Year: 1877

made to any certificate, vote or paper from State shall have been received and read, all such certificates, votes and papers so objected to, and all papers &C., companying 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 separ- ately 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, dispositions, 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. Whereupon the two houses shall again 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 there with, 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 mo- hon 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 or votes from any State, or upon objection to 8 report of said commission or other question arising under this act, each senator and repre- sentative may speak to such objection or other question for 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. 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 senators :; for the tellers, secretary of the Senate and clerk of the House of Representatives, at the clerks desk for the other officers of the two houses, in front of the clerk s desk and upon each side of the speaker s platform.

 Such joint meeting shall not be dis solved until the count of electoral votes shall be completed and the result declar- ed and no recess shall be taken unless a question shall have arisen in regard to the counting of any such votes or other wise under this act, in which case it shall be competent for either house, acting separately sin the manner hereinbefore provided, to direct recess of such house, not beyond the next day Sunday except forenoon. And while any question is be- ing considered by said commission either house may proceed with its legislative or other business. .

 SEC. 6. That nothing in this act shall be held to impair or 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 Vice-President of the United States, if any such right exists.

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