Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-07-18
VARIOUS sAMENDMEaTs sU06 KsrED
ELECTIONS FOR PRESIDENT.
THE PEOPLE SHOULD VOTE DI.
RECTLY. -.
THE INTERVENTION OF ELECTORS
DlSAPPROVED.
OTHER AMENDMENTS PROPOSED.

ing nossoke " Oou&IeSs.
! To the Senate and House Of Representatices:-
Experience has fully demons trated the wisdom
Of the trainers of the Federal Constitution.
Under all circumstances the result OF their Ia
bors was as near an approximation to perfec.
tion as was compatible with the faliiblIIty of
man. such being the estimation In which the
Constitution is and has ever been held BY our
countrymen, IL Is not surprising that any
proposition for it's alteration or Amendment
should be received with reluctance and dis.
trust. Whilst this sentiment deserves COM
mehdauon ano encouragemenk As useful pre-
yentative OF unnecessary attempts to change It's
provisions, it M ust be conceded that time has
developed imperfections and omissions in
the Consult anon, the reformation OF which has
been demanded by the best interests of the
country. Some of these have been remedied i'm
the manner provided in the Constitu ION itself
Ihere are others which, although heretofore
brought 10 the attention of the people, have
never been SO presented as to enabls
the popular Judgment to determine whether
they should be corrected by means of add.
tonal enactments. My object in this commn-
nlcation Is to suggest certain defects in the
Constitution, which seem to me. TO req uire
correction, and to recommend that the iudg
men. msns OF the people be taken on the smsnd-
The first Of the defects to which desire to
direct attention, is in that clause of the
Constitution which provides for the cleo
nUn ,%aansh Gi ~ President and Vice President
not by an immediate vote of the people
The importance OF so amending this clause as
70 secure 70 the people the election of President
and VICE President, by theirdirect votes was
urged with great earnestness and ability by
President Jackson in his first annual messag.
ana the accommodation was repeated in Il We
oi ms snoseq vent communications to Congress,
extending thIough the eight years of mis- AL.
ninlstration. In his message of 1870 he said
'sTo the people belongs the right of electiny
their Chi.f Magistrate; 1t was never designed
that their choice should, IN any case. be de-
feated, either by the in ter venIion of Electoral
colleges, or by the agency con nfided, under Ger.
tain contingencies 10 the House OF Representa-
tives."
He then proceeded 70 state the objections to An
election of President by the House Of Repre-.
tentatives, the most important of which was
that the choice OF clear ma lOrity of the people
might be easily defeated He tnen closed The
argnms Mt with the following comm unicstion:
~ would therefore recommend such All
amendment OF the Constitution as may remove
al intermediate agency in the election of Pres.
tdent and Vice President. The N ode NAV be so
Regulated as TO preserve to eac State its present
ieiauve weight in the election and a failure
W the nrst attempt may be provided for
BY confining the st cond to a choice between the
Two highest candidates. An connection with
SUCH an amendment, IL would seem ad yisab,e
70 limit the service of the Chief Ma gistrate to a
single term OF either four or six years If.
however, ii sho0ld not be ad opted. II rs worthy
OF consideration whether 4 provi ION disouaf
flying for office the Representatives IN Con.
gress on whom such an elecs csion NAV hat do
volyed would not be proper
Although this recommendation was repeated
with undimin ished earnestness in sc yeral of
lls succeeding messages, yet the proposed
amendment W as never adopted aud submitted
70 the people by Congress. The danger of n
qe1eat of the peoples choice in an election by
Ne Hooee OF Representatives remains unpro-
HIded Tor in the Constitution, and would ne
greatly increased If the House OF Repre-
sentatiSvs should assume the power atbi.
raIiy TO reject the votes OF a State
Which might no. be cast IN conformity
With the wishes o: the ma io.lty in that body.
But II President jackson failed TO SECURE tue
anendment TO the constitution, which he urged
90 psrsislently, his arguments contributed
hrgeiy 10 the formation OF party Organizations
which have efectually avoided The contin.
gency OF an election by the House of Represep.
Tuves. These organizations, first BY resort
and afterwards to State and National (Jon ven
qoLs, have been successful in so limiting the
1umber Of candidates as to escape the danger
q an election by the House of Representatives.
| 1t is clear, however, that in thus limiting the
1umber Of candidates the true object and
spirit Of the Constitution have been evaded aud
defeated. IT fs an essential feature in our re.
citizens. possessing the Constit utionaI ouaiift.
cations, has right to becomea candidate for
ne ofice, OF President and Vice Presi.
dent and, ana that every every Qualitied slector
qltizen whom he may regard as worthy of these
Offices. But under the party orRanizations
Ehich have prevailed tor years. these essential
out of and destroyed as if the Constitution il.
Sen had prohibited their exercise, The danger
Of defeat OF the popular choice in an election
the House OF Representatives is n o greater
4an IN an election made nominally by the peo.
PIE themselves, " hen by the laws Of party or
Carnations, and by the Constitutional provision
figuring the people to vote for electors instead
hade ihpractcable for any citizen to be can.
didate except through the process of a partv
domination, and for any votsr to cast his sui.
page ior any other persos than one thus
81 noninating Convention. It IL thus ap.
parent that ~ means OF party organi.
cations that provision OF the Constit1uon
ice Preefdent to be made through the
Electoral colleges, has been made instrumen.
tl and potential in defeating the great object
8. Si seS sdsss Ss
CARNATIONS are insepaTabls from republican
government, and that, when formed and man
sgsa IN saoesdinati9n to the Consultation.
popular liberty; but when they are per-
Ieried 70 purposes OF bad ambition, hey
Are liable 70 become the dangerous Instruments
Strongly impresse with the trlth Of these
views, feel called upon by an imperative
sense Of duty to revive substantially the rec.
sm%sndstaon 80 often and 90 earnestly made
amendment to the Constitution herewith pre-.
sented, or some similar proposition, may be
submitted 10 the people Tor their ratif.
cation or rejection. Recent events have
shown the necessity OF an amendment to the
Constitution, distinctly defining the persons
who shall discharge the duties Of President of
he Uniteo States, In the event OF a vacancy IN
mat ONCE by the death, resignation, or re-
noval OF both the President and Vice Presi.
dent. II 10 clear that this should be fixed by
me Constitution, and not be left to repealabie
snactments Of doubtful consututionality. It
occurs to me that in the event ofa vacancy In the
omce OF President by the death, resignation
disability, or removal Of both the President
and Vice President, the duties OF the on e
anould devolve upon an oficer of the Exc u
ave Department, rather than one come cted
with the LeghlAnve or Judicial Departm MT
The objections to designating either the Pr i.
cent no temp ore Of the Senate or the Chief L. s.
nee Of the Supreme Court, especially in the
event OF vacancy produced by REMOVAL.
are so obvious and so unanswerabie that tney
Eeed not be stated in detail. II is enough to
state that they are both interested in prod cinr
vacancy, and, according TO the provisions OF
the Copstttntion, are members Of the tribunal
~ whose decree q vacancy may be produced.
Under such circumstances, the improprietv of
designating either Of these ofhcers TO succeed
the President so removed is palpable. The
trainers Of the Constitution, when thew
referred TO Congress the settlement Of
event Of a va scaney In the ofices Of both Presi.
contemplate the Designation OF any other than
an on Ger OF the Executive Department. on
whom, IN such contingency, ths powers and
duties Of the President should devolve. Until
recently the contfn gency has been remote, and
prioua Ats nffoas hna not beGn cAl1ed IN tha