The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-04-04
rhe Election Of President and Wee
President--HOW Conducted.

ever have been devised 10 u mystery.
There are few even among our III ost
intelligent men who can explain
from the commencement Of the man.
Nor in which q President and Vice
President are elected, and the great
mass Of people + profoundly igno-
r,ut. We propose here to trace the
election up from it's germs. Fist,
there IS the primary town or local
co1,cus for the different parties;
then comes the county, district and
State Conventions; through that
machinery delegates are appointed
ton National Convention. These
National Conventions nominate can
didates. These nominations, how
ever, legally amount to nothing.
Each State elects u number of Flee
tors corresponding to its Senators
and Representatives in Congress,
and they vote for whom they choose
absolutely for President and Vice
President. There is nothing requir-
inc them to vote for any man who
has been nominated, except so far
rs they may consider it binding in
honor. The Constitution intended
that they should have the first and
final choice. It's trainers supposed
that the Electors would be among
the first men Of the country, 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 twent,-
two electoral votes tor the candi-
dates who were in the field, and
gupposed to be against GRANT and
his cqlleague, hutupon counting the
electoral votes there might be a
amber for GRANT. These votes
would stand, and it woull be next
10 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 uira roce, and if there is
any b trsyal of pledges the respon-
sibility can not be lodged. But
there is no such security in our
votes for President and Vice-Presi-
dent. 1t is to the credit ofthe coun-
try that thus far in seveLty years no
elector, under the shield of the Sc
cret ballot, has ever cast a vote diff
ferent from that which it was in
tended by the people he should give.
Bnt it may happen in the future.
Our politics are becoming more cor
rupt, and if there was u close vote
in the Electoral College between
rival candidates there is no knowing
what might happen. The electoral
Or intermediate system ought to be
abolished. After the Electoral COL
leco has met in each State on the
fist Wednesday of December, and
cast it's vote, it sends a messenger
with it to Washington.
Eearly in February the votes of
the States are opened at a joint ses.
SION of the two Houses, the Presi-
dent of the Senate presiding. In
case n candidate has a majority
over all the others, he is declared
elected. If not, the Senate retires
10 it's chamber, and the House pro-
ceeds to vote for the three highest
candidates who had been voted 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 rect that the vote OF the
State-and it is only one--be record
ed for the candidate running
against GRANT. Delaware is called,
which has but one single member,
and he casts one vote, the same as
has been giyen by the thirty-three
gentleman of the Empire State.
Each State has simply II vote, and
u majority of the delegates deter
mines it. If the vote should stand
eighteen for U. S. GRANT, eighteen
for Judge DAVIS, and one State
equally divided and casting no vote,
there would be no choice. On the
4lh Of March the session OF Con
gress not only terminates, but the
terms of it's members expire. In
the wo or three weeks they have to
vote they may not have chosen any
man for President. The House has
been, on one occasion, nine weeks IN
choosing aSpeaker, and it is reason
able to assume hat it might be
three weeks and not elect n Presl-
dent. Then, we hear the reader In
quire, who, on the 4th Of March,
would be President? We will fur
Their explain. When there is no
choice for President and no choice
fr Vice-President, the United
States Senate chooses the latter Off
Ger. BY q wise provision in the
Constitution, the Senate selects be-
tween the t,co highest candidates
voted for by the electors. AS the
Senator's vote individually, a choice
is almost certain to be made. The
Vice President being elected, and
the 18th of March arriving without q
President, he assumes thad office for