Friday, January 30.
Election of President when the two highest on the List voted for have an equal number of Votes.
Mr. Bayard submitted the following resolution, to wit:
Resolved, That, in the event of its appearing upon the counting and ascertaining of the votes given for President and Vice President, according to the mode prescribed by the constitution, that an equal number of votes have been given for two persons, that as soon as the same shall have been duly declared and entered on the journals of this House, that the Speaker, accompanied by the members of the House, shall return to this Chamber, and shall immediately proceed to choose one of the two candidates for President; and in case, upon the first ballot, there shall not appear to be a majority of the States in favor of one of the candidates, in such case the House shall continue to ballot for President, without interruption by other business, until it shall appear that a President is duly chosen; and, if no such choice should be made upon the first day, the House shall continue to ballot from day to day, till a choice shall be duly made.
Ordered, That the consideration of the said motion be postponed until Monday next.
Monday, February 2.
A new member, to wit, Ebenezer Mattoon, returned to serve as a member of this House for the State of Massachusetts, in the room of Samuel Lyman, who has resigned his seat, appeared, produced his credentials, was qualified, and took his seat in the House.
Election of President.
A motion being made and seconded that the House do come to the following resolution, to wit:
Resolved, That a committee be appointed to prepare and report such rules, as, in their opinion, are proper to be adopted by this House, to be observed in the choice of a President of the United States, whose term is to commence on the fourth day of March next, if, when the votes which have been given by the electors appointed under the authority of the States shall have been counted, as prescribed by the constitution, it shall appear that no person for whom the electors shall have voted, has a majority, or that more than one person, having such majority, have an equal number of votes: