The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-12-08
The New Law in Regard to the EIeC
ton OF u. y. Rennfors

The New Law in Regard TO the EIec-
ton OF u. y. Senators.
President Johnson in his late message
recommended that hereafter u. S. Sem
ators should be elected by the people
the same as Congressman. We doubt
altogether the wisdom of such u recon-
mendation. 1t seems to us that all the
objection that could be urged against
the old method of electing them by the
legislatures of the respective States,
have been met by the law passed on the
18th day of last July. The substance
OF its provisions is as follows: The
Legislatures of each State which shall
be chosen next preceding the ex piration
of the time for which any Senator was
elected, shall, on the second Tuesday
after meeting and organizing, proceed
to elect II Senator in place of the one
going out of office, in the following
manner: Each house shall, on that
day, by open viva voce vote of each
member present, name one person for
Senator, and the name of the person so
voted for, who shall have majority of
the whole number of votes cast in each
house, shall be entered on the journal
by the clerk, and if either house fail to
throw majority for any one, TINT
fact shall be entered on the journal.
AT noon of the next day the two houses
shall meet in joint assembly, and TIE
Journals shall be read. The party who
has received majority in each house
shall be declared elected. II no one
has majority of each house, or If
either house has failed to act, the Joint
convention proceeds to choose by viva
voce vote of each person present, and
the one having "A majority of ali the
votes of the joint assembly, the mnior-
ity of all the members elected to both
houses being present and voting, shall
be elected; and if no one is selected on
that day, the joint convention shall
meet from day to day at noon during
the session of the Legislature, and cast
at least one vote per day until an cleo
ton IS effected. In cases of vacancy du-
ring recess OF the Legislature, the like
manner of election takes place on the
second Tuesday after organizing at the
first session succeeding the vacancy
In case of vacancy happening during
IA session, the election is in like manner
held ON the second Tuesday after no.
tice of the vacancy. In every cnse the
Governor is required to certify the
election to the President of the Senate
of the United States.
One popularity of the law will strike
the readers attention, that the maiori-
ty of each house is required on the first
vote, so as to secure to each branch its
proper voice, while on the other hand
a recusant majority of one or more in
either house cannot defeat an ultimate
election on joint ballot, because the law
comPels the holding a Joint convoca-
ton, and the minority OF one house
united to the majority of the other will
be able to carry out their choice; for it
Is only necessary that enough OF the
members OF each house should be pres
ent to constitute an aggregate majority
OF the two bodies. II is not required
that a majority OF each should be pres
ent, but majority of the whole NUM-
Der, no matter of what proportion of
either house that aggregate is compos-
cd; and a majority OF that quorum so
COMPOSED, although it be less than a
majority OF the more numerous branch,
may consummate the election.