, 1872-12-12
.gr9et Sound 9ispateh.
The Electoral Vote.

Inc EieCIoTol votes
The death of Mr.. Greeley, after the
popular vote had been cast for electors,
and before the final vote of the electoral
college, presents aphase of the election
law which might have resulted in en-
barrassing complications had the de-
ceased been entitled to majority of the
electoral votes. 1t will be reccollected
that the present law was adopted to
avoid repetition Of the conflict which
arose between Jefferson and Burr in
1901. Under the old law two candidates
for President were voted for; the candi-
date receiving the highest number of
votes was declared elected President,
and the one receiving the next highest
number Vice President.
At the general election in 1900, Jeffer-
son and Burr received the same number
of votes for President. The election
consequently went to the House to be
determined by majority of States. Af-
ter long and very excited contest Mr..
Jefferson was elected by the change Of
the vote of Vermont, which change was
declared to be against the popular senti-
ment of the State. The same Congress
took the initiative to changing the consti-
tutional mode of election to the present
system, creating an electoral college
with the special power to elect Presi-
dent and Vice President. In case no
candidate for either of those Offices re-
ceives majority of the votes cast in the
electoral college, Congress is to choose
by a majority of States between the
three receiving the highest number of
votes. Under this rule. John Quincy
Adams was elected President in 1925.
Presidential Electors are not bound
by law to vote for the candidates for
whom they are instructed. In 1929
Pierre A. Baker, elected as q Presidep-
tial Elector on the Adams ticket in New
York, cast his vote in the electoral col
ege for Andrew jackson. His excuse
was, that the general vote indicated a
large popular majority for jackson, and
he held the will of the whole people of
the nation paramont to the instructions
of his party or section. The act of Mr..
Baker under the circumstances was
commended by our best statesmen.
The case now arises in which the elec-
tors chosen for Greeley are not commit
ted by any legal or moral obligation as
to the candidate for whom they shall
cast their votes. AS party men, they
are not bound to vote for any man of
their own party, for they were elected
to vote for Mr.. Greeley, who was never
member of their party, and there
would be no inconsistency in casting
their votes for any other Republican, if
they thought the public veal woull be
subserved thereby.
Under these circumstances we entirely
agree with the recommendation of the
Nashville Banner that the Greeley elect
ors cast their votes for Grant and make
his election unanimous. 1t would be a
graceful and patriotic surrender to the
inevitable, and go far towards obliterat-
ing party lines, which now only indicate
distinction without a difference. No
better plar could be pursued to gain the
reforms sought for by those who sup
ported Greeley, than By joining in the
support Of the Administration. Presi-
dent Grant has in various acts since his
election, unmistakable indicated his de-
termination to make his Administration
hereafter as conservative as the most
ardent reformer could reasonably desire.
His appointments of non-partisan
post master in Philadelphia solely on
the ground of qualification for the Office,
against the earnest appeals and protes-
tations of leading politicians; his posi-
tive refusal to interfere in the Lousia-
ma political embroglio; his prompt re-
buke of the partisan action of the U. S.
Marshal in the matter of the election of
a Senator in Mississippi, and last,
through not least, the appointment of
that eminent conservative and distin-
guished jurist and statesman, Ward
Hunt, of New York, to the vacant Judge
ship on the Supreme bench, are acts
which no reform President could better,
and are an earnest of what he intends
to do hereafter; policy which would be
greatly strengthened and encouraged by
an unanimous assurance of the conf
dence reposed in him.