Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1872-05-28
Stammto1t Spettatur.
I5GesdGy. M0u 2S. 1872.

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Tuesday, Mag 20, 1872.
How A PRESIDENT is ELECTED. of
the United States is entitled to as many electors
of President and Vice-President as it has Sena- |
tors and Representatives in Congress- In each
State the electors are chosen by plurality vote
That is if there are three sets of electors voted
for, the set having the highest number OF voters
is chosen. But candidate for President, in or
der to be successful, must have majority OF
all the electors The electoral college, as now
constituted, consists of 81. Therefore 159 are
necessary for choice, If there be three can
didates for President and neither of them re-
ceiyes majority of the electoral college, then
there is no choice, and the election goes to the
House of Representatives The House must
confine their choice to the three highest can
didates voted for by the electors. The Repre-
sentatives vote by States, and each State has
but one vote SO that the power of Delaware is
as great as that of New York. Each State has
one vote. The majority of the State delegation
casts its vote A candidate, to be successful,
must receive majority of all the States, or
nineteen States. IF the delegation is divided,
the vote of the State cannot be cast and is there
fore lost. As the present House is constituted,
and it is upon this House the election will de-
volve in the event there is no election by the
people, nominally the Republicans hold twenty
States but its majority In ten of these it holds
by one single vote. Should there be third
candidate there would be no choice found in
two of these ten States,
We publish in another column the formal
notice to Hon. Horace Greeley of his nomina-
ton as the candidate of the Liberal Repubh
cans to the Presidency of the United States
from the officers of the Cincinnati Convention.
Mr.. Greeley states that he has delayed his re-
ply until he could Judge whether their work
was approved and ratified by the mass of his
fellow citizens, that he has become satisfied
that the movement has received the stamp of
public approval, and been hailed by majority
of his countrymen as the harbinger Of better
days for the Republic. That he receives and
welcomes it as a spontaneous and deserved trib-
ute to the admirable platform of principles SO
lucidly, tersely and forciby set forth. He then
proceeds to epitomize the platform, cordially
approving it In detail. In conclusion, he &C
cept, the nomination with the distinct under
standing that, if elected, he will be the Presi-
dent, not of party, but of the nation, and is
confident that the American people have al
ready made the cause their own, fully resolved
that their brave hearts and strong arms shall
bear it on to triumph.
Stokes, who shot James Fisk, was arraigned
in the Court of Oyer and Terminer on the oath,
to plead, but under instructions Of his counsel
declined to do so, and the Court ordered plea
of not guilty entered. The District Attorney
then moved to proceed to trial, but the counsel
for the prisoner moved for commission to go
to London, England, to examine Dorman B.
Eaton, said to be an important witness for the
defence, and read long affidavit in support Of
the motion.
The case was finally postponed until the third
Monday in June, to give time for sending the
Commission, the motion for which was grant
ed
The Tariff bill which was passed by the
House of Representatives, makes an annual
reduction of about forty millions of dollars,
fourteen millions of which are striken from in
ternal taxation, and the remainder from the
customs. The duties on manufactures of cot
ton, wool, iron, India rubber, gutta percha and
straw are cut down ten per cent. from the pre-
sent rates. This is very much like the bill
which the Senate originated.
We are glad to see, that even at this late
day, the Radical papers find merit in the course
of Gen. Grant in relation to Gen. Lee, in re-
commencing amnesty to be extended to him,
after the surrender. The time was when these
same journals did not see the merit, or, if see-
ing it, did not acknowledge it. Time brings its
changes. The change and the cause for the
change are obvious Southern votes are want
ed.
REV. w. S. BAIRD. This gentleman, who
is well known to many in this locality has be-
come joint partner with the senior publisher
and proprietor Of the Baltimore Episcopal
Methodist. We congratulate the numerous
friends and patrons of that sterling religious
journal upon its having secured such valua-
BILE acquisition. Mr. Baird is sound reasoner
and terse and logical writer.
The Democratic Convention, at Chester,
Mass, on the 25th, ratified the Cincinnati Con-
vention and platform with great enthusiasm.
William L. Smith, Chester, Mass, and j. N.
Durham, of Pittsfeld. both Greeley men, were
elected delegates to the Baltimore Convention.
------------
The Grant men boast that the negroes will
not vote for Greeley. Of course they WON'T
The negro votes always for the strongest party.
He goes with his master. The Grant men own
the negroes, and they are bound to follow in
their footsteps.
A call for Greeley and Brown ratification
meeting at New Orleans, on the 18th instant,
is signed by Generals P. G. I. Beauregard,
Richard Taylor, William Hays, c. W. Conrad,
Randall Hunt and many other influential citi-
zens.
1t is reported in Paris that the negotiations
between the French Government and the Ger
man Minister, looking to the total evacuation
of French territory now occupied by German
troops, are making favorable progress.
Some of the Grant organs object to Greeley
because he is teetotaler It must be confess /