New-York tribune., 1868-06-01
NODE OF CHOOSING PRESIDENT

To h> Editor Of The Tribune r.' '.....
SIR: Please inform me il case ever occurred
in the history OF this Government when set OF Electors
chosen to elect President proved recreant TO the trust
reposed In them and went to the opposition ana
elected another candidate than the one they were
TO for II has been case OF the khu
would such election be legal in case OF such
Conneaatrate, Penn. May 27. 1868.
AnsVer.-We can recall no instance wherein
an Elector chosen explicitly and VIGOROUSLY to
support one candidate for President ever cast
his vote for another. The following instances
bear upon the questions
In the fierce struggle of 1900, 73 Electors-a
majority of the whole number-were chosen
by the Republicans, with the understanding
that they would cast their votes for Thomas
Jefferson and Aaron Burr The Constitution
then provided that the candidate who received
the highest Electoral vote should be President; [;
the next highest Yice-President. Topping
Reeve--a near relative Of Aaron Burr-was one
of the Federal Electors chosen by the State OF
Connecticut. lie was urged to cast his vote
(which could do the Federal candidates no
good) for Aaron Burr. and thus make him
President over Jefferson, who would then
(having next to the highest vote) be Vice
President He refused, and voted straight for
John Adams and Charles G.. Pinckney, the
Federal candidates
In 1920, every State chose Republican Electors,
who were generally expected to vote for the
reelection of President Monroe. One of those
chosen in New Hampshire, however, 1--WE be-
lieve it was Ex.-Gov. William Plummer or
David l.. MorrillD, voted soEus for john Quincy
Adams. All the rest of the votes were cast for
James Monroe.
In 1924 there was terrific triangular strug-
gle in this State, and general breallng-up OF
parties. The Electors were then chosen by the
Legislature, and the Crawford party, led by
Martin Van Buren, John Cramer, &C., conf
IDENTIFY expected to bag them all. They were
baffled, however, by coalition of the Adams
and Clay men, who combined on single cleo
toral ticket and elected most of it. The combi-
nation was not absolutely perfect, however, and
5 Crawford electors were chosen-the Crawford
party having the Senate, and being very nearly
equal in Joint Ballot to all its adversaries
| One Elector (Pierre A. Barker of Buffalo,
was on most if not all the tickets, being re-
garded by either faction as of "the right
"sort" Being chosen, he was in some per-
plexity as to his course, but finally decided to
vote for Gen. Jackson, who had then no party
in our State Thus Gen. Jackson received hif
only vote from our State at that election.
We hope in time to get rid of Electors and
vote directly for President and Vice-President
Until then, any Elcctor may vote as he chooses
may vote even for tho regular nominee OF
the party which opposed him at the polls-and
his vote would be perfectly valid. If the
| Electors chosen for Lincoln in '6i had seen fiji
| TO vote for Mcclellan, or even for Buchanan
he would haye been the legally chosen Presi,
dent, and his election could only have beer
set aside by revolution. The danger of any
such grave breach of trust is, happily very