, 1860-10-05
PrUIOuS Elections Of, President by the
7 House Of Representative.

D. D. Field, OF New ork, IN recent
Oolitical speech, related the circumstances
sttending the circumstances attending the
onlV two instances where the people having
siled to choose President of the United
GATES, that duty devolved upon the House
of Representatives. His narration Of all
the circumstances may not be entirely cor
fect. but as q matter Of some interest just
now, the following is here given from his
address
I" About the middle of December, 1900,
ibe leaders of the Republican and Federal
parties knew the result of the electoral
colleges. Both parties were disappointed.
Mr.. Jefferson had 73 votes, Mr.. Burr 70,
Mr. Adams 65, Mr. Pinckney GA, Mr. Jay
l. The Senate and House were to meet
(by law on the llth of February, 1901,
to count the votes. Before meeting the
Senate the House adopted eight rules to
be observed in the cooice of a President,
with the intent, as Mr. Randolph said, to
starVe or weary the doubtful members into
voting for Burr.
"The first rule provided that in case no
candidate should have majority Of the
electoral votes, the House would forthwith
return to their own chamber, and immed-
ately proceed to ballot, and in case upon
the irst ballot there shall not appear to be
q majority Of the States in favor of one of
them, in such case the House shall continue
10 ballot for President, without Interrupt
ton by other business, until it shall appear
that President is duly chosen. Fourth
After commencing the balloting for Pres
ident, the House shall not adjourn until
choice be made. Fifth-The doors of the
House shall be closed during the balloting,
excepting against the officers of the House
On the llth, the Senate and House Of
Representatives met, aAd the electoral vote
was counted. There being no choice, the
two Houses then separated, and the House
Of Representatives proceeded in the man
per prescribed by the Constitution, and un-
der the rules they adopted, to ballot. On
de hkst ballot there we're eight States for
JeHersoD, six for Burr and two we're divi-
ded. The eight States which voted for
jefferson included oil those south of New
England, except Maryland, Delaware and
South Carolina. The four maritime north
eastern States, with Delaware and South
Carolina, voted for Aaron Bnrr. Vermont
and MARYLAND were divided. Two or three
members we're so III as TO be brought TO the
Honse on their beds. One who was seri-
ously III was attended in the House by his
wife. Twenty-eight ballots were had at
longer or shorter intervals, occupying the
House till the next day at noon. The
House remained in session, nominally, with
out adjournment, for seven days, but after
sitting out the FIRST night, the resolution
not to adjourn was substantially eVaded by
substituting q recess. During the next
four days the actual sessions were very
short, only Eve ballots being bad. On the
18th February, Both 3lst, 32d and SD
baIloisii and on the l6tA February, 34th
ballot. H tf.".t t,.E
"0n the 10th Of February, thinking that
the time had arrived for terminating the
struggle, In the exercise of discretion in
trusted 10 him by the then Federalists
with whom he co-operated, Mr. Bayard Of
Delaware, called general meeting Of the
Federal members, and though some were
still very reluctant to yield, it was finally
agreed that Burr had no chance, and that
Jefferson must be chosen.
1.-THE 85th ballot, taken at noon on the
l1th, resulted Ike the former. Ater an
hours interval on the 7th day of the pro-
tracted sitting, the Both ballot was had
Mr. Norris Of Vermont was absent, and
the two Maryland Federalists, Craik aud
Baer, put in blank ballots, thus giving two
more States to jefferson, which made a
majority, and he was chosen. The letters
and diaries Of the leading men Of that time
show how deeply the public mind was agi-
tated The contest, in reality, lasted so
days-from the middle Of December, 1900,
70 February l3, 1901. During the greater
part Of that time, Hamilton was 10 New
York, Jefferson at Washington, and Burr
ct Albany, member of the Legislature.
In 1924, Gen. Jackson, Mr.. Adams
and Mr.. Crawford were the candidates,
and though the first had the largest num-
Der, be had not majority of the electoral
yotes The House proceeded to choose
one Of the three, and cheese Mr.. Adams.
elimination and re-crimination followed,
Loud complaints were made that the can
didates having the lesser number should be
chosen, and violent political struggle was
the result. Such has been the experience
Of the House 10 the only instances in which
It has been called upon to make choice Of
President. These were, however, its
earliest and better days. A great change
las come over the body in the six-and-thir-
ty years which have passed since the latter
V Of these occurrences. 1t then consisted Of
about $50 members. 1t has now 1885,"