CONGRESS, UNITED STATES (ELECTORAL COMMISSION). 



221 



The Presiding Officer (at five minutes past 

 four o'clock A. M., March 2, 1877) : " This con- 

 cludes the count of the thirty-eight States of 

 the Union. The tellers will now ascertain and 

 deliver the result to the President of the 

 Senate." 



Mr. Allison, one of the tellers, announced 

 the result as follows : 



fjST OP VOTES FOB PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENT OF 

 THE UNITED STATES FOB THE CONSTITUTIONAL TEEM 

 TO COMMENCE ON THE 4TH DAY OF MARCH, 1877. 



The Presiding Officer : " In announcing the 

 final result of the electoral vote, the Chair 

 trusts that all present, whether on the floor or 

 in the galleries, will refrain from all demon- 

 strations whatever; that nothing shall trans- 

 pire on this occasion to mar the dignity and 

 moderation which have characterized these 

 proceedings, in the main so reputable to the 

 American people, and worthy of the respect of 

 the world. 



" The whole number of the electors ap- 

 pointed to vote for President and Vice-Presi- 

 dent of the United States is 369, of which a 

 majority is 185. 



" The state of the vote for President of the 

 United States, as delivered by the tellers, and 



as determined under the act of Congress ap- 

 proved January 29, 1877, on this subject, is: 

 For Rutherford B. Hayes, of Ohio, 185 votes; 

 for Samuel J. Tilden, of New York, 184 votes. 

 And the state of the vote for Vice-President 

 of the United States, as delivered by the tell- 

 ers, and as determined under the act of Con- 

 gress approved January 29, 1877, on this sub- 

 ject, is : For William A. Wheeler, of New 

 York, 185 votes; for Thomas A. Hendricks, of 

 Indiana, 184 votes. 



" Wherefore, I do declare 



"That Rutherford B. Hayes, of Ohio, hav- 

 ing received a majority of the whole number 

 of electoral votes, is duly elected President of 

 the United States for four years, commencing 

 on the 4th day of March, 1877. And that 

 William A. Wheeler, of New York, having re- 

 ceived a majority of the whole number of 

 electoral votes, is duly elected Vice-President 

 of the United States for four years, commen- 

 cing on the 4th day of March, 1877. 



" The count of the electoral vote being com- 

 pleted and the result declared, the joint meet- 

 ing of the two Houses is dissolved. The Senate 

 will now retire to its Chamber." 



The Senate accordingly retired from the 

 Hall of the House of Representatives at ten 

 minutes past four o'clock A. M., March 2, 1877. 



On January 12th, the committee to ascertain, 

 and report what are the privileges, powers, 

 and duties of the House of Representatives in 

 counting the votes for President and Vice- 

 President of the United States (see page 137) 

 reported as follows : 



The committee to ascertain and report what are 

 the privileges, powers, and duties of the House of 

 Representatives in counting the votes for President 

 and Vice-President of the United States, beg leave 

 to report in part the following resolutions for tho 

 adoption of tno House : 



Jtesolved, 1. That the Constitution of the United 

 States does not confer upon the President of the 

 Senate the power to examine and ascertain the votes 

 to be counted as the electoral votes for President 

 and Vice-President of the United States. 



2. That the only power which the Constitution of 

 the United States confers upon the President of the 

 Senate in respect to the electoral votes for President 

 and Vice-President of the United States is to re- 

 ceive the sealed lists transmitted to him by the sev- 

 eral electoral colleges, to keep the same safely, and 

 to open all the certificates, or those purporting to be 

 such, in the presence of the Senate and the House of 

 Representatives. 



3. That the Constitution of the United States does 

 confer upon the Senate and the House of Repre- 

 sentatives the power to examine and ascertain the 

 votes to be counted as the electoral votes. 



4. That in execution of their power in respect to 

 the counting of the electoral vote the House of 

 Representatives is at least equal with the Senate. 



5. That in the counting of the electoral votes, no 

 vote can be counted against the judgment and deter- 

 mination of this House of Representatives. 



6. That the committee have leave to sit again and 

 report hereafter further matter for the consideration 

 of the House. 



The views of the minority of the committee 

 were presented on January 18th, by Mr. Bur- 

 chard, of Illinois, as follows : 



