The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-08-07
The Vote for the President In virGinie-
The Electoral College Bill Versus tho Con.
stituti0n-Firginia's Claims to n Vote.

RICHMOND, August 4, 1885,
Notwithstanding the Electoral College bill to the
contrary 1t s the present intention of Virginia to
cast her vote In the next Presidential election The
terms OF this bill do not forbid the States of Virginia.
Mississippi and Texas from holding elections, but
merely the counting Of their votes. Thus 1t would
seem that Congress took 1t for granted the votes
these States would be sent In. The nicely with
which the constitution provides for the election of
the President seems to guard against all contingencies
that might arise from political agitation and partisan
violence like the present Congress IL merely the
agent in the matter requiring only the presence of
the two houses while the vote is being counted by
the President Of the Senate while the other branches
of the national government are altogether excluded
from participation In 1t. The constitution prescrbes
that 'the person having the greatest number Of
for President shall DO President II such num-
Der he q majority Of the whole number of electors
appointed" Now II Virginia. Mississippi ana
Texas should appoint electors as the consti-
tuition preseribes, can anv law Of Congress prevent
the counting OF tEeir votes, even taking into con-
sideraton the present anomalous condition Of
affairs for 1t 10 an acknowledged fact that these are
all States 1t Is argued here that cannot end fur
ther should the President Of the Senate discard
the votes Of these States, that 1t will not afrect the
result 1.-THE election ~ It will be clearly the right Of
the person having majority OF the votes to assume
the functions " the President OF the United states
the constitution beyond the reach Of accident as an
nsllenabe right Of the states.
But further than this leading ORGANS of the democ-
racy here assert the full and complete right OF vr.
GINA State beyond dispute TO cast her vote for
the next President and Vice President allowing even
the consttuttonaty OF all the recent legislation of
Congress. During the entire Virginia was recog-
nzed az State In the Union, having legal govern
ment; Congress appealed to the State or virginia
during the war for her consent to the establishment
OF the Stale OF West virginia. In 1865 the State rat
ned the amendment TO the constitution abollshing
han all H. -
1866 she rejected the Howard amendment
submitted by the same body. From all
this il would appear that Virginia was a State even
In the eyes OF Congress- until the passage OF the
reconstruction acts and these, IL IL alleged do not
take away her vitality as State. These arguments
are considered incontrovertible, and therefore an
election for electors In this State may be looked for
in November, with what results the future must de-
eide. For this election the code OF Virginia provides
that the Governor shall, before the lst OF August
uuadrennialy, appoint three commissioners for each
county. who shall appoint three commissioners at
each place where poll Ia held and In the case OF
the Governor falling TO act as he has DONE the fol-
lowing section provides:-
n any one Of said commissioners shall attend and b.
willing TO act he may with himself as commits
.oner attorney for the r,sidnQ In the
county corporation or any Jusce thereof who
frsehoder who may present. And none Of the commits
sioners attend, should have been appointed then
any justices willing TO act shall be commissioner and
two such justices present. then
holders present and agreeing 10 sctshs be
In accordance with this provision an electoral
ticket will be nominated, a. has already been done
by the radical party In the State, and the election
will be held, so say the organs OF the democracy
here. II II considered duty and Is such will not
DO shirked