Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1872-11-24
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
PROPOSED.

Democratic paper, and leads us to infer
that the editor of the Register found little
difficulty in swallowing Horace Greeley.
The Register says:
The folio wing reforms are suggested,
and as the dominant party have so large
majority, we trust they will be accepted. |
The first named has long been approved |
by both parties. The second certainly
has quite as many reasons for rs against
it: "lst-A direct vote for President
and Vice President by the people instead
of through the Electoral College. I'd
Representation by population in the Sem
ate as well as in the House of Represen-
tatives." When the Cove nment was
formed, and the small States feared the
overshadowing power of the large States,
there were rea ;ons for the equality in the
Senate which do not now exist Under
Democratic or Republican Government
four or five millions certainly ought to
count more than one or two hundred
thousand.
Each OF these propositions, while re-
ceiving the sanction of "A Democratic
journal, strikes directly at the doctrine
of States rights. Neither proposition
as stated by the Register, has never been
seriously entertained, though something
similar to the first has engaged the atten-
ton of some of the wisest ma:l of the
country and has met with favor. In
1924 Mr.. McDuffie introduced in the
House. and Mr. Benton introduced in the
Senate, an amendment to the Constitu-
ton -cpncerning the mode of choosing
President and Vice President; and Presi-
dent Jackson in one or more messages
urged such change, adding thereto the
proposit on to extend the term to six
years, and leave the President insligible
to reelection. Mr.. Benton, in his speech
before the Senate, referred to the want of
uniformity in the choice of Presidential
Electors as teLding to endanger the rights
of the people, by annihiating thu small
States and enabling the large ones to
combine and throw all their votes in
particular way. 1t was held that the
district system would give to every por-
ton of the Union its due share in the
choice of Chief Magistrate, and to the
individual citizen an opportunity to vote
according TO ,his will. Tho proposition
was to divide each State into as many
districts as it had Senators and Repre-
sentatiyes in Congress. In this way, if
diverse interests were found in any State
they would be properly represented in
the choice of a President. The fact was
referred to and Commented upon forcibly,
that the minority in State have no voice
in Presidential election. Mr.. Benton
held that the general ticket system vo-
lated the intention of the Constitution, for
it was the design of its trainers to give to
each mass of persons entitled to one
Elector the opportunity to give their vote
to the candidate they preferred; while
under the general ticket system popu-
lar majority of ONE could carry the whole
Electoral vote of the largest State in any
particular way. .. .--.
In 1876 the attempt at amend
ment was renewed. Mr.. Calhoun then
presided over the Senate, and it was
upon the motion Of Mr.. Macon that a
select committee was appointed to report
upon the best and most practicable mode
of electing the President and Vice-P resi-
dent; on motion of Mr.. Van Buren, the
number was increased to nine, and was
composed of Benton, Chairman; Nathan
iel Macon, of North Carolina; Martin
Van. Buren,, of New York; Hugh L.
White, Of Tennessee; Mr.. Haynes, of
South Carolina; Richard NJ. johnson, of
New Jersey; and Mr.. Findley, of
Pennsylvania. The report Of this Com
mittee renewed the proposition to abol-
ish the Electoral Colleges. divide the
State into districts equal to the whole
number Of its Senators and Representa-
tives in /, Congress, the citizens of each
district to vote directly for Presiden.
and Vice President, and that the person
receiving the highest number of votes in
each district should be holden to have
received one vote-the majority of the
votes of all the districts being necessary
to choice of President or Vice Presi-
dent If no one receive majority then
second election was to be held between
the two highest voted for The Amend
ment failed to receive two-third vote
in either House of Congress-, and so
failed. The proposition of Mr.. Benton,
it should be remembered is very differ
ent one from the first mentioned by the
Register, and its final adoption is not
improbable. But the hope of depriving
the small States Of the advantages the
Constitution gives them is rather remote
when we remember that snch an amend
ment would have to be approved by the
States--the smaller having as potent an
influence as the largest. Yet it is posi-
bio that the virulent assaults upon State
rights may recoil upon its authors, for
the West and the South are increasing