The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-04-14

VtooA .0ioou, anu sUrtnor SnQOOl02 DIT.
Newell; but Mr.. Loring was snubhed in
turn by the Chair, which ruled that the
| resolution was clearly out of order" -.
All this leads as to bat one conc:usions:
If the Rev. w. H. Cudworth ia really a cons
tiaential agent from on high. as HI
"prayer" would lead us to believe
angels are very different from some Mum
chusetts egislatOrs.-B0st0n Pilot.
How the Election Of President and vice-Presi-
dent Of tho United States is Conducted.
There is nothing more complicated than
the election Of President and Vice-Presi-
dent under our present political system.
How 1t ever could have been devised is q
mystery. There are few, even among our
most intelligent men, who can explain
from the commencement the manner in
which President aud Vice-President are
elected, and the great mass of the people
are profoundly ignorant. We propose here
to trace the election up from the germs.
First, there is the primary town or local
caucus for the different parties; then comes
the county, district and State conventions.
Through that machinery delegates are
appointed to national convention. These
national conventions nominate candidates.
These nominations, however,, legally
amount to nothing. Each State elects a
number of Electors corresponding to it's
Senators end Representatives in Congress,
and they vote for whom they choose abso-
lutely for President and Vice-President.
There is nothing requiring them TO vote
for any man who has been nominated,
except SO far as they may consider it bind
ing in honor. The Constitution intended
that they should have the first aud final
choice. Its trainers supposed that the
Electors would be among the first men in
the country: and would be better judges of
who would be fit for President And Vice
President than their constituents, the PEG.
pie; hence they were made an intermedi-
ate body. In order to give these Electoral
Colleges full authority, the electors are
obliged to vote by secret ballot.
Suppose, for 1astance, that Ohio should
popularity .aast its twenty-five electoral
votes for the candidates whe were in the
and his colleagues, but upon counting the
electoral votes there might be a number
for Grant. These votes would stand, and
it would be next to or quite impossible to
find out the person who had cast them
against the will of the people. The United
States Senator in this State ls voted for by
the members of the Legislature, viua uoce,
and if there is any betrayal of pledges, the
responsibility cannot be lodged. But there
ia no such security in our votes for Presi-
dent and Vice. President. 1t is to the credit
of the country that thus far in seventy
years no eIector, under the shield of the
secret ballot, has ever cast a vote different
from that which it was Intended by the
people he should give. But it may happen
in the future. Our politics are becoming
more corrupt, and if there was close vote
in the Electoral College between rival
candidates, there is no Knowing what
might happen. The electoral or iptermedi-
ate system ought to be abolished. After
the Electoral College has met in each State
~, Arst W.inasHoU pf naca har o,A \
cast it's vote, it sends u messenger with it
tr'Washington.
Early in February the votes of the e ties
are opened ut u joint session of the two
Houses, the President of the Senate pre-
siding. In case one candidate has n ma
jority over all the: Others, he is declared
elected. If not, The. Senate retires to its
chamber, and the House proceeds 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 mem
bers. They ask leave to retire, and do
retire. Sixteen "f them direct that the
vote of the State-and it is only one-be
recorded for the candidate running against
Grant. Delaware ia called, which has but
"a single mem Der, and he casts one vote, the
same as has been given by the thirty -one
gentlemen of the Empire State. Each
state mas slupiy ono NoIe, auu majority
of the delegation determines it. A ma
jority of all the States, which are now
thirty seven in number, would be nine
teen, and that is absolutely required. 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 4th
March the session of Congress not only
terminates but the terms of its members
expire. In the two or three weeks they
have to vote, they may not elect any man
for President. The House has been, on
one occasion, nine weeks in choosing a
Speaker, and it is reasonable to assume |
that it might be three weeks and not elect
q President. Then, we hear the reader !,
inquire, who, on the 4th of March, would |
be PRESIDENT We will further explain. |
When there is no choice for President, and |
no choice fer Vice President, the United |
States Senate chooses the latter officer.
BY vice provision in the Constitution,
the Senate selects between The two highest |
candidates voted for by the electors. AS
the Senators vote individually, a choice is
almost certain to be made. The Vice
President being elected, and the 4th of
March arriving without II President, lie as