Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-12-11
oBCEsT E &
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER ii, 1879
The E,IectnrnI Colleges.

The present method OF electing our presidents
through the intervention of electors has but few
if any friends. The death of Mr.. Greeley before
the day fixed for the meeting Of the electors,
though OF 20 importance as regards the result
this year, has suggested the possibility Of the
death OF a successful candidate under similar
circumstances, which would be serious matter,
involving great popular excitement, and, posi-
bly,, grave political evils. The failure of the
electors OF Louisiana to meet on the day re-
quired is another reminder Of the defects Of the
present system. Whether the vote of Louisiana
is counted or not. is Of no consequence to any
body, but it might happen, at some future cleo
ton, that the acceptance or rejection OF the vote
of a single state would determine the choice
of president, and, in that event, either TO
accept or reject it might involve danger
of serious disturbance. 1t is well under
stood that, though adherng to the form pre-
scribed by the constitution, we have departed as
far as possible in substance from the theory of
its trainers. 1t was not their purpose to provide
for an election by the people; in their view it
was not safe to intrust the choice OF this impor-
tant officer to an expression of the people will.
To them ii seemed best that the people should
make choice of discreet men in each state to
whom they were willing to confde the response,
bility of selecting president and vice president.
Their acton was intended to be entirely indie
pendent and unrestrained by any influence other
than their own sense Of duty and knowledge of
public men. Consultation with the electors IN
other states was thought TO be undesirable, or
even acknowledge of the action Of the electoral
colleges in other states; and this was the mo-
tive of the constitutional requirement that the
day for casting their electoral votes should he
the same throughout the Union.
1t is plain, however, that now the president is
practically elected by the people,, and the
electors, being allowed no discretion of their
own, are merely a part of the machinery,
well enough adapted to its original purpose,
that of preventing an election by the people,
but cumbrous, complicated, and liable to
prove extremely inconyenent and dangerous
when used only as means of registering the
popular vote. The fact is that the institution
al mode of electing president has been practi-
cally abolished, and another substituted for it
by common consent aud the practice of all pc
litica parties for many years. 1t remains to so
amend the constitution that the form may be
adapted to the fact AS TO the expediency Of
doing this there is very little difference of
opinion,
Ii is desirable, in order to avoid in future the
dangers we fhaye hitherto escaped, that the
change shotld be made before the next presi-
dental election; but, though most people will
agree in, fhis, there is perhaps some danger that
10 ID too much. MIR. Banks proposed amend
ment includes other changes as well. Besides
prokiding for direct popular election, it would
extend the presidential term TO six years, and
make the president ineligible for reelection.
These NAV be wise provisions and pos
sibly congress and the state legislatures
may think so, if the opportunity to pass upon
them should be given, but their necessity
is not SO apparent as that of the abolition OF the
electoral colleges. II they are TO be proposed,
they should be offered separately, and the coun-
try be allowed to adopta any one or more ofthem
It is not even necessary in doing away with the
electoral colleges TO make the further change
that majority or plurality Of all the votes cast
shall determine the election. That is not the
case now, as the successful candidate may have
small majorities in certain states whose electoral
votes are just sufficient to elect him. and his op-
ponent may have large majolities in all the rest.
This may seem unreasonable and undemocrat;c,
but it is in accordance with the constitution as it
stands, and it is not impossible TO frame
plausible if not sound arguments in defense Of
it. 1t is not at all certain that three fourths Of
the states would be wiling TO have it otherwise
In order to get rid OF the cumbrous machinery,
leaving the substantial power Of election where
it is at present, II would be necessary 10 provide
that the choice Of each state should be given for
that candidate who received the greatest num-
Der of votes therein, and that II should have
weight in the general result in proportion to the
number Of its senators and representatives in
congress.