Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1860-08-30
The Representation Of the south
in Congress and in Presiden-
tial EicctOrs--Queries Answer

ed.
a correspondent writes us from Rich
woods, Delaware County, Ohio, under
date Of the 10Th Of August, as follows:
"My object in writing to you is to re-
ceive your information in reference TO the
electoral vote oftbe United States. Some
Of the Republicans here say that the South
on account of its slaves, though not near
as many in population, gives far the most
electoral votes. We, the Democrats de-
ny it. Now for our satisfaction, we de-
sire you to publish the facts in the En-
qutrer, in some Of your issues. We wish
you to let US know how the vote does
stand.
"Thereis another thing that we do not
understand. The meaning Of this half
vote; for instance, Douglas received 1914.
That half vote-what does il mean? We
would be glad to have some lig.t on the
subject. / heard a Republican elector for
the State at large make speech the other
day, and he said there was no such thing
as a half vote. He said this in the pres
ence, would suppose, of three hundred
people, and no one disputed his word"
The first question propounded is one
upon which great ignorance seems to pre-
vail among the Republicans, and, though
often fully explained, many do not seem
to understand the solution. The fact is,
the eighteen free States (having a popu-
lation, in 1850, under which apportion-
ment we are now acting, of fourteen mil
lions) have 1S3 electoral votes for Pres
ident. The fifteen slave States, with nine
millions of people in 1850, six millions
free and three millions slave, have 100
electoral votes. In the House of Repre-
sentatives the free States have l47 MEM
bers, and the slave States 90 Members
The number of electors is equal to the
number Of members of the House and
members of the Senate added together
For instance, Ohio has twenty -one mem
bers of the House and two Senator'S
She has, therefore, twenty three electoral
votes. Kentucky has ten members of the
House and two Senators, making twelve
electoral votes. The number OF f,eenen
required to send member of the House
is, at present, $4,000. In the free States
the negroes are free, and count with the
whites in making up in any district th,
required 93, 600. In other words, in any
district in the North where $4,000 whites
and blacks live, that district has a mem
Der of Congress, end one electoral vote
for President. In the South, on the con
trary, five negro slaves only count tire,
in the basis of representation.
In those electoral districts where there
are thousands of slaves held it requires
much more than $4,000 people to elect
a member OF Congress, for 80, 200 slaves
would only be put down as $4,000 peo-
pie. Slavery lessons the Southern repre-
sentation in Congress, and lessons her
pate her slaves she would have tuenty
members ofCongress and taoenty Presi-
Dental electors more than she has now,
as they would count equally with the
whites, instead Of fce for three, as at
present. This is the working o; the three
fifth clause of the Constitution of the
United States. 1t is restriction upon
the slave States.
In reference to the half-votes cast in
the Charleston and Baltimore Conven.
tions, it occurred in this way: Each State
had tacice as many delegates as it hat
electoral votes to give to the nomination
of President. For instance: Connection
had twelve delegates to cast six votes
seven Of the delegates were for Mr.. Doug
las, and fire of them against him.; the sever
gave him three and half votes, and the
tce gave tyo and a hGlf against him. In
this way number of States cast hal
votes in the Convention. Enquirer.