, the Speaker stated, it
would be impossible to comply with, for
the papers detailed the votes by yeas and
nays, and were not copied into the jour
nal. At all events, the Speaker refused
to entertain any question until the read.
ing of the journal was completed.


Mr.. Springer waited for that, and
then ne moved that the Journal be cor
rectcd by inserting after the statement
that Mr.. Piper submitted report on the
Coolie question, the report itself.


Mr.. Wood undertook to get over the
difficulty by moving to suspend the rules
and dispense with the reading of the
journal.


The yeas and nays were called, and
the motion was agreed to-yeas ITS,
nays IS.


The House passed through scene
of the widest uproar and excitement
owing to the persistent efforts to prevent
the House from proceeding with the dis.
cussion on the objection to the count of
Vermont.


Among the most demonstrative was
Mr.. Beebe, of Vermont, who, not sstis-
fed with his efforts to attract attention
on the floor, mounted his desk, and made
the widest gesticulstions and protests-
tions against the action of the Speaker.


At least dozen Of the members,
including Messrs. OBrien, Poppleton,
Caulfeld and Springer were shouting
all at once at the top of their voices.
The demonstration was hissed both from
the floor and gsllaries, and it was only
after the most strenuous efforts on the
part of the Speaker and the interference
OF the Sergesnt-at Arms with his mace
and the clearing of the lob5ies at the
back of the members seats, that some
appearance OF order was restored.


When the result was announced Mr..
Wood of New York raised the point OF
order than nothing was competent for
the House to do but to proceed to consider
the objections TO Vermont, and that the
proposition offered by the gentleman
from Ohio Poppleton was not in order.


Mr.. Caultield argued that nothing was
IN order but TO proceed to the considera-
tion of the objection, unless there was an
impediment in the way ol such consid-
Grafton. Such an impeachment had
arisen. The gentleman from Illinois
Mr.. Springer had yesterday offered an
objection, which had been accompanied
by a certificate, and TIE Vice President
had refused to open that certificate. The
resolution which had been offered simply
asked that the Senate be notitet that
the House would be ready TO receive
that body in joint session tor the purpose
of opening that certificate.


Mr.. Harris, OF Virginia, called atten-
ton to the fact that the clerk of the
court TO whom the second certificate was
deli, cred was Democrat.


Mr.. Hooker argued against the point
Of order, and stated that the real
question was whether the certificates
from Vermont were single or dual in
their character. If they were dual the
point of order did not apply, and it was
the duty of the President TO open and
submit the packages presented to him
Yesterday. He again supported the
point of order and argued against the
resolution as proposing a new que, ,tion
which had not been presented TO the
Joint meeting of the two houses.
He expressed his great regret that when
his side of the House had good, valid and
substantial objections to the Electoral
Commission any other objections which
could no. command the respect of the
party or of the country had been made


Alter some further discussion the
Speaker said: With my best respects for
all parties concerned, the Chair consid-
ers that q great mistake and wrong was
committed in the joint session of the two
houses in this, that the presiding officer re-
fused to receive even for opening, reading
and information, the package when
had all the surroundings of an authentic
paper. In respect TO the electoral vote
of the State of Vermont the Chair does
not think that 10 any aspect of this case
be would be called upon to rule that
the action of the presiding officer OF the
JOINT convention yesterday was wrong.
He does not think that be possesses the
power, nor does he believe, in a
technical sense, that the action OF the
Joint convention can be reviewed in the
manner proposed, and yet this is above
all fact on which this matter
rests; that the fact is whether this
House should have possession of this
paper. To that extent, and TO that ex-
tent only, the Chair thinks that the reso-
luton of the gentleman from Illinois is
in order.


While the Speaker was delivering this
opinion there was q subsidence OF the
uproar which had been increasing little
by little during the day, but as soon as
he had got through the noise and con-
fusion began to prevail again, and in q
short time the storm had increased 70 q
gale.


The central point of it was the ques-
ton whether before the 1.-TWO hours dis
cussion commenced, the President of the
Senate should be called upon TO send
back to the House the packages pro-
duced yesterday by Mr.. Hewitt and sub.
mi,ted with Mr.. Springer's objection 70
the count. The Speaker did all that was
in mis- power to quiet the House and get
into the regular channel OF business, and
he refused to entertain the appeal from
his ruling. His resoluteness lashed the
opposing element into fury.


Messrs Springer, OBrien, Csulfeld,
Sparks and PoppIeton were all address
ing the Speaker at once, and worrying
him and the House with all sorts oi
questions and objections.


They were suddenly joined by Mr.
BAebe, of New York, who, in the most
excited manner, protested against the
action of the Speaker, and who, IN order
! Il. L,,,.aIf e,,II mora ron snicuOus