The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1856-07-12

tiitIS 10 DOSSlbibtN, w tplt llOi
ity, that the question who shall be our next
President may he thrown into the House Of
Representatives TO-. solution; we extract from
the Constitution the provision which regula-
ties the action Of the House in this important
matter:
Art. II, Sec. |. The electors shall meet in
their respective States and vote by ballot fo'
President and Vice President; one of whom
at least shall not bc an iuhabitant of the
same State with themselves; they shall name
in their ballots the person voted for as Prcsi-
dent, and in distinct ballots the person voted
for as Vice President: and they shall make
distinct lists Of all persons voted for as Prcsi-
dent, and Of al, 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 IF the govern
mcnt Of the United States directed to the
President Of the Senate; the President Of the
Senate shall in the presence of the Senate
and House Of Representatives. open all the
certificates. and the votes shall then be coun
tod: the person having the greatest number
ct votes for President shall bc the President
If such number be a ma.iority Of the whole
number OF electors appointed. and if no per-
SON have such majority, then from the per-
sons having the highest number. not exceed
ing three Oh the list of those voted for as
President. the House of Representatives shall
choose immediately by ballot the President.
But i'll choosing the President, the votes shall
he taken by States, the representation from
each State having one vote; quorum for this
purpose shall consist of a member or MEM
bers from two-thirtls of the States, and a
majority Of all the States shall be necessary
10 a choice. Aud if-the House Of Represen.
tatives shall not choose President whenever
me right of choice shall dcvolve upon them
before the fourth day Of March next following
then the Vice President shall act as Presi-
dent, as in case of the death or other consti.
tutional disability Of the President.
IL will be seen from this extract that should
the election 60 to the House, it would have
before it the three highest candidates from
which to make a selection. These will I'M
ioubtedly DC Messrs Fillmore. Buchanan and
Fremont. Each State would cast but one vote
Rhode Island being equal to New York in
this contest--the majority of each delegation
determining how the vote of its State shall be
cast. The decision of shc question by the
House who'd undoubtedly give rise to close
and excited struggle. Neither party would
be able to command majority of all the
States which is necessary to elect. The Re
pubicans could not by any possibility control
more than thirteen States, aud sixteen are ne
ccssary. Mr.. Frtmont's chances, therefore,
it appears to us would be the worst of the
three, for he could not expect to gain strength
from any concession or compromises with his
opponents. The supporting Mr.. Fillmore
would control the election, and ii would be
between him and Mr.. Buchanan that the choice
would have to be made. Both parties, we
may presume would he united in preventing
the selection of Fremont. but how their own
conflicting claims could be settled is matter
on which we can only speculate. In the event
of the House not choosing the President before
the forth day of March next, should the choice
d,volvc upon it. then the Vice President be-
comes the President de tdeto. Who the Vice
President would be in this event is not at all
doubtful ThcStnatc has the power Of choos-
ing the Vice President from The three candi-
dates have the highest vote for that Office in
the electoral college and the strong democrat
ic majority in the Scnat, would ensure the i'm
mediate choice If Mr.. Breckenridge.
The party divisions Of the House Of Repre-
<cn,atiy,s. by states, is at present as follows ::
The Republicans have maioritics in and con-
troll the Delegates from Maine. New lamp
shire, Vermont, Massachusetts,, Rhode Island,
Come cticut, New Jersey, New York, Penn
Sylvania, Ohio, Michigan Indiana, and Wis
cunsit,-A.-ilfi,tcen Sia,s~.-I'ite Democrats are
represented by majori,ics in Alabama. Arkan-
sas, Virginia, Illinois North Carolina, South
Carolina Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi,
Florida. and California eleven States. The
American party numbers majority in Mary
land, Kentucky. Tem,s s,e, Missouri, and
Delaw arc--fiye States. Iowa present tie
--one Republicsn'and one Democrat as also
does Texas, represented by one Democrat and
one American.
The Republican candidate having but thr-
teen States falls short of IA majority: and as it
will he at least a moral impoSSibiity for him
TO gain additional support from the South, his
last chance would DC with the Democratic
free States--Caliiornm Illinois and Iowa all
Of which he must have before he can become
President ofthe United States. But this last
chance the most knowing politicians would
pronounce no chance at all, SO that the conclu-
sion follows--in the House Of Representatives
the chances are decidedly against Mr.. Ere
mont --Balt,morc Patriot.