Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-07-18
THE ELECTORAL AMENDMENT PRO-
POSED BY Mr.. SUMNER.

1t is claimed OF that part ofthe Federal
Constitution relating to the election of
President, that it fails to meet the intent
of its trainers. The original intention
was that the Electoral College in each
State should be q deliberative assem-
blage, which should confer and cast its
vote for wh0msoever it should deem
the fttest man for the office. In view
of the costly and indirect machinery
of conventions end Electoral Colleges,
Mr.. Sumner proposes, by constitu-
tional amendment, to adopt a mode
of both nominating and electing the
President directly by the people.
The proposed amendment provides that
the first election shall be held on first
Monday in April, and that Congress
shall sit on the third Monday in May to
count the votes. The people of all the
States shall vote directly, without regard
to State lines or Congressional districts.
for whom they please, and the candidate
receiving the majority of the whole pop
ular vote shall be declared elected. This
cuts entirely clear Of the Presidential
electors, of State lines and Of the dis
trict system. No machinery whatever
intervenes between the people and their
choice. and, on the other hand, the
separate integrity of the States is Sacri-
feed at the shrine of universal suffrage.
If none of the Candidates thus
voted for shall have received
the majority of the popular vote,
then this first election serves merely
the function Of the present nominating
conventions, viz: to narrow down the
choice Of candidates. But it serves that
purpose far better, as it is the work of
the whole people themselves, and not
like conventions, which too often are
managed by politicians for selfish pur
poses. In the case above cited, no can
didate having received majority, an
other election will be held on the second
Tuesday Of the next succeeding Octo-
Der, at which citizens will vote for one
Of the three persons who shall have re-
ceived the highest number Of votes at
the election in April. The candidate
receiving the highest number Of votes at
this second election shall be declared
President. This avoids the possibility
of failure Of the people to make d.
rect choice, and the Inconvenience new
resulting from throwing the election into
the House Of Representatives. Prior to
this second election, the preferences Of
parties as to candidates will have become
known, and choice Of President directly
by the people viii, it is expected, be as GER
tain thereat as his nomination by the peo-
pie was at the previous election. In some
instances candidate would be so uni
versally popular as to secure the votes
Of majority Of the people at the April
election. In such case, Of course, no
further voting will be necessary. Mr..
Summers amendment also abolishes the
Office of Vice President, and provides
that, in case of Presidential vacancy,
the senior officer of the cabinet shall be
acting President until Congress can
hold a special session and elect a
President for the remainder of the unex-
pired term. In this respect it is well to
refer to the plan reported by Vice Presi-
dent Calhoun's committee in 1928, for
abolishing the Electoral College and
electing a President by direct popular
vote. By that plan the people in each
Congressional district, voting directly
for the Presidential candidates, would be
counted as one electoral vote for the
ticket receiving a majority. and the ng-
gregate State vote would count two cleo
toral votes to the candidates receiving
the majority Of them.
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