The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-07-15
THE SOUTHERN ELECTORAL VOTE.
THE LAST ATTEMPT TO GAG THE soUTH-THE
RADICALS FEAR The DEMocRAcY-AN Analysis
OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE BILL.

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What is now known as the Electoral College
bill was finally passed on Saturday by both
Houses of Congress, and has been sent to the
President: In the original bill the States OF
Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia,
FLORIDA, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Ar
kansas and. Texas we're named, and it was pro-
yided that only such of them should be entl-
tied to representation in the electoral college
as shall have State governments, organized
since the 4th OF March, 1867, in operation at
the time of the election, and also have become
entitled to representation in Congress pursuant
to the Reconstruction acts. The measure, as
finally passed in the form Of joint resolution,
is as follows:
Reso,oed, That none Of the States whose In
habitants were lately in rebellion shall be enti-
tied to representation in the electoral college
for the choice Of President and Vice-President
of the United States nor shall any electoral
votes be received or counted from any OF such
States unless, at the time prescribed by law for
the choice Of electors, the people OF such State,
pursuant to the acts Of Congress in that behalf,
shall have, since.the 4th dly Of March, 1867,
adopted constitution Of state government
under which State government shall have
been orr anized and shall be in operation; nor
unless such election Of electors shall have been
held under the authority Of such constitution
and government, and such State shall have
also become entitled to representation in Con-
gress, pursuant to the acts OF Congress IN that
behalf: Provided, that nothing herein con-
tanned shall be construed to apply to any State
that was represented in Congress on the 4th OF
March 1877
The Baltimore Sun gives en- analysis of this
infamous attempt to choke off any Southern
electoral vote not favorable to the Radicals. 1t
says:
The. resolution, judging from the vote in
both Houses-twtnty-eight to five in the Sen
ate on Friday, and one hundred and twelve to
twenty.nne in the House on Saturda1-seems
to have been adopted as party measure; measure;
the alarming suspicion that the black votein
the South is not altogether certain for the spp-
port Of Radicaliem, and the resolution may pc
considered O. declaration OF its fears ID
that c-ard. The subject ia one OF pro-
Iornd ,1.nent, involving IN its possible
resnits ~ connection with the PresldeLuai
election, the rights and interests, Qi MoEsaeFn
as Nell as Southern States. The Washing
ton Chronicle, indeed, asserts that the ',unre-
convenience OF geographical designation, and
in the political sense OF the word will not be
States until they shall have perfected, accord
ing to law, the State organizations which are
necessary to constitute them as such. Indeed,
they are so situated that they could not par
sticipate in the election without resort to un.
constitutional proceedings, for the reason that
they have no authorized Legislatures, and tne
Constitution prescribes that leach State shall
appoint, in such manner as the Legislature
thereof may direct, number OF electors equal
to the whole number OF senators and represen-
tati7es to which the State may be entitled In
Congress"
we are aware that it is the radical practice
to consider or treat the Southern states,
either as States or not States, as convenience
may suggest. But that they are States IN the
Union and have never been out OF 1t, notwlth-
standing their ordinance OF secession, ID a
thing which has been determined more than
once by the decisions Of the Supreme Court,
and in view OF this, and the results OF the war,
has become the accepted doctrine Of the whole
people,. Hence the great seriousness which
Mr.. Trunibull sees in the contingency OF the
election OF Pres ident turning upon this dls-
puied point.
AS to the prete1t that the unre constructed
States have no Legislatures to constitute eIec-
tors. it is we'll known that the uniform prac-
lice of all the States in late years has Deen
either by State Conventions or central COM
mittees to nominate an electoral tlcket, wltn
the single exc ption OF South Carolina, whose
electors were named by direct act OF the Legs
lature, With regard to the requirement OF the
bill that State s.shall have become entitled TO
representation in Congress, pursuant TO the
acts of Congress in that behalf" before being
allowed to vote in the Presidential election, 1t
is only IN additional coercive measure against
each. To become entitled TO representation IN
Congress under the Reconstruction bills, II ls
necessary for State to adopt the fourteenth
Amendment to the Constitutions: hence. the
probabilities seem to be that Mississippi,
where the new State Constitution is supposed
I to have lust been rejected, and Virginia, where
the State Constitution may be rejected. and
Texas, where the Convention ls stlu ID ses-
sion, may be shut out from the electoral co..
lege, the Constitution OF the United States 10
the contrary Notwithstanding.
The Washington correspondent Of The Falii-
more Gazette, writing on the same subject,
says:
The bill which has passed both Houses OF
Congress providing that the electoral vote CT
the Southern States not entitled to represents
ton insCongress shall not be counted IN the
electoral college, is the topic OF general discus
strict party vote through each House, and the
purpose Of it, as before stated in this CORES.
pondence, is clear. If for instance the State OF
Georgia should cast her electoral vote for SeJ..
mour, before this vote can be counted it must
be determined by Congress that Georgia is en-
titled to representation in Congress. jus:
as certain as her vote is cast for the Democratic
ticket just so certain will the Jacoblns determine
| that she is not entitled to representation. IL
Virginia should cast her electoral vote, for
Grant, Virginia will be declared entitled to
representation. In other words, the precise
condition of things is produced which Senator
Trumbull 30 earnestly warned his party
against, as likely ''to produce another civil
the legislation Of the party which would per-
suade the people that it is for peace. The
| prayest- -apprehensions are felt and expressed