The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-10-26

Democratic party, What sort Vi sPoeVhos uV
their average and inferior ones inflct on vic
timized audiences He seeks refuge in the
discussion OF subordinate questions of little
current interest or importance, and he thus
proves that he lacks capacity or courage to
grapple with the great issues of the campaign.
Going Back to an Old Custom.
The crusade of the New York World and the
Washington National LnteHigeHcer against
Seymour and Blair having met with a most
inglorious defeat, the latter journal now pro-
poses plan whereby it hopes that many Of
the doubtful States, and even some in which
there is but faint hope ofa Democratic success
in November, "may yet be saved" This isifor
the National Executive Committee, or, in the
absence of prompt action by that body, the
several State Executive Committees, to pass
q resolution announcing that the Presidential
electors now pledged to the support of Sey-
mour and Blair will, if elected ignere their
pledges, and in the meetings Of the Electoral
College cast their votes for such candidates
as will prove acceptable to the Democrats
masses at large.
This system embodies the leading features
of the one which the trainers OF the Constitu-
tion had in mind. 1t was their intention, in
wording the clauses Of the Constitution bear
ing upon the election OF the Chief Magistrate
of the nation, that the members Of the Eleoto-
raj Colleges should be entirely untrammelled
by any special pledges, but that each should
cast his vote for such candidate as his own
clear and unbiased judgment might dictate.
OF course it was not anticipated that the indl-
vidual preferences Of each candidate for mem
bership of the Electoral College could be con-
oesled or ignored; but it certainly was deemed
desirable that there should be no general
pledges on the part Of the candidates, uniform
throughout the country. The first few Presi-
Dental elections conformed strictly to this
principle. At that time there was no sepa-
rate ballotiDg for President and Vice -Pres-
dent, each member of the Electoral College
casting votes for two different candidates for
Chief Magistrate, the one receiving the high
est number becoming President, and the next
highest Vice President.
On this principle George Washington was
twice elected unanimously, one vote of every
member of the Electoral College being cast for
him, while the other votes, equal in number,
were divided up among those who were the
second choices of the Electors, John Adams in
both cases receiving majority and becoming
Vice-President. At the third election, held in
1876, John Adams received II Electoral votes.
and Thomas Jefferson 68,- the remaining 50
being scattered among several candidates.
Adams therefore became President and Jeffer-
son Vice-President, although both had aspired
to the former position and were OF opposite
political professions. At the election of 1900,
the same system of a lack OF concert being in
vogue, Tnomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr each
received 70 Electoral votes, while John Adams
received 65 and Charles Pinokney ga. There
being no choice by the people, the House of
Representatives, after thirty-six ballots, de-
clared Jefferson the choice of ten States-a
majority-and he became President, with Burr
as Vice President. At this election there was
a noticeable division of the Electoral votes of
two of the States, Pennsylvania casting eight
votes for Jefferson and Burr, aud seven for
Adams and Pinckney; while Maryland cast
five votes for each of the four candidates.
Just previous to the election of 1904, the
Twelfth amendment to the Constitution,
which provides for separate votes for Presi.
dent and Vice-President, was adopted, and
under its operation Thomas Jefferson was
again elected President, with George Clinton
as Vice President. Although Jeffsrson's vote
this year was almost unanimous-162 out of
176-the vote of Maryland was again divided,
Jefferson receiving 9 of her Electoral votes
and Pinckney 2. At the end of Jeffsrson's
term of eight years, the famous Congressional
"Caucus" was duly installed as the dispenser
of the Presidential Office, the succession falling
to the lot Of the Secretary of State of the pre-
vious incumbent, system which Andrew
Jackson sustained, and by so doing
made Martin Van Buren, his sue
revolutionized the whole system, and
established the national conventions of
the present day in power, because, under the
former practice Henry Clay was able, through
his paramount influence in the House OF Re-
representatives., to elevate John Quincy Adams
to the Presidency in 1924, although the hero
of New Orleans had received majority both of
the popular vote and that of the Electoral
College. Yet, despite the authority of the
Congressional "caucuses'' and the earle,
national conventions, which placed regular
Presidential candidates before the people, and
in so doing practically destroyed the exer-
else of personal judgment or individual pre-.
ierences on the part of the members of the
Electoral Collapaa WA find that tha RIaotor.l