certain the vote of that State; and it shall be allowed, where deemed necessary by the delegation, to name one or more persons of the Representation, to be tellers of the ballots. After the vote of each State is ascertained, duplicates thereof shall be made; and in case the vote of the State be for one person, then the name of that person shall be written on each of the duplicates; and in case the ballots of the State be equally divided, then the word "divided" shall be written on each duplicate, and the said duplicates shall be deposited in manner hereafter prescribed, in boxes to be provided. That for the conveniently taking the ballots of the several representatives of the respective States, there be sixteen ballot boxes provided for the purpose of receiving the votes of the States....after the delegation of each State shall have ascertained the vote of the State, the serjeant at arms shall carry to the respective delegations the two ballot boxes, and the delegation of each State, in the presence and subject to the examination of all the members of the delegation, shall then deposit a duplicate of the vote of the State in each ballot box; and where there is more than one representative of a State, the duplicates shall not both be deposited by the same perWhen the votes of the States are all thus taken in, the serjeant at arms shall carry one of the general ballot boxes to one table, and the others to a second and separate table. Sixteen members shall be appointed as tellers of the ballots; one of whom shall be taken from each State, and be nomi

son.

nated by the delegation of the State from which he was taken. The said tellers shall be divided into

two equal sets according to such agreement as shall be made among themselves; and one of the said sets of tellers shall proceed to count the votes in one of the said boxes; and the other set the votes in the other box....and in the event of no appointment of tellers by any delegation, the Speaker shall in such case appoint. When the votes of the States are counted by the respective sets of tellers, the result shall be reported to the house; and if the reports agree, the same shall be accepted as the true votes of the States; but if the reports disagree, the States shall immediately proceed to a new ballot in manner aforesaid.

"7th. If either of the persons voted for shall have a majority of the votes of all the States, the Speaker shall declare the same; and official notice thereof shall be immediately given to the President of the United States and to the Senate.

8th. All questions which shall arise after the balloting commences, and which shall require the decision of the house, shall be decided without debate."

On Wednesday the 11th of February, according to the rules of proceeding established by the house, they proceeded to the Senate Chamber, where (Mr. Nicholas and Mr. Rutledge, the tellers on the part of the house, and Mr. Wells on the part of the Senate) the votes were counted and the result declared by the Vice-President to be,

The following table represents the return of votes from the different States:

Return of Votes for President and Vice-Presi

dent of the United States.

Jefferson. Burr. Adams. Pinck. No. Votes.

Rhode-Island was the State which gave the

single vote for Mr. Jay.

The tellers declared there was some informality in the votes of Georgia, but believing them to be true votes, reported them as such.

The Vice-President then, in pursuance of the duty enjoined upon him, declared, that Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr, being equal in the number of votes, it remained for the House of Representatives to determine the choice.

The two houses then separated, and the House of Representatives returned to their chamber, where seats had been previously prepared for the members of the Senate....a call of the members of the house, arranged according to States, was then made; upon which it appeared that every member was present, except General Sumpter, who was unwell and unable to attend....Mr. Nicholson, of Maryland, was also unwell, but attended, and had a bed prepared for him in one of the committee rooms, to which place the ballot box was carried to him, by the tellers appointed on the part of the State.

The first ballot was eight States for Mr. Jefferson, six for Mr. Burr, and two divided; which result continued to be the same after balloting thirty-five times. The thirty-sixth ballot determined the question; and rescued America from the hands of an admin- / istration, whose crimes will be long felt and ever remembered.

This important decision took place at twelve o'clock on the 17th of February....there appeared for Mr. Jefferson ten States, for Mr. Burr four States, and the remaining two were blank ballots.

The States which voted for Mr. Jefferson were, Georgia, North-Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New-Jersey, NewYork and Vermont. The States for Mr. Burr were, New-Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. The blank States were Delaware and South-Carolina.

Such was the result of the most important election which America had yet witnessed. The con: duct of the federalists on this occasion, must be considered by impartial men of every party, to have been the most disgraceful that could have been adopted; for when disappointed by the voice of the people of having Mr. Adams returned as President, they used every possible means to throw their country into confusion....to effect which, they voted for Mr. Burr, in hopes that by this measure neither he or Mr. Jefferson would be elected, and that consequently the constitution would be dissolved.

That Mr. Burr had neither any intention or desire to be elected President, is evident from the following extract of a letter to General Smith....the sentiments of which do Mr. Burr the greatest credit:

"It is highly improbable that I shall have an equal number of votes with Mr. Jefferson: but if such should be the result, every man who knows me, ought to know, that I would utterly disclaim all competition. Be assured that the federal party can entertain no wish for such an exchange.

"As to my friends, they would dishonor my views and insult my feelings by a suspicion that I

SAVOTES THEN?