The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1854-02-18
Presidential Campaign Of 1885,. Choice
by the House.

eu PRESIDENTIAL nominating Conventions BY
the respective political parties OF the coun,
Try, and advocated the proprie,y ola scrub
race aud free field ia ls5G. It gave
ds' OF some twenty probable candidates
Tor the Chief Magsirac, OF the Republie
"A, tina, time whom it advised to run with.
out submitting their names n, all 10 any
convention. In order to recommend TN
political scheme To the small States, the
Herald stated that u.ider It's operation the
contest would have to he decided by the
House OF Representatives, where Florida.
with one Representative, would have an
equal voice IN determining the rosul, with
view York, which has Thirty >threc, or Penn
syleanla, which has twenty-five.
No better argument was ever made in
favor OF the propriety of conventions than
the simple statement OF this fact, The
worst abuses OF the nominating SYSTEM IL;
not rejecting the wishes of the people ii
the choice OF candidate is desirable com.
pared TO such a method OF choosing the
President IL would he revival Of the
old Congressional caucus, so hateful! to the
country 10 lis wofs, form. The MINORITY OF
the people would not have the slightest
chance Of choosing the highest officer OF
The uhlIon. small minority would pretty
ceitanlv always govern in the selection. /,
would afford an excellent ii Id for corrup>
ton aud intrigue, bargain and sale. and ii
any thing can overthrow the Constitution i,
would bv the choi OF n number of Pfesi-
dents undrr /, in the House OF Representa-
lives. That body is elected two wears pres
vions 10 the time 1t would be called upon
to choose President it is not selected at
all with reference to that event, and even II
lt"ere to vote directly Tor thu, office, it is
no, likely that the people, wishes would he
reflected in the matter.
BOT when we consider that the vote
would be taken by ;>tates-whe4 New
! ok. Pennsylvania aud Ohio wouli only
count the same ms Florida. Delaware aud
Rhode Island we are stuck with It's rross
inequality aud injustice. 1t would be per>
iectiy suhyerslte OF the fundamental prn.
riplv upon which all our institutions are
based, w that the maiorty should govern
since tie three great States just mentioned
which contain more than one third al
the lree white population OF the MON. and
have more taan quarter OF the whole
uunbcr Of electoral votes - would have but
three votes ca, OF thirty Que, Il the presl>
dental contest was to be thrown Into the
House OF Representatives,. here were
never but twc Presidents 81 sctei hy that
body siuee he organization OF the govern
meut- Mr. JrrFrHsoN Ia 1901, and JouN
e. ApANs Ia 1898.
\ mistake ia the Constitution, not requir.
ing the Electors of President aud lee Press
idcnt TO distinguish upon their ballots be
tween those uiitces, and providing that the
candidate having the highest number OF
votes should be President aud the one neAt
highest Wee President. was the cause oi the
election being lhtoNu iuto the House ia
1901. II Did not seem 10 occur 10 the fla
mcrs OF Tint Instrument tina, both parties
would he ,ikrly to give ther respective can
didaies for President and Vice President the
same number o.! votes. and that It would
then be question unier the Constitution
Who was to hive the list otlice ard who
tie second. Al ol the Democratic rice,
tors. in $500. voted for JEFFERSON and
ntRR for p,csidput aud Wee President.
each receiving - votes. The l'edrrpli-is
were more rautiuu.--one OF their El~ctui.
not voting Cor pINKNLN. their candidate for
Vice President, thus making him tail b. hud
'ApANs, whom they intended tor President.
The hiter received 81 y0tes, the former
&c. - JEFFERSON and iiugR were cleo
tsd,. aud then It was first discovered that
although It was the general understanding
smong the people that JEFFERSON should
be- President, i, could not be So declared.
There was an apparent tie aud the House
Of Representatives had to decide the quos
ton. Not member Of that body was ~
nnrnni Of the fact that brRR had M ~
csirci q siggic rofe f,om The people for
thirt Magistrate, yet it required thuiy SIX
ballots before JEFFERSON could be chosen
--BrnR obtaining large support IN the
House notwithstanding that knowledge.
iIsd he been elected IN defiance OF the
peoples wishes, no one can say what would
have been the result Il could not hut have
been disnstrouxln It's Effects upon the per
petuiiy Of the Government, Which had then
but just gone into operation.
The Constitution was Immediately alter,
ed requiring the Electors ol President and
Vice rrcaideut to distinguish upon their
ballots between the offices IN question,
Twenty-Five years passed away before the
election again went to the House. When
Nr NoNRor's Presidential tern, drew aear
ii, close, there were four candidates IN the
field for the succession ia General Jack
soy IohY q tdams, William II. Crawford
aud Henry CLAY The federal equalization
having been disbandrd, it ~as found i'm
possible to unite the Democratic party upon
single nominee. 80 all the persons ABOVE
mentioned were candidates before the PEG.
ple--no, one. of course, as might have
been expected. received majority over al
hut Gen. Jackson was the highest Ia the
number OF electorinl votes he obtsiued ID
Mr.. Adams 81 Nr, Crawford / aud Henry
Clay 81. As the Constitution restricts the
House to n selection between the three
highest candidates MIR, Cha, was thrown
GU, altogether.
After a proiracied and vehement contest,
Mr.. ADAMS got u msjori'y OF states, and
was declared President. This selection,
aud particularly the objectionable manner
IN which II was effected. was very uniavor-
ably received by the country. which has
since taken good care no. TO have any more
Presidential contests derided BY the House
Of Representatives. That mode OF cleo
ton ha. ever been desefvedly unpopular,
aud cannot be favored by m, true Demo