Mr. SMILIE observed that there was no fear of the privileges of this body being encroached upon by any other, for there was a written constitution, prescribing the powers of each body; and, at the same time that it was proper to be careful of their own rights, he said the House should be careful not to infringe on the rights of the other body. In respect to this question, there was a case in point. In one instance while Congress sat at Philadelphia, the Senate had come into the Representatives' Chamber to count out the votes, and the President of the Senate had taken the chair as a matter of right. We, said Mr. S., are sitting as a convention of the two Houses, for a special purpose, viz: to count out the votes. Who is properly the presiding officer in this case? Unquestionably the officer directed by the constitution to open the votes. And I consider the Speaker of the House, on this occasion, as acting in the same capacity as any other member of the House. After some further observations on the subject from Messrs. MASTERS, LYON, and MACON, the motion of Mr. NICHOLAS was agreed to--yeas 98. Mr. RANDOLPH then moved that the Senate be acquainted, by message, of this arrangement. Agreed to--yeas 73. The resolution first offered by Mr. NICHOLAS was then agreed to. On the suggestion of Mr. VAN DYKE, it was agreed that the members should receive the Senate standing and uncovered. The time for counting the votes having arrived, the members of the Senate, preceded by their Sergeant-at-Arms, entered the Representatives' Chamber, Mr. MILLEDGE, the President _pro tempore_, took the Speaker's chair, and the members took their seats on the right hand of the chair. The tellers were ranged in front, and the Clerks of each House on the right and left of the tellers. The President of the Senate opened the electoral returns, one copy of which was handed to the teller of the Senate, Mr. S. SMITH, who read it; the tellers of the House, Messrs. NICHOLAS and VAN DYKE, comparing the duplicate returns handed to them. When this business, which occupied about two hours, was concluded, the tellers handed their report to the President of the Convention, who was proceeding to read it, when Mr. HILLHOUSE observed that the returns from one of the States appeared to be defective, the Governor's certificate not being attached to it. He thought that this might be as proper a time to notice it as any. Nothing farther being said on the subject, however, the President of the Senate read the following statement of the votes, as reported by the tellers: (For the statement of the votes see Senate proceedings of the same day, _ante_, p. 27.) THURSDAY, February 9. _Non-Intercourse._