Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-11-30

THE MODE OF ELECTING THE PRFsIDENT
We have heretofore stared that The Electors o
President and Vice President, chosen in the sew
eral States, will meet in The capitals OF their res
pectlve States, on the first " Wednesday of De-
cember next, (being the 9TH day Of the month,
and will then proceed 10 vote Tor Presiden, and
| Vice President, according to the forms prescrlb-
ed by the Constitution of The United States.
The Constitution, as it was or. finally passed,
Article 2, Section B., required that the electors,
when ASSEMBLED, should vote for two persons,
without designating which of the two should be
President, or which Vice President; and that
the one who should have the greatest number OF
votes being ma jory of the whole, should be
President, aud the next highest the Vice Presl-
dent. If neither person voted for mad a maj orlty
of all the Electors, or it there was lie between
two who had such majority, the House of Rep
rcsenra,ves was TO make Il choice between them
for President, and then the other was TO be
Vice President.
In consequence, however, Ct the difficulty that
grew out Of the circumstance Of Thomas Jefier.
son and Aaron Burr, who were run on the same
ticket, having an equal number of electoral votes
and The attempt which was made in the House
of Representatives to eject Aaron Burr Prcsl-
dent, the Constitution was altered, and the cleo
tors thencetorlh were required TO designate the
person voted for us President, as also the person
voted fof as Vice President.
1t may be not unln,cresting here to mention
that the idea the original trainers of the Con.
suit ton was that the popular struggle would be
IN the election of the electors who were to be
left, when they met, to make selection of Pres
ldent without any previous understanding of how
they should vote. But for that idea it is scarce.
ly doubtful that the popular vote would have
been given directly tor President and Vice Pres
ldent, and The Intervention of electors dispensed
with. This idea, however, was soon disspatcd
by the organization Of parties, and the nOmina
ton of electors pledged TO vote for particular
persons, thus making the popular contest be one
between The candidates for President and Vice
President Instead Of, as the trainers OF the Con
slilu,ion supposed it would be, between the e
lectorS in the several States.
On the second election of Mr.. jefferson, the
amendment of the Constitution went into effect
aud ever since the electors have designated VIII,
they voe TOR as President, and who as Vice
President.
The forms of the election are very clearly
prescribed in the Constitution. Having assem
bed at the capitals OF their respective states
the Electors proceed TO vote by ballot. The.
vote by oallot,als naming the person voted for a
Wee President. This having been done, an,
the result asceralned, they then make disilnc
lists Of oil persons voted for for each office
and the votes gwen TO each These lists the!
sign and cerIliy and transmit which is usual.
done by II special messenger to the seat OF gov
ernmcnt IN Washington. 1t Is usua tor the Ger
ticates TO state that 'the Electors voted by bal
10, tor President aud for Wee President, nalninI
IN their ballots the person voted for Tor President
aud in distinct ballots the person voted for 10
Vice President"
On the second Wednesday of February mex
Iiollowing such election according to the act u
Congress of Murch l. 1892, the President OF IN
Senate Is required to open The certificates AM
count the votes IN the presence OF the Sena
and House of Representatives, aud the person
having a majority OF all the electoral votes arr
respectively declared 10 BIO tho President an'
Wee President elect.
Ii no person should have a majority o! all th'
votes Tor either oiice, then the House OF Repre-
sentatyes shall Immediately proceed to elect b,