Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1857-02-21
Correspondence Of the Public ledger
LETTER FROM WARRINGTON.

Counting the Presidential Vote--A Difficulty
about the Vote Of INsconsin-A Change
IN the Law Necessary. -
WAsHrxoroa, Feb. l3. 1857.
At the counting Of the vote OF the Elec-
toral Colleges for President and Vice Presi-
dent, q scene cf excitement happened in the
House Of Representatives, which perhaps
never was exceeded in deep interest on any
previous occasion. Agreeably TO the law
laid down in the Constitution, the Senate
entered the House at little after the time
agreed upon to count the votes. Every step
was conducted with propriety, up to the mo-
ment when il was discovered that the Elec-
tors of Wisconsin had not cast their votes
on the day in which they ought to have done
it, viz: on the third of December.
Flood. or snow, or some other difficulty
prevented the meeting of the electors on the
third Of the month, and therefore, they had
to go into the election as soon as possible
afterwards. which was next day. December
fourth Now. had there been just differ
ence of the vote of Wisconsin between the
whole number of votes cast for NJ Buchanan
aud for Mr. Fremont, this accident might
have been the cause of very serions legisla-
tive difficulty, and the real person elected by
the votes Of u majority Of the citizens ofeach
] of the States might have lost his election, for
the reason that If the electors Of q State fail
to meet on the day in rhich they are appoint.
ed 10 meet by The Constitution, Hty fail Ia
| comply trith the letter Of the fundamental tdw
Of the Republic, and their election is VOID.
| This construction Is selfevident, as well as
necessary, otherwise it might happen that
electoral colleges wonld vote at any time
most convenient, and the Senate might enter
the House Of Representatives, to count
therein the votes, and find only portion, OF
perhaps none at all, to count. Here, then
would be tremendous difficulty; and what
the nature of that difficulty would be, the
scene to-day in the House Of Representatives
afforded good and favorable specimen.
Some Of the members of the House, in the
| presence Of the Senate, committed the great
mlstake-because they saw possible difh
Guilty at some future electiOn--committed the
| great mistake of conceving that the occasion
| OF the count Of the recent election was the
time for correcting Wisconsin, and providing
against similar casualty in the future. The
members of the House pressed their actor
upon the President of the Senate, while pre-
siding over that body within the House tC
count the votes. The votes were counted
and majority of two hundred and ninety.si,
votes was declared by the President of The
! Senate in favor of James Buchanan for Pre-
sdpnt, and for John g. Breckenridge ro
Vice President. The vote of Wisconsin
whether of force or not, did not change tn,
Najority for Buchanan and Breckenridge
Aud yet the members of the House in th,
presence of the Senate, thought that tha
was time to make a difficulty about th
vote of Wisconsin.
1t should be definitely understood tina
every vote of an Electoral College, not Ger
titled as given in every particular in accor
dance with the Constitution, will not b.
included in any general result of any futur
count. The point Of law specially defined
future difficulty will be altogether avoided
The difficulty to-day showed the propriety o
some special action.