The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1858-12-11
80 90 A YEAR, IN ADVANCE.


rpsE MANNER OF clsoosINo PREslDNTs.
The New York Tribune, Of . late date,
contains long article on the manner Of
choosing candidates to be voted for BY the
Electoral Colleges Of the several States
The position taken is not altogether an un-
tenable one, and We are disposed to give the
benefit of our circulation to the arguments
set forth by the Tribune. We have always
looked upon National Conventions ~ po-
litical evil; but necessary under the circam-
stances. 1t Is sheer nonsense to assert that
the party had the man Of their choice in the
nomination Of Polk, or Of Pierce, however
acceptable or unacceptable their Administra-
tions may have been. That, of itself, is not
to be consideref. But, the simple fact that
the people arc entitled to their own choice,
FIRST, last, all the time, and the best manner
of securing such preference, 10 the point dis
cussed in the article referred to. We give
that part Of the article pertinent to the sub
iect, and leave it with our readers to say
whether or not the subject 10 worthy ofeon-
sideration-
+ "But the Constitution must be altered il
the People are to vote directly for President"
II is said. That 10 an entire mistake. Tho
Constitution is just right new. The Electo-
raj machinery, 80 far from being in the way
of, 10 indispensable to, the free and fair work
ing Of the ''Popular Sovereignty" principle.
Abolish it, and National Conventions with
exclusive party candidates become inevita-
BILE. With Electors, they are utterly super.
HuOus.
The true mode Of choosing President is
this
Let the Republican and the Democratic
coters Of each State nominate and support
an Electoral Ticket, pledged to rOte for that
candidate for President and Wee President
respectively rhom the largest number Of
roiers for that ticket throught the Union
shall indicate as their choice. Then let each
voter in whatever State vote the Electoral
Ticket Of his party headed by the names Of
the candidates of his choice for President
and Vice President. The Electoral ticket Of
the strongest party in each State will thus
be chosen, and the People will decide, in
choosing it, for whom the Electors Of the
respective parties shall vote. For instance:
Let US suppose that the Republicans in 1860
should carry all the Free States, including
Kansas and Minnesota, except Indiana, Ore.
gon and California, they would have ma.
jority Of the Electoral Votes, and would
therefore choose the President. Choose
whom? We answer. Whomsoever the
largest number of the voters for the Repub-
lican Electoral tickets throughout tho
Union shall have designated on their Elect
oral ballots. For instance, we will suppose
that
100000 shall hav e voted for the Republican
Electors on ballots headed, For Presi-
dent John c. Fremont; Vice Presi-
dent, William L. Dnyton;'
100000 do. do. headed, 'For President,
William II. Seward; Vice. President,
Francis p. Blair, jr.;;' and
100000 do. do. headed 'For President,
Salmon P. Chase; Vice. President, Ed-
ward Stanly , and
100000 do. do. headed, For President,
Charles Sumner; Vice. President, Cas-
sius NJ. Clay
The result in each State California prob
ably not excepted) would be known nll over
the country within ten or twenty days after
the close Of the polls and the Republican
National Committee would thereapon an
nouncc by telegraph that plurality OF the
Republican voters had ndicased Fremont and
DAYTON rs their first choice therefore, the
entire Electoral Vote should be cast, rs per
agreement, for Fremont and Dayton-who
would thus be chosen.
uIn-. IS the entire machinery Of National
Conventions and exclusive party nominations
dispensed with, and the People left free to
vote each man his first unbiased choice; with
the assurance that he would thus in no wise
"throw away his vote" nor endanger the
defeat Of his party, but on the contrary, he
could vote his first choice in full confidence
that l. The strongest party would carry the
election; and 2. The man preferred rs Pres
ident By the largest number in that party
would be chosen. What could be fairer thnn
this? What other mode of choosing Presi.
deas so thoroughly, radically republican and
democratic?
Citizens who do not aspire to seats in
National Conventions nor to work tho wires
thereof from position in the lobby! this is
your 6ght. We have shown you how you
may demand and secure to yourselves the
:hoice of your own President, if you will ;
il you will not, why then you must continue
to have him virtually chosen for you, rs now,
BY two antagonist National Conv entions.-
You have but to sny the word, and this sys.
tenn must be adopted; or you may remain
heedlcss and Indifferent, in which case the
old sham will be perpetustcd. Choose fol
yourselves.
As for the fancied practical difficulties in
the way of a real choice Of President by the
People, they all vanish on investigation.-
The Republicans and Union Americana Of
PENNSYLVANIA ran common Electoral Ticket
in 1856, and would probably have carried il
had there been no American 'Strnight Outs
or Boilers. Every voter put in ballot
headed Fremont or Fillmore according to hii
preference, and within FIVE days after th'
election the run Of the vote ns between Ere
mont and Fillmore was generally known
Had like union been formed in New jersey
and Illinois, both those States would hav,
been fixed against Buchanan. The FIRST Elec'
ton in which the People shall claim and ex'
crcise the right OF making their own candi'
dates for President and Vice. President vii
celebrate the funeral Of National Convcn
| tions
May VIC not ask the Political Press Of oil
parties to give this subject searching an,
unprejudiced consideration, and let thei
readers know what is thought Of it?
DEBUT As A CLOWN.
The newspapers chronicle tho fact, tha
tho son Of highly respectable gentlcmar
in Kentucky has taken to the ring rs clown
The piebnid adornmcnts Of the horse
harlequin have more attraction for him thai
the guise Of respectability. The npplaus,
of the witless crowd, who arc convulsct
with thread bare and miserable jokes, is oi
more value than the good opinion Of friends
And the rough, unrcfned and low-lif
associations by which he is surrounded, nr
moro to his taste than the company Of tn
polished and educated. The odor Of stal
tan, and the flicker of tallow dips, ar,
plcasnnter in bis nostrils than the atmospher
Of the drawing room. Bar-room mirth
and coarse, dirty fun, are hcnccforth hi