The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1856-02-01
THE MAJORITY RULE AND THE
PRESIDENTIAL. ELECTION.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
The following article from the Troy
Budget possesses interest at this time:
The protrnctcd struggle at Washington,
consequent upon the organization of the new
third Know Nothing party, suggests the pos
sibiliiy of failure of any Presidential candi.
date to receive minority Of all the votes
given in the electoral colleges, and therefore,
MS matter of course, Of m exciting and cor
rupt-and Judging from what we have already
seen of the present struggle on the Speaker
ship-probably unsuccessful contest in the
House of Representatives. According to
present appearances, democrat must be
elected President by the people, or there will
be no election of that officer at all until the
constitution has been put to test much
beyond what has been required by any
previous contest, unless some combination
should he formed in Congress of much
stronger character than is now anywhere an
iicipated
For the purpose Of showing where this
triangular fight may ultimately lead, we will
suppose that the republican and Know Moth
ing electoral votes together in numbers ex.
coed the democratic, and in consequence, un.
der the 18th article of the constitution, the
election il sent to the House of Representa-.
tives. The article referred TO provides that
in the event Of failure to effect II choice by
n majority of the electors, "thcn, from the
persons having the highest numbers, not tx.
cepding three, on the list of those voted for
MS President, the l)ouse of Representatives
shall choose Immediately, by ballot, the
President. But in choosing the President
the votes shall be taken by States, the rep.
rescntntion from each State having one vote
IA quorum for this purpose shall consist of
n member or men,kers from two thirds of the
!, States, and. n amja!lss of all the States SIaal
Pbe necessary io choice.
Now the present House of Representatives,
upon which, in the contingency referred to,
will devove the election, is, according to the
most careful classification, constituted so MS 10
render vote BY State under this provision
nearly Ms follows
Democratic. Republican. Knop Nothing.
Arkansas, Connecticut, New Jersey,
Alabama, indiana, Rhode Island,
California, Maine, Maryland,
! Florida, Michigan, Kentucky,
Georgia, N. Hampshire, Delaware,
Louisiana, New York, Missouri,
| Mississippi, Ohio, Tennrssee-7
N. Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tie.
y. Carolina. Vermont, Illinois,
.r"s"', Ns''', i""-S
ia. ,, -. y. ..':,
n , 49, smr' ,L "a I. , ",,l ''ane oeeh seem
Nv I"'''uAo ,'D'e '',.,, e'e'en ot''es' "hen
un'er .'e l'pa''on .. ',e constitution quoted
'M'e.n WA ue Iequ'reu' w reference 10 inc
even, oi '"'"re 10 elec'-ahu WIN House
constituted IS the present one 49, failure
Wo",u ue more 'n'r propaoie-the article
u .he cohs'' u,'"h q"o,ed iur'her provides
hhu II Inc Ii"nse OF Representatives shall
not choose arres'deht-Nhenevcr the right
, W eno,ee shsll oevo,ve upon them, before
we iour'n W., oAy OF marcii next following
.ner we VICE ires'ueht sl'al' net as m the
casr OF s''e dra'n or o!''er constitutional dis
"o,I'y OF lhe i'tesaeh',
a IN reference ,s 10 'he election OF wee Prcsl'
aen.' "aen .nere mas M. been no choice by the