The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-01-20
FIuM tus Fenhsy " aAIaI
national Conventions.

article in denulciaon OF national conventions for the
nomination OF presidential candidates. and in advocacy
OF 'scub race" and "free field" in 1855 II gave list
OF some fifteen or twenty probable candidates whom il
ADVISED 10 run without submitting their names TO any
convention To recommend this scheme 10 the small States
the Herald states that under its operation the contest
would find It's termination in the House OF Representa-
tves, when Florida, with one member would have
equal voice with New York, which has thirty three or
Pennsylvania, which has twenty-five.
We agree with the Cincinnati, Enquirer that no better
argument made in favor OF the proposition OF
conventions than the simple statement OF this fact The
worst abuse of the nominating system in no, rejecting
the wishes Of the people in the choice of candidate
desirable compared TO such method OF choosing the
President 1t would be revival OF the old
caucus, hateful 10 the country, in its FORM The
majority Of the people would not have the slightest
chance of choosing the highest officer of the nation A
small minority would pretty certainly always govern
in the selection II would afford excellent field for
corruption and intrigue, bargain and sale and ii any
thing overflow the constitution il would be the choice
of number of Presidents under il in the House of Rep.
resentaves. The body is elected two years previous
the time it would be called upon choose President
it is selected at all with reference to that event. and
j, is likely that the peoples wishes would be reflected
| in the matter
But when consider tina, the vote would be taken by
Sates-when New York, Pennsy and Ohio would
only count the same Florida, Delaware. and Rhode
Island-we struck with its gross inequality and in
Justice II would be perfectly subversve OF the funda
mental principle upon which all our institutions are
based-viz: that the majority should govern-since the
three great States Just mentioned, which contain more
than onehd of the Tree white population OF the Union,
and have than quarter Of the whole number Of
electoral votes would have but three votes ou, OF thirty
one If the presidential contest be thrown into the
House of Representatives There were never but two
Presidents elected by that body since the organization of
the goyernment--Mr. Jefferson in 1901, and John G
Adams in 1876.
mistake in the convention not requiring the electors
of President and Vice President TO distinguish upon their
ballots between those Offices and providing that the can
ddaie having The highest number of votes should be
President and the next highest Vice President, was
The Of The election being thrown into sbe House
1901 1t did not 10 10 the trainers of that in.
slrumen thar both parties would be likely to give their
respective candidates for President and Vice President
he same number OF votes, and that il would then be
que s,on under the constitution who was to have the
fts, office and who The second ALI OF The democratic
Pesden, and Vice President, each receiving 70 votes
The iederalists cau,ous-one of their electors
not voting for Pinckney their candidate for Vice Pres
dent thus making him fall behind Adams, HON they in
tended ior President.
The latter received sxtyfour votes. the former sixty
three So Jefferson and Barr elected and then il
6Fst discovered that. although it the general
ersanding among the people that Jefferson should be
President. could not be declared. There APP
parent tie, and The House OF Representatives had TO de-
eide the question. Not member OF that body is-
noani Of the fact tina, Burr had ,sxivsd single
from the people for Chief Magistrate yet it required
thirty six ballots before Jefferson could be chosenBuir
Obtaining large supper, in the House notwithstanding
that knowledge. Had he been elected in defiance of the
peoples wishes, no man say what would have
been the result II could not but have been disastrous in
It's effects upon he perpeuiy OF the government, which
had then jus, gone into operation
The constitution was Immediately altered, requiring
the electors OF President and Vice President TO disn-
gush upon their ballots between the officers in question
Twenty FIVE years passed away before the election went
TO the House. When Mr.. honroes presidential Term
drew near its close there four candidates in the
field for the successon in General Jackson, John Q.
Adams, VIM n. Crawford and Henry Clay. The fed |
eral organic alton having been dsbsnded, il found
impossible TO unite The democratic party upon single
nominee, so all the persons above mentioned
ddaes before the people. None Of course might have
been expected, received majority of all but General
Jackson the highest in the number OF electoral votes
he obtained 3d. Mr. Adams 81, Mr. Crawford al, Henry
Clay 81. As the constitution restricts the House
lection between the three highest canddaes Mr.. Clay
was thrown out altogether.
After proiracied and vehement, contest, Mr., Adams
got majority OF States, and was declared President
This election, and particularly the Objectionable manner
in which il was effected, very uufavoraby received
by the country, which has since taken good care not to
have any more presidents decided BY the House
OF Representatives That mode of election has ever been
desevedy unpopular and cannot be fa ored BY any true
democrat who is DESTROYS that the majority should rule
in the choice of the Chief Magistrate OF the nation.
Among other difficulties attending il is the very serious
contingency, which likely happen, that the 4,h OF
March might find that President at all had been elect
ed and the government might come TO stand If. for
instance, we should have presidential convention 10
1885, and lsis before the people should be open to all
competitors, there would be dozen candidates a,
least.
No one would be likely TO have majority over all
the rest, and the election would be thrown into The
House to decide between three highest Now, it is quite
probable tina, in the House neither of the candidates