, 1860-06-15
The Manner Of EIectIng The President and
Vice President.


the constitutional majority of the Electoral
College. The New York Times recently
published an editorial on the subject, in an.
sWer to queries propounded by numerous
correspondents. Said the Times:
In case there should be no choice in the
Electoral College, the election will go into
the House Of Representatives That body,
as at present composed, will doubtless be
divided as follows:
Fourteen States, viz: Alabama, Arkan-
sas, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia,
Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri,
Oregon, South Caroline, Texas and Vir-
ginia would cast their votes for the Demo
cratic nominee.
Fifteen States, viz: Connecticut, Indiana,
Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan,
Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey,
New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Is
land, Vermont and Wisconsin for the Re
publican candidate.
Maryland and Tennessee for the Opposi-
tion candidate, and the vote Of Kentucky
and North Carolina would be equally di.
vided.
With Kansas admitted, the Republican
candidate would have sixteen States, but
not majority. Without Kansas it would
stand:
Republican candidate '.......,.'........l5 Is States.
Democrauc candidate. ...''.........l4 States
Southern opposition candidate. States.
Tied States.
Total ....,..........................ss 80 States.
Necessary 70 choice. II States.
II no candidate has majority of all the
electoral votes, then the House must, from
the highest, make the election, and that,
too, BY a majority Of all the States II
they fail to do this previous to the 4th of
March, then the Vice Presiden shall act as
President. If no Vice President shall have
been elected by the House. then the Sen.
ate shall choose one from the two highest
numbers on the list voted for.
1t will be seen, therefore, that if no
President or Vice President should be chos-
en- next fall, and it the House Of Represen-
tatiVes shall fail to elect either, the Senate
will have the appointment Of the Chief
Magistrate, though it can only select from
two names presented by the House. In
effect, the Democratic members Of the
House Of Representatives would have the
power Of selection
After the publication Of the above arti-
Gle in the Times, a correspondent of that
paper sent in the annexed communication,
which was also given. From it, it would
appear that in case there are three Presi-
dental candidates put in the field, e. e.,
Republican, Democratic, and Southern Sc.
cession,) the candidate for Vice President
on the Democratic ticket will really stand
the best chance Of being made President Of
Of the United States Says this cores
pondent:
EDITOR OF N. Y. TmEs:-Permit me to
correct an error in your article relating to
the election Of President and Vice Presi-
dent by the House Of Representatives and
Senate, which appeared n the Tines Of the
I'd May. You say:
" II no Vice President shall have been
elected by the House, then the Senate shall
choose one from the two highest numbers
on the list voted for. 1t will be seen,
therefore, that if no President or Vice
President should be chosen next Fall, and
IL the House Of Representatives should fail
to elect either, the Senate will have the
appointment Of the Chief Magistrate, tho
"Sau ',,J oe'oS' .iOi. wv uaHes PieSeusou
oy the houSe; In enect, the democratic
members will have the power Of selection" ;"
Now, the House of Representatives has
nothing whatever to do with the election
Of Vice President, nor the Senate with
the election Of q President. The powers
Of each body are distinctly and entirely In
dependent Of the other.
IL no President be chosen by the cleo
tors, the House Of Representatives may
choose the Presidents; their choice being
restricted to the persons having the highest
numoers, not exceeding tire, on the list Of
those voted for as PresldeHt.
ii no Vice President 6e chosen BY the
electors the Senate shall choose the Vice
PRESIDENT from the TOO highest numbers on
the list OF those voted Tor, for Vice Presl-
cent.
II the House fails TO elect President
Deiore the 4th Of March next following
then the Vice Observation-Disclosures chosen