Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-06-07
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There is nothing more complicated than
the election Of president and vice president
under our present political system. How
IL ever could have been devised is mys-
terry. There are few, even among our most |
intelligent men, who can explain from the |
commencement the manner in which a
president and vice president are elected,
and the great mass of the people are pro-
foundly ignorant. We propose here to trace
the election up from the germs. First,
there is the primary town or local caucus
for the different parties then comes the
county, district and State conventions.
Through that machinery delegates are ap-
pointed TO n national convention. These
national conventions nominate candidates.
These nominations, however, legally a
mount to nothing. Each State elects a
number of electors corresponding to its
Senators and Representatives in Congress,
and they vote for whom they choose abso-
lutely for president and vice president.
There is nothing requiring them TO vote
for any man who has been nominated, ex-
cept so far rs they may consider II binding
in honor. The Constitution intended that
they should have the first and final choice.
Its trainers supposed that the electors
would be among the first men of the coun-
try, and would be better judges of who
would be fit for president and vice presi-
dent than their constituents, the people;
hence they were made an intermediate
body. In order to give these Electoral
Colleges full authority, the electors are
Obliged to-vote by secret ballot.
Suppose, for instance, that Ohio should
popularity cast its twenty-five electoral
votes for the candidates who were in the
field, and supposed to be against Grant and
his colleague, hut upon counting the cleo
| toral votes there might be a number for
Grant. These votes would stand, and it
would be next to or quite impossible to
find out the persons who had cast them
against the will of the people. The United
| States Senator in this State is voted for by
the members of the legislature, UiUd UOce,
and if there is any betrayal of pledges, the
responsibility cannot be lodged. But there
is no such security in our votes for presi-
dent and vice president 1t is to the credit
| of the country that thus far in seventy
wears no eector, under the shield of the
secret ballot has ever cast vote different
from that which it was intended by the
people he should give. But it may happen
in the future. Our politics are becoming
more corrupt and if there was a close vote
in the electoral college between rival can
| ddates, there is no knowing what might
happen. The electoral or intermediate sys-
tenn ought to he abolshe . After the elec-
toral college has met in each State on the
| first Wednesday of December, and cast its
vote, it sends messenger with it to Wash
ington.
Early in February the votes of the States
are opened at a joipt session of the two
Houses, the President of the Senate presi-
ding. In case one candidate has a majority
over all the other, he is declared elected.
| If not, the Senate retires TO its chamber,
and the House proceeds to vote for the
three highest candidates who had been vo-
ted for by the electors. The vote is not,
however, according to the usual form, but
| Is given by States. Thus New York is
called with her thirty-one members. They
ask leave TO retire, and do retire. Sixteen
| of them direct that the vote of the State
| and il is only One-be recorded for the can
didate running against Grant. Delaware
is called which has but a single member,
aud he casts one vote, the same as has been
given by the thirtythree gentlemen Of the
Empire State. Each State has simply one
vote, and majority of the delegation de-
termines 1t. A majority of all the States,
which are now thirty-seven in number,
would be nineteen, and that is absolutely
required. If the vote should stand eigh-
teen for L. 5. Grant, eighteen for Judge
Davis, and one equally divided and cast
ing no vote, there would be no choice. On
the 4th of March the session of Congress
not only terminates but the term of its
members expire. In the two or three
weeks they have to vote, they may not
elect any man for president. The House
has been on one occasion nine weeks in
choosing speaker, and it is reasonable to
assume that it might be three weeks and
not elect president. Then, we hear the
reader inquire, who, on the 4th of March
would be president? We will further ex-
plain. When there is no choice for presl-
dent, and no choice for vice president, the
United States Senate chooses the latter Off
GERS. BY a wise provision in the Constitu-
ton, the Senate selects between the two
highest candidates voted for by the cleo
tors. As the Senators vote individually, a
choice is almost certain to he made. The
vice president being ELECTED, and the ith of
March arriving without Il president, he as
sumes that office for four years, the same
as if the president had died; or as II he
| himself had been elected. In case there is
no vice president on the 4h of March, the
Office devolyes upon the president pro-
tenn. of the Senate; and in case ofdisahlity,
upon the Speaker of the House; then upon
the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court ;
and finally, upon the oldest, in length OF
service, of the Associate Justices. But in
case of disability of both p esdent and vice
president, the person dlscharging the du-
ties of the president does not hold the full
term, but only till the next annual Novem-
ber election, when a new president and
vice president will be elected for four years.
This electoral system ought to be abolished |;
it affords too great an opportunity for fraud
to reflect the wishes and intentions of the
people. Ii is too complicated. The presi-
dental votes of the different States could
be indicated, and the State autonomy pre-
served by voting directly for president and
vice president, and the checking at Wash
ington number of votes equal to our Sena-
torial and delegate representation. If this
is not done, we shalt upon some line morn
ing wake up and find ourselves shamefully
betrayed by the men in whom We have re-
posed confidence as electors. The law
ought also TO be so changed that Congress
could commence to vote early in the ses-