The Portland daily press., 1872-10-31

try. And if the fact that in some States there
arelarge fractions of the ratio representation
almost allowing them one more Representative
and consequently one more elector than
they have, and that this excess may be ac-
cumulated with the other circumstances in
favor of the successful minority candidate by
increasing the popular majority of his Compel
itor without in the least helping his condi-
ton in the electoral college be taken into
consideration, it will be seen that President
may be constitutionally elected in spite OF the
opposition of considerably more than three
fourths Of the people. But in this ideal case
several circumstances are supposed 70 con-
spire which could hardly happen actually to
do so. and some of them are in themselves inn
probable. 1t is not probable that the success
full candidate will receive only bare ma
iority of the popular vote in the
States which he carries, while in the rest his
competitor is the unanimous choice, or that
the unequal representation in the electoral
college, based on the unequal representation
in the Senate, will tell in all cases against the
popular favorte, giving him, as for instance
in the ideal case above, only four electors
where his antagonist gets three in State
with half as large a vote, or that the surplus
fractions of the ratio of representation will
exhibit the like perversity in helping to defeat
the popular choice. 1t is barely conceivable,
as an abstract proposition that all of these
untoward circumstances might concur. But
it is both possible and highly probable that
some time the concurrence of some form of a
popular will in a dangerously eXasperating
manner. 1t may not be in our day. But
suppose Ku-Klux terrors in the South should
keep regroes enough from the polls to give
Mr.. Greeley the electoral vote Of the whole
South by very small popular majority in
each State? Frauds in two Northern cite:
might then be sufficient to make him Presi
dent, though the rest of the Union were al
most unanimously for Grant.
So mnch for the awkward system of choos
ing President through the agency OF al
; electoral colleges system founded on {
theory of the rights of States that is now oh
solete. In Presidential election the unit il
not now the State but the individual voter
so far as the wish and intention of the people
is concerned. They never think of the cleo
tors till they are brought face to face witt
them ON election day-always with a feeling
ofsurprise and vexation. Nine out of every
ten voters would prefer to vote directly fol
Ulysses S. Grant or Horace Greeley mex
Tuesday and let the popular majority carr.
the day. The President is the Chief Magis
trate ofthe people and not of the State OF
CARNATIONS. and the intrusion of the State
as States in the Presidential election is un
necessary and mischievous. 1t is true tina
in an election by the popular vote fraut
might change the result but in ordinary cases
it would have to be so extensive as to b.
practically impossible, and in fair vote mi
nority could neuer carry the day. With :
remedy SO simple and natural it is too bad t.
have the destiny ofthe country in hazard o
being changed or its peace disturbed by few
hundred fraudulent voters in the sixth ware
OF New York, a.