Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-10-11


We have already considered this subject with re-
ference to the alternative OF throwing the election
INTO the House of Representatives. We have DIS
cardcd all partisan feeling in the discussion of It.
and intend to do go in what remains to be sad
upon II.
An election by the House is not an object to be
desired bv the South if it be avoided. In case
of such a contingencies everybody knOws-each
State through its representatives casts one vote
Delaware. Florida. and Oregon, each OF which has
but three votes in the Electoral College stand IN the
House on a footing of entire equality with New
York which casts thirty-fve. So far, 4 transfer Of
the contest to the House might seem favorable to
the South and would be SO in ordinary cIrcum-
stances 1t may be so in the present instance, but
that is not altogether certain.
Of the 30 States of the UnlOn the South faS ID
the North s. 1t requires Il 10 constitute MAJOR
| itv The l. Southern States, with Oregon, Call
fornia and IllnOs,-all Of which as at present re-
| presented. are opposed to Llncoln,-or with any
two of them would suffice to defeat the Black Re
nubIican candidate But it is impossible to fOresee
what change may be effected by death, accident or
poIItical intrigue The Republicans have 7nuleri-
cal majority in the House. and as all other questions
| except that of the Presidency, are determined III
that BODY bv numerical maOrities, they would pos
srss vast advantage in every species of parliament
| arv manuuvering, incidental TO the main contest
The seat of the one member from Oregon IS contest
ed by a Republican competitor, and intlmauOns have
been made Of an intention the part of the MAJOR
itv to give the seat TO tins claimant The represen-
taton from Illinois consists of four Republicans and
five Democrats One of the latter, 1t Is SAID IN case
Mr. Douglas cannot be elected will vote for Lincoln
and this will turn the scale. We see them that there
is no positive assurance Of satisfactory teTnina'
ton of the struggle from throwing ltnto the House
| Of Representatives.
But If the success Of Lincoln in the Electoral Col
ege can be prevented it will be just as easy to make
an election by that body to transfer the matter to
the IIOuse of representatives unless the spirit OF
| ;pI
The popular conservative vote, II IS true may posi-
| bIv be divided between electors favorable to Bell
Breckenridge and Douglas, but it would be foolish
| for those electors to throw away their votes at a
crisis of such mOmentOus Importance, upon unaN all
| able candidates.
The peopIe, at the November election, do not vote
directly for candidates for the Presidency, but for
electors whose duty it is to make choice OF fresl
dent The electoral College the only power under
the rrovison of the Constitution that has the right
| TO choose a President and Vice President-untll
| they make the effort and fail. Ii was expressly pro
vided by the trainers Of the Constitution thai the
| College of Electors should have absolute control
of the whole matter, and there Is no reason Tor De
eving it to have been contemplated that they should
be bound down by an implied pledge to vote for
one particular ticket Perhaps tits unfortunate that
| the original plan should have become practically
obsolete and that the Electors should have become
/ mere mechanical instruments for the formal an
uounremcnt of a fOregone conclusion. At any rate,
| tbe annroaching election may afford occasion,
when It will become all-lmportOnt for them TO as
sumo the exercise of the discretionary power and
responsibility vested in them by the Constitution and
TO unite all the elements OF conservatism IN opposi-
- 70 that mad and reckless fanaticism which
threatens the Constitution and the confederation
with ruin o., -.
The November election will decide which OF these
candidates is the strongest and let the electoral vote
of all the three parties opposed to hePuDHcanlsili
be cast for that candidate, whoever he may De
Nothing can POSSIBLY be Loot to either party by TINS
arrangement for there viii be only one candidate
/ for whom vote can avail anything; and as each
party professes to be equally confident OF It's suPe
rlor strength each has the same reason tsuppos!Ls
this professcd confidence to be sncere) for ins'sIng
upon such an arrangement, by way OF assuring LIS
| own success.