The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1860-10-11
PREVIOUS ELECTIONS OF PRESI.
DENT by THE HOUSE OF REPRE-.
6ENTATIVES.

DENT ny TIE House OF REPRE-.
6ENTATIvES.
D. D. Field, Of New York, in recent
political speech, related the circumstan
ces attending the only two instances
where the people having failed to choose
a President of the United States, tha,
duty deyolved upon the House Of Repre-
sentatives. His narration of all the cir
cumstances may be matter of some in
terest just now. We copy the following:
About the middle of December, 1900,
the leaders of tho Republican and Fed.
eral parties knew the result of the cleo
toral colleges. Both sides we're disap-
pointed. Mr.. Jefferson had 73 votes,
Mr.. Burr 73. Mr.. Adams 65, Mr.. Pinck-
ney 64, Mr.. Jay l.
The Senate and House were to meet
(by law on the 1lth of February, 1901,
to count the votes. Before meeting the
Senate and House adopted eight rules
"to be observed in the choice of a Pres.
ldent,' with the intent, as Mr.. Randolph
said, to starve or worry 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 forth
with return to their own chamber, and
Immediately y proceed to ballot, land in
case upon the first ballot there shall not
appear to be majority of the States in
favor of one of them, in such case the
House shall continue TO DalIoJ TOR Il rrus.
idcnt, without interruption by other bus,
iness, until it shall appear that Presi-
dent is dul y chosen" Fourth-"After
commencing the balloting for President,
the House shall not adjourn until a
choice be made" Fifth-"The doors OF
the House shall be closed during the bal.
loting, except against the officers Of the
! House"
On the 1lth the Senate and House oi
Representatives met, and the electoral
vote was counted. There being nc
choice, the two Houses then separated
and the House of Representatives pro
ceeded in the manner prescribed by th'
constitution and under the rules they
proceeded to ballot. On the first ballo
there were eight States for Jefferson, 81,
for Burr, and two were divided. Th
eight States which voted for jefferson
included all those south of New England
except Maryland, Delaware and Soutl
Carolina, voted for Aaron Burr. Yer
mont and Maryland were divided.
Two or three members were so i'll as t,
be brought to the House on their beds
One who was seriously ill was ATTENDED
in the House by his wife. Twenty.eigh
ballots were had at longer or shorter in
tervals, occupying the House till th'
next day at noon.
The House remained in session nomi
nally without adjournment for sever
days, but after sitting out the first night
the resolution not to adjourn was sub
stantially evaded by substituting reces,
During the next four days the actua
sessions were very short, only five bal
lots being had. On the 18th of Febru
ary, 10Th ballot; on the 14th February
Both, 3lst, 32d, and 33d ballots and OF
the 10Th February, Sith ballot.
On the 10th of February, thir kin
that the time had arrived for terminatin
the struggle, in the exercise Of discre
tion intrusted to him by the then fedel
alists, with whom he co-operated, Nj
Bayard, Of Delaware, called gener;
meeting of the federal members, an
though some were still very reluctant t
yield, it was finally agreed that Burr ha
no chance, and that Jefferson must b
chosen. "..z
The 35th ballot, taken at noon on tn
18th, resulted like the former. After a
hours interval on the seventh day Of tn
protracted sitting, the 36th ballot ";
had. Mr.. Norris, of Vermont, was al
sent, and the two Maryland federalist.
Craik and Baer, put in blank ballots, thu
giving two moro States to Jefferson
+ which made a majority, and he was cho
en-. The letters and diaries of the leat
: ing men of that time show how deepl
the public mind was agitated. The cor
test, in reality, lasted sixty days-fro,
the middle of December, 1900. to Eel
ruary 16, 1901. During the create
part of that time Hamilton was 10 Ne,
York, Jefferson at Washington, and Blu,
: at Albany, member of the Legislature
In 1924, Gen. Jackson, Mr.. Adams
and Mr. Crawford were the candidate,
and though the FIRST had the larges
!, number, he had not a majority of tn
s electoral votes The House proceeded
choose one of the three, and chose NJ
Adams. elimination and recriminatio
my followed. Loud complaints were mac
Mat the candidates having the less
y Amber should be chosen, and violel
itical struggle was the result. Sue
Ah1o, IS Al,