The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-12-03
~ y,.ICCORAL VOTE.

neuis u "
,ur ELECTORAL VOTE.
-, .nSien death OF Hon. HORACE
,,,s,rr has gwen rise to good deaI
r.,uss on concerning the present
,,s Of slectirg a President and Vice
n.;is,, O the United States, and the
,-sI tenor Of the remarks that have
-, made uron the subject is decidedly
vs.. 10 the Electoral College system.
. thought by those who devised
n.s.ept plan that it would be dam
,..n. 70 permit the people to vote di''
.,,.y f,r a President, lest the convul-
-, Of such a political campaign might
...pl. in civil wa, the adherents OF one
,,,i;ja.e being arrayed upon one side
l,ba,e o. the other upon the other
Iii, hostile armies. 1t vas there
,.. ,bop,ht best TO commit the choice
,,p-s.i,ent and Wee President to a
hi, Of Electors selected by the people
-. ,bs, ,nr.o.e, to whose wisdom and
,,,., ,r;rv the nation might look for the
,.,,a-n nsr o~m4nce OF the duty entrust-
ia, or which was no less than the
,,mnro o. the Chief Magistrate OF the
nation.
Since political parties and nomins-
Inn. have become permanent and ind's-
,.,.sbe eaiures OF our political sys,,
,m III. functions OF the Eectora'
rMe.e have been virtually destroyed
Vile voting tor Electors, the people
have to all in,en's and purposes, voted
5-,,Iv for their tavorite candidate
n, the Pre,idency, and the Electors,
;7.,esl o. heiug empowered to exercise
,bs- own i screti)n c)ncprning the
mater, have been held imperatively
b,lni hv implied Instructions to cas-
,h-.r votes ia the Electoral College 70!
sp,rti,u'ar csnd date.
In view of the act that the original
d.,irn o. the sy-t,m has been so com,
pl.,elv de-tr and that it has been
!,rni % entirely inadequate TO accom-
p'ish its intend 4 result, and in view
also Of the act that the dangers which
the irsner, OF the Constitution feared
rom tar rect vote OF the people for
President nave happily failed OF reall'
zrion, it is argued with much force
that the whole OF the electoral machiu
e,y would better be abolished and that
the Pres dent should be elected by
mere majority of the popular vote, con
s.ierel a, one nation and not as indi-
vlaal and Independent States. The
.qij-c, is worthy of careful examina-
tion and reelection, and, as the tenden
cy Of events is toward the
d..'rrclion OF the individually Of the
Sl,te governments, it may we'll be
s,k,i vbv along with the disadvan-
tase' o. cen'ralism It's advantages may
uot also be enjoyed.
The + ectors Of the several States are
ielu rei ty law to assemble Tomorrow
and cat their vote, and the question
s->es whether the Electors in Mary
lad, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri
Texas Florida and Louisiana shall vote
Tor HonACG GREELEY, whose body now
G-s dead in New York city, or whether
they should vote for some living states
nan. They were instructed to vote tor
NJ GREELEY, but the sad events OF the
pas; few day- have rendered their in
sTac.i)ns void, and they are now IN
Doubt what course to pursue.
Some Of onr exchanges suggest tt
these Democratic Electors the casting
Of their vote for General GRANT II
o'lerto be,tow upon him the compll
mrnt Of unanimous selection, and thu
dispose him more favorably to the peo
pc OF tn. South, while others insis
that tie Electors should bestow a com
PlMrnIary vote upon Governor HEN
DRIcEs Of Indiana, or some other repre-
sentative Democrat.
As it appears tolerablv certain tha
The elrCOra vote of West Virgins
VII, under any circumstances, be cas-
nrGRANT, We have no special right Il
PFofi-r anv advice upon the subject, bu
!eI, a. II cannot alter the result in an.
"ay, We telieve the Democrats gen
e'aI!y would oe better pleased bv tn
'eusaI OF the Democratic Electors t.
'o'e al all, than by any vote they coul'
possibly give under the circumstances
Ley t"en simp'y abstain from volin
and thus President GRANT will EMO
Ne distinction OF having no oppositlo
10 the Electoral College, and the Dem
ocfarc Z ectors will escape responsi6'll
y ioF violating the instructions give
hem by the people.
is now stated that il the Woodhu
sHers succeed in obtaining their free
uDm they intend to 60 to Europe, right
concluding ii thew cant live iu Ne