Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. 2 (of 16)

by United States. Congress

Wednesday, February 8.

A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that they are ready to meet the Senate in the Chamber of that House, agreeably to the report of the joint committee, to attend the opening and examining the votes of the Electors for President and Vice President of the United States, as the constitution provides.

The two Houses of Congress accordingly assembled in the Representatives' Chamber, and the certificates of the Electors of sixteen States were, by the Vice President, opened and delivered to the tellers, appointed for the purpose, who, having examined and ascertained the number of votes, presented a list thereof to the Vice President, which was read as follows:

For John Adams, 71 votes; for Thomas Jefferson, 68; for Thomas Pinckney, 59; for Aaron Burr, 30; for Samuel Adams, 15; for Oliver Ellsworth, 11; for George Clinton, 7; for John Jay, 5; for James Iredell 2; for George Washington, 2; for John Henry, 2; for Samuel Johnson, 2; for Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 1;

Whereupon the Vice President addressed the two Houses of Congress as follows:

In obedience to the Constitution and law of the United States, and to the commands of both Houses of Congress, expressed in their resolution passed in the present session, I now declare that

John Adams is elected President of the United States, for four years, to commence with the fourth day of March next; and that

Thomas Jefferson is elected Vice President of the United States, for four years, to commence with the fourth day of March next. And may the Sovereign of the Universe, the ordainer of civil government on earth, for the preservation of liberty, justice, and peace among men, enable both to discharge the duties of these offices conformably to the Constitution of the United States, with conscientious diligence, punctuality, and perseverance.

The Vice President then delivered the votes of the Electors to the Secretary of the Senate, the two Houses of Congress separated, and the Senate returned to their own Chamber, and soon after adjourned.