The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1856-11-01
FELICIANA DEMOCRAT.
HOW THE HOUSE MAKES A PRES.
IDENT

our next President may be thrown into the
House of Representatives. for solution, we en-
tract from the Constitution the provisions
which regulate the action Of the House in this |
important matter:
Art II, Sec. |. The electors shall meet
in their respective states, and vote by ballot
for President and Vice President one oil
whom, ut least, shall not be an inhabitant oil
the same state with themselves; they shall
name in their ballots the person voted for us
President, and in distinct ballots the person
voted for as Vice President aud 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 scat OF government of
the United States, directed to the President
of the Scnate 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 counted; the per-
son having the greatest number OF votes for
President shall be the President, il such num-
Der be majority of the whole number of cleo
tors 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 in choosing the
President the votes shall be taken by states,
the representation from each state having one
vote; u quorum for this purpose shall consist
of a member or members from two-thIrds Of
the states, and majority Of all the states
shall he necessary to choice. And if the
louise Of Representatives shall not choose d
President whenever the right OF choice shall
devolve upon them, before the fourth day of
March next following, then the Vice Prcsi
dent shall act as President, as in case of the
death or other constitutional disability of the
President.
! 1t 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 selection These will un-
doubtedly be Mcssrs. Buchanan, Fillmore and
Fremont. Eacl, 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 the question by the
House would undoubtedly give rise to a close
and excited struggle. Neither party would be
able to command majority of all the states,
which is necessary to elect. The Republicans
could not by any possibility control more than
thirteen states, and sixteen are necessary.
Mr. Fremont's chances, therefore, it appears
to u.s. would be the worst Of the three, for he
could not expect to gain strength from any
concession or compromise with his opponents.
The states supporting Mr.. Fillmore would
control the election, and it would be between
him and Mr.. Buchanan would have to be
made. Both parties, we may presume would
be united in preventing the selection Of Ere
mont; but how their own conflicting claim.
could be settled is matter on which we car
only speculate. In the event of the House
not choosing the President before the fourth
day of March next, should the choice deyolv'
upon it, then the Vice President becomes TIN
President de facto Who the Vice Presiden
would be in that event is not at all doubtful
The Senate has the power Of choosing tn
Vice President from the two candidates hay
ing the highest vote for that Office in the cleo
toral college, and the strong Democrats ma
jority in the Senate would ensure the mmed
ate choice Of Mr.. Breckenridge.
The party divisions of the House of Repre-
scntatives, by States, is at present as follows
The Republicans have majorites in and cor
troll the delegations from Maine, New HamI
shire, Vermont Massachusetts,, Rhode Island
Connecticut, New Jersey, New York. Penn
syvania, Ohio, Michigan Indiana, and Wis
consin-thirteen States The Democrats ar
represented by majorities in Alabama, Arkan
sas, Virginia, Illinois, North Carolina, Sout
Carolina, Georgia. Louisiana, Mississippi
Florida aud California-elevcn States. Tn
American party numbers majority in Mary
land, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, an
Delaware-dve States Iowa presents tie
one Republican and one Democrat, as ais
does Texas, represented by one Democrat AN
one American
The Republican candidate having but thin
teen states falls three sh TT of majority; an
it will be at least moral impossiblty for hir
to gain additional support from the south, hi
last chance would be with the Democratict fro
states-Calilornia, Illinois and Iowa, all {
which he must have before he can becom
President of the United states. But this las
chance the most knowing politicians woul
pronounce no chance at all, so that the concl
sion follows--in the House Of Representative
the chances are decidedly against Mr.. FIR
mont.-BaNimore American.