Year: 1877

under the exaction of tho law, and


from that hour to the last moment of


the contest they were not able to unite


upon plan of action. The Speaker


precipitated this conclusion by stating


to the House that he had admitted


votes upon every legitimate legislative


motion, but that the time had now


come when he should refuse to recog-


hize any one whose motion would lead


TO delay. The galleries were as quick


to applaud this decision as the floor,


for it indicated the end of the struggle.


The filibusters, under the lead of o.


Brien and Springer, then plausibly


moved that the Senate be sent for to


count the vote of Verment, on which
they could have had three roll calls,


and secured one and half hours fur


ther delay, during which they could


have devised some other dilatory plan


but the Speaker refused to entertain


even that motion, and sent the clerk


of the House to notify the Senate. Mr..


Cox of New York, was indignant at


this, and shouted out to the Speaker: :


"There is no use in trying TO prevent


the Speaker from counting Hayes in J"


This was the unkindest cut the Speak
er got, but it was but one of many.
"Gentlenen need not object here" he
bitterly replied, ''the Speaker has no


authority to receive such notion"


He then held the House to the decision


until the Senate came from its cham


ber, where for twelve hours it had


sat as placid as May morning, con-


trasting, with its silence, the surging,
roaring house on the other side of the
Capitol. The Jeint Convention had
long since become an old story, but its
first midnight SESSION was new event


and it now marked the final decision


of the count, While it was counting
Vermont and the two Virginias, the
osbtruetionists were al work with OBJ


jections to Virginia. They had been
drawn and signed in the House, but


no Democratic Senator would sign it
for the Senate. Senator johnson, of


that State, had appealed during the


day personally to Senators not te sign


the objections, as it was frivolous.
But up to within five minutes of the
counting of the vote of Virginia, the


effort continued to secure an obJec-
ton. Then there was but one hope
left for them, and that was the last
State, Wisconsin, and out of that came
the division on which the two houses
separated. This brought the House
past midnight, and members, worn out
with the turbulent scenes of the day


and oppressed by the bad air, ssught


such places of rest about the hall as


they could find, Randall and Tucker.


of Virginia, lay at full length on one


of the tables of the tellers. But at l


O'Clock, however, the whole House was


on its feet again. 1t was announced


that the Senate had promptly agreed


to count the vote of Wisconsin, and


this forced the House to proceed with


its two hours of discussion. 1t was


now SO evident that the count was to


be completed that the crowds in the


galleries and on the floor became very


demonstratiye, and it was moved that


they be cleared, but it was lost by a


large majority. Soon after this there


was scene i'll which Mills, of Texas,


was prominent in offering resolution


to proceed at once TO the election of
Tilden as President. The Speaker
ruled it out on point of order made


by Mr.. Wood, who stood courageously
in his position against the tilibusters,


while they gathered around him with
such tannts as these: eff the gentle
man is the hight priest of the Repub


lican party, let him go on. We don't


want any left-handed suggestions from
the leader of the Republican party"
Mr.. Wood remained imperturbable in
his place, not replying to one of these
Interruptions, but continuing his fight
lola go
ment was reached for vote, he should
not leave the hall until the count had
been completed. The hours discus
sion, outside of tilt between Black
burn aud Williams, was q very dull
one, for all thai was said had been said
many times on the same subject. There
was great relief felt when the House
commenced its vote on Wisconsin. AT
the expiration of this there was anoth-
er long wrangle over the resolution to
declare Tilden elected. Mills thought
it was before the House, as did most
of the members, but the Speaker said
not, and he refused to have it voted on.
1t was finally agreed, after much mis-
understanding, that there should be a
vote upon it aftea the count had been
completed, but Mills withdrew it, say
ing that he did not want to be insulted
by being asken to present a resolu tion
to elect President after one had al
ready been declared. The Wisconsin
vote was then disposed of, and the
complete the count. AT a. IN. they
filed into the hall and took their seats
1t was just ten minutes past O'Clock !
when the great result was declared |
The telers had footed the electoral |
columns, 1S5 for Hayes and Wheeler, |
and 1S4 for Tilden and Hendricks, and |
handed the tally and certificate of |
TO the Presinent of the Joint
who signed the same
with the eagle quill sent to him for
that purpose from Montana. When
this was being done, the House looked
like grand living picture; stiffness
was on the floor and its crowded gal
ferries; a thousand gas jets reflected a
sea of upturned faces, and the silence
in which the final declaration was
awaited was impressive in contrast |.
with the roar of the contest of the pre-
vious twenty-four hours. The Senate,
the Supreme Court and the House,the
three departments Of the Government,
were all present. The British and
French Ministers, and all their iega-
tions, were in full evening dress in
the Diplomatic gallery, while The
other galleries were full and resllcr-
dent with selected audience, admit
ted only on tickets, to witness tho
spectacle. 1t was a scene without o
parallel, and ore never to be forgot
ten. President pro TEN. Ferry hoped
that the quiet might not be broken,
md then in measured aud impressive
words declared the election of Hayes
md Wheeler, and the final dissolution
If the Joint Convention. Not sound
responded for or against it. The Sem
tie retired to its chamber, and the
7ast rowds filed out into the Capitol
grounds in the cool mist of the early



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