Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1856-06-28
HI PRESIDENCY.
Hon. John f. Ward, and others.
A, CURIOUS SPECULATION.

We are often asked by Democrats as well as
Know~NothiHgs, whether the Presidential eleer
ton is likely TO go into the House Of Repre-
sentatives, and how, in such event, it will pro-
baby terminate. To the first in%terrogatory it
is quite impossible to offer d satisfactory re-
ply. The canvass has barely commenced; the
nominees are hardly yet before the people; no
elections have taken place to indicate the
tendency of the public mind, especially at the
North. In sixty or ninety days hence, there
may be a CLEAN of light where darkness and
uncertainty now prevail. There is, however,
a possibility that the coming election may not
be decided by the people, and that the House
Of Representatives may be. called upon, for the
third time in the history of our government, to
elect a President. In such a contingency how
will it proceed, and what is to be expected?
The ignorance prevailing even among poli>
ticians on this subjec; is rather surprising. We
hear people every day p%rocIaiming that if the
Presidential election goes before The House.
the FreesoiI candidate must be.chosen, and
hiiC " tux SiOIilIdS VI inns DCiISlS kllSE
refer to the election Of BANKS, forgetting, or
not knowing, that a President is not voted for
by individuals, but by States--each States be-
ing represented by the majority of her dele>
gates in Congress, and counting as one vote.
To render this absolutely clear and ineligible
let US see what the Constitution of the United
States says:
"Article IL of the amendments to the Con-
~stitution is as follows:
"Art. IL, Sec !. The electors shall meet in
their respective States, and vote by ballot for
President and Vice-President, one of whom,
at least, shall not be an iniIabitant of the same
State with themselves: they shall name in their
ballots the person voted for as President. and
in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice.
President; and they shall make distinct lists of
all persons voted for as President, and of all
persons voted for as Vice. President, and of the
number Of votes for each, which lists they shall
sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the
seat of government ofihe United States, direct
ed to the President of the Senate; the President
ofthe Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate
and House of Representatives, open all the
certificates, and the votes shall then be count
ed; the person having the greatest number OF
votes for President shall be the President, if
such number be a majority of the whole NUNS
Der of electors appointed; and if no person have
such a majority, then from the persons having
the highest number, not exceeding three on the
list of those voted for as President, the House
OF Representatives shall choose Immediately by
ballot the President. But choosing the Presi-
dent, the votes shall be taken by States, the re~
presentation from each State having one vote;
a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a
member or members of twosthirds of the
States, and q majority of all the States shall be
to q choice. And if the House of
Representatives shall not choose a President
the right of choice shall devolve up
on them before the fourth day of March next
following, then the Vice,President shall act as
President, as in case of the death or other
constitutional disability ofthe President.
50. The person having the greatest number
of votes as Vice~President shall be the Vice.
President, if such number be a majority of the
number of electors appointed; and if
person have a majority, then from the two
numbers on the list, the Senate shall
The Vice President; a quorum for the
purpose shall consist @ two thirds Of the whole
of Senators, and a majority of the
number shall be necessary to a choice.
80. But no person constituLionally ineligible
% the office of President shall be eligible to that
If Vice President of the United States.
Now, suppose the election goes into the
House of Representatives. order to deter
nine the chances of the respective nominees of
he Democratic, American, and Black Republi-
an parties, it becomes necessary to ascertain
he political complexion of the majority of
representatives from the several States. A
areful examination shows that the Black Re-
have majoriies in Indiana, Maine
massachusetts,, Ohio, New York, PennsyIva,
ia. Michigan, Rhode Island, New Hampshire.
Jew Jersey, Connecticut, Vermont, and Wis4
onsin-tilirteen States: the Democrats are re-
resented by maiorities in Alabama, Arkansas.
Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana,
Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina.
'exas, and Virginia-twelve States: the
american party numbers a majority in the
elegalions from Kentucky, Tennessee, MARY
Ind, Missouri, aud Delaware-fve States
nally Iowa is equally divided, one of her re,
being an American, and the other
Democrat. The votes of sixteen States are
ldispensable-to elect a President-sixteen be-
lg a majority Of all the States. No one OIL
le three parties has this majority. The Black
.epablicans are the strongest, but they can
ain nothing from the South, and would haze
} be reinforced BY California, Illinois and A
IVA to obtain sixteen States-an e~yentuality "
Q regard as ont Of the question Tie Demo-
have twelve States, and might possibly
eet their candidate, if they could persuade
entucky, Maryland, Tennessee, and either
or Delaware to unite with them. OF