Leading Miss Couzins to the front of the stage I took up the gavel and
gave a gentle rap, saying: "The gentleman will take his seat."

"But, Mister Chairman, I rose to a point of order," he vociferated.

"The gentleman will take his seat instantly," I answered in a tone of
one about to throw the gavel at his head. "No point of order is in order
when a lady has the floor."

After that Miss Couzins received a positive ovation and having delivered
her message retired in a blaze of glory.

VI

Mr. Tilden was nominated on the second ballot. The campaign that
followed proved one of the most memorable in our history. When it
came to an end the result showed on the face of the returns 196 in the
Electoral College, eleven more than a majority; and in the popular vote
4,300,316, a majority of 264,300 for Tilden over Hayes.

How this came to be first contested and then complicated so as
ultimately to be set aside has been minutely related by its authors.
The newspapers, both Republican and Democratic, of November 8, 1876, the
morning after the election, conceded an overwhelming victory for Tilden
and Hendricks. There was, however, a single exception. The New York
Times had gone to press with its first edition, leaving the result in
doubt but inclining toward the success of the Democrats. In its later
editions this tentative attitude was changed to the statement that Mr.
Hayes lacked the vote of Florida--"claimed by the Republicans"--to be
sure of the required votes in the Electoral College.

The story of this surprising discrepancy between midnight and daylight
reads like a chapter of fiction.

After the early edition of the Times had gone to press certain members
of the editorial staff were at supper, very much cast down by the
returns, when a messenger brought a telegram from Senator Barnum, of
Connecticut, financial head of the Democratic National Committee, asking
for the Times' latest news from Oregon, Louisiana, Florida and South
Carolina. But for that unlucky telegram Tilden would probably have been
inaugurated President of the United States.

The Times people, intense Republican partisans, at once saw an
opportunity. If Barnum did not know, why might not a doubt be raised? At
once the editorial in the first edition was revised to take a decisive
tone and declare the election of Hayes. One of the editorial council,
Mr. John C. Reid, hurried to Republican headquarters in the Fifth Avenue
Hotel, which he fo