The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-06-12
Combining the Oppoaition.

Sl6e1ilberd Repnollcan convention
at Cincinnati having nominated candi.
dates ior the Presidency and Vice Presi.
dency, and submitted a declaration OF
principles" to the people OF the United
States, and the indications being that
other bodies of persons opposed to the
present Administration may nominate
candidates other than those presented
by the Cincinnati Convention, notwith.
standing their declaration of principles
NAV be substantially the same as those
announced at Cincinnati now, for the
purpose OF securing to the people OF the
United States the certain advantage to
be derived by a change of Administra-'
ton, the following plan of "union" is
respectfully submitted for the considera-
ton Of patriotic men:
First-In each State "joint cleo
toral ticket is to be agreed upon by
the State Conventions or State Execu-
tive Committees Of the anti.Administra'
ton parties; the person placed upon
such joint ticket to be men of honor
and standing, agreeing to faithfully
carry out the object OF the "Union.'
Second-The State committees Of the
respective parties to the Union" shall
recommend to all local orga nj zations
and to their adherents within each State
fair and full support OF the joint cleo
toral ticket agreed upon.
Third-There shall be placed at the
head of each Joint Electoral Ticket"
the name OF one OF the electors mu-
tually agreed upon, who shall be con-
sidered as expressing the preference Of
the voter in choosing between the can.
didates whose friends are parties to this
Union" Thus, Messrs Smith and
Jones being the delegates at large upon
the joint electoral ticket from the State
of New York, it shall be considered
that all ballots cast where the name Of
Smith leads the electoral ticket, shall
be indicative OF the preference of the
voter for Mr.. Greeley, and where the
name OF Jones appears on the head Of
the ticket, it shall be considered as Ia
vorable to some other candidate of the
"Union." An additional, though not
strictly legal mode of indicating the
voters personal preference could be bad
in placing over the names Of the joint
electors such designations as "Greeley
Ticket" Union Ticket" or reform
Ticket
Fourth-Votes cast for the joint
electoral ticket, which may fail by any
acknowledged designation toindicate the
voters preference, to be divided equally
between the candidates OF the Union
Fifh-The voters expression Of
preference for President shall be con-
strued as including the Vice Presiden-
tial nominee upon the same ticket.
Sixth-When the anti-Administra"
ton vote in any State shall have elected
the "joint electors" then the entire
electoral vote of such State shall be
given to that candidate supported by
the Union receiving the greatest
number Of votes within that State.
Seventh-When the Electoral College
shal! convene. if it appear that the
combined vote OF the electors supported
by the Union shall be sufficient to
elect to the Presidency one of the can.
didates supported by it, then that can
didate who shall have received the
largest number OF the joint electoral
votes shall also receive all the remain.
ing electoral votes resulting from the
Union" Thus: The whole number
OF electoral votes being 356-should
Grant obtain 40, Greeley ll6 and other
candidates l00-Mr. Greeley would be
entitled to PIC votes, or a majority Of
all, as the result of the "Union," and
would thus be elected President.
The argument in favor OF adopting
joint electoral plan may be briefly stated
thus:
First-As insuring a full poll OF all
that class OF voters opposed to the pres
ent Administration. Democrats OF ev-
cry shade of opinion or policy would he
enabled to unite their strength without
concession Of principle or voluntary
dsintegration of party. Liberal Re
publicans, with many Republicans not
now so classified, could sustain the
joint electoral plan, for it affords both
OF these classes an opportunity of cast
ing their whole strength untrammeled
by direct coalition with the Democ,
racy.
Second-Rivslry to poll a superior
vote in each State, between the respect.
i've friends OF the Union" candidates,
would compel the most strenuous effort
from all classes of friends of the Joint
ticket.
Third-All serious contention at 9TH
er conventions, with the danger arisin g
therefrom, would be obviated.
Fourth-That class of voters, North
and South, that might oppose individ.
usl candidates, because of antipathy
arising from the war, or objections to
them arising from questions Of religion,
temperance, finance, tariff, or the like,
would not be driven to apathy or
Grants support by the narrowed
choice of Greeley and Grant.
FiItb-The product Of the entire
joint electoral vote being necessary to
the election OF one of the candidates of
the "Union," the obligation upon the
part OF the new Administration to rec
ognize the minority portion of the
power which gave it life would be dis
tinctly indicated and incapable of
evasion. Many other advantages would
accrue from the adoption of the Joint
electoral plan, but those enumerated
are deemed sufficient for the purpose
OF this paper. If it be centended> that
this plan would fail in its practical
working, it may te stated that the
vital principle contained within it was
successfully tried in the Presidential
election Of 1860, when New Jersey, by
union of anti-Lincoln voters upon a
joint ticket, gave its vote against him,
and by this process alone was he de-
icated in that State.