Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1852-04-07
THE STANDARD.
RALEIGH, N. @.
THE ELECTORAL DISTRICTS.
WEDNESDAY. APRIL z, 1852.

Our readers are aware that the question has been
raised, whether the States will vote in the ensuing
Presidential election under the apportionment CT 1910
1850. This question has engaged the attention of
the United States Senate, and the following Report
has been submitted the subject, by the Judiciary
Committee Of that body:
'''Thc Constitution provides that "Each State shall
appoint, in such manner as the Legislature thereof
may direct a number of electors equal to the whole
number of Senators and Representatives TO which
the Stale may he entitled IN the Congress-" The act
of Congress Of March LIST, 1899, passed before any
election of President had been held under a ap
poronment. gives construction 10 this clause of
the Constitution in these words: (which electors
(of President and Vice Presidency shall be equal
the number of Senators and Representatives which
the several States may by law be entitled at the time
when the President and Vice President thus TO be
chosen should come into Office The new appor-
tionment under the first took effect from and
after the Sd of March. 1898, (act of 18th April, 1929
Accordingly, in 1892, in 1912, and in 1882 the States
gave number of electoral votes for President and
Vice President equal to the number Of their Senators
and Representatives respectively from and after the
Sd of March, 1898, the Sd Of March lSl3 and the
Sd of March, 1888 and the of 1850 having
similar provso to that of 1892, it must he in the
election next fall that is, the States will
under the new and not under the old apportion-
ment."
Under these circumstances the Committee were of
the opinion that further Legislation the subject
necessary. and reported the following resolu-
ton, which adopted:
sResnlved, That the number OF electoral votes to
which each State shall be entitled in the election of
President and Vice President of the United States
in 1852, shall be equal to the number of Senators
and Representatives to which each of said States will
be found entitled by the apportionment under the
umeration Of 1850, as provided by the act for Ia
king the seventh and subsequent censuses," approx
ed May 3d. 1880"
The opinion has almost universally prevailed until
recently, that the State would vote under the appor-
tonment of 1910 and that clause in the Constitution
which provides that the number of Electors shall be
g equal the whole number of Senators and Repre-
senatiyes to which the States be entitled in The
Congress- " was relied upon as sure foundation,
was thought for this opinion. 1t was considered that
the expression Yin the Congress to be construed
as meaning g in the Congress already in eristence
and not future Congress But the act of 1892, it
appears was entirely overlooked. No called to
mind that act, the elections in accordance there
with, 1892, 1912, and 1882, until this Report was
submitted by the Senates Committee and adopted
by that body.
By the Constitution of the United States, article
first section second, North Carolina was entitled to
five members of the House of Representatives,, and
would, therefore, have for President
in the first election; but she did adopt the Con-
stitution in time, and did not, consequently, vote in
that election The first President, George WASH
ngton, inaugurated the 3Oth April. 1889; the
act of Congress for taking the first pass
ed the LIST of March, $780, and the for apPotion
ing Representatives among the States passed the
14th April, 1892, which declared the ratio to be
$4,000 for each member; and then followed the act
Of March lst, 1892, which provided that the numb
of electors should be 'equal to the number of
III ,,,k;
may be entitled at the lime ,Uhen the President and
Viee President thus to be chosen, should into Of
ce In the second election, held in 1892, this Slate
gave twelve votes for George Washington for Presi-
dent, and twelve for George Clinton for Vice Presi-
dent; that she must have voted in accordance
with the act Of 1872, and not the basis assigned
her in the first article and second section Of the Con-
stitu,ion. So agaip, under the of 1900 she
was entitled TO twelve members in the House, and in
the election of 1904 she gave fourteen votes for Mr..
Jefferson. Again, in the election of 1872 she gave
fifteen for Mr.. Madison showing that she voted
under the of 1910, Immediately preceding
She voted again in 1882 under the census immedi-
aely preceding; and the same thing will to
all the States, (as it has heretofore regularly occur
redo in 1852, 1872, 1892, and so on indefinitely.
From the election for The seventh term. commencing
4th of March, 1913, down to the election for the
fourteenth term, commencing 18th of March, 1871,
North Carolina cast fifteen electoral votes but in
the elections of 1874 and l949, of Polk and Taylor,
she cast bot eleven votes having lost by the
! of 1910, four members of the House.
But, it may be asked, why should the States vote,
every twenty years, under the census Immediately
preceding? We answer, follows: The Const-
tuition framed in l78S-the first President was
elected in 17se-naugurated in April, 1889 and the
second election took place in 1899. In the mean
time the of 1870 had been ordered and taken,
and it deemed proper that the second should
commence with members of the House apportioned
in accordance with the last Enumeration. A census
was directed to be taken every ten years, that
Representatives and direct taxes - might " be ap-
portioned among the several States according the
respective numbers ," but then the Preside nal term
four years, and it necessary that this con-
fct in periods of time should be reconciled and ad-
justed. There five Presidential terms in eue, u
t10enty gears, and two enumeratons of inhabitants
within the same period. Thus in 1892, 1896, and
1900 the States voted under the census of 1870; in
1904 and 1903 they voted under the census of 1906
in 1912, 1916, and 1920 they voted under the
of lel0 and in 1924 and 1928 they voted under the
census Of ls2O in 1882, 1886, and 1910 they voted
under the census of 1880; in 1914 and 1s4s they
voted under the census of 1910, and, according to
Il.