, 1872-12-02

TIE GREELEY ELECTORS.
On tho 5th ofNoyember, Electors Of President
and Vice President supported by tho friends OF
Greeley and Brown we're chosen in the States OF
Tennessee, Georgia, Maryland, Texas. Louisi-
ana, kentucky, and Missouri. Under tho Con-
stitution, the Electors thus chosen have to moet
ut the Capitals of their respective States Oh the
first Wednesday in December, and cast their
votes for President and Vice President. In the
meantime, 1Ir. Greeley has died, and the quos-
tion naturally arises, For whom will the Electors
in these States give their votes for President
Tho case has not that Importance which it would
have if the Greeley Electors we're q majority Of
tho Electoral College. In this case they are in
minority, and it cannot affect the result Of the
election one way or the other how they may cast
their votes.
Nevertheless, there is principle involved in
this matter which ought not to be sacrificed. It
has been suggested that the Electors in these
States should vote for General Grant, thus MAX
ing the vote Of the Electoral College unanimous.
However desirable it might be to have this unan-
unity of action, and this display of good feeling,
there is no moro reason why the Electors ap-
pointed to vote for N1r. Greeley should vote for
the opposing candidate than there would be- had
General Grant died, in having his Electors vote
for AIr. Greeley. The Electors chosen to vote
for General Grant could not moro fagrantly
violate the trust reposed in them than
by voting under any circumstances, for
1Ir. Greeley. It there be anything
which they were especially commended not to
do, it was to vote for 11r. Greeley. The instruc-
tions on the other side were equally imperative.
The death Of candidate cannot transfer his
votes to the opposing candidate.
The Constitution has, By its provision in an
analogous case, suggested tho proper course:
In case of the death of General Grant after the
4th Of December and before the 4th of March,
Mr- Eonry Wilson, who WAS voted on the same
ticket for Vice President, would become the
President, and for Henry Wilson to succeed
him as President in case Of his death happening
before his Inauguration or during his term Of
Office. Had General Grant deceased before the
meeting OF the Electoral College. every
consideration Of right, and Justice, and
Of respect for the popular choice,
would suggest that Ar. Wilson should be voted
for By the Electors for President. When voted
for By the people, it was the intention that ho
should succeed General Grant, in the event of
any diro{1i1itv harraninrr fo 7n{ka
fact that such disability occu1s before the 4th Of
December, instead OF after it, does not change
the moral responsibility OF the Electors Of the
people.
The Electors appointed to vote for Greeley and
Brown have the same responsibility upon them.
The duty CT the Elector is not changed merely
because he is in the minority. His responsible
ty to his constituents remains the game. The
people Of his State instructed him not to vote
for Grant, but to yote for Greeley for
President and Brown for Vice Presi-
dent. Tho Electors of each State are
to vote the will Of their constituents, no matter
. whether they yo.o III the minority or majority.
The Electors in the States mentioned were ap-
PHtAtGA W folt I'LL L. 04Ak1 11thA4 4OA FA<o
President, that, in the event Of the election Of
Mr. Greeley and any disability orertaling him,
A1r. Brown should succeed him. The Electors,
therefore, IN our Judgment, have no discretion
in this matter. They should vote for Mr.. Brown
for President. At ali events, they should not
vote for General Grant. A Presidential E1ector
is perhaps the only officer known to the
law who ia bound by no law, oath,
pledge, or anything but his personal
honor. He is designated as candidate for an
Elector By the friends of come candidate for the
Presidency. When elected, he may vote for
whoever he pleases without violating any Law
but in the history Of the country, from tho first
election to the present time, there is no instance
Of q Presidential Elector, chosen by one party,
voting, under any circumstances, for the candi-
date of the other party. For this honorable fact
We may assume the country is indebted to the
circumstance that the Electors have been bound
Thore have occurred all manner Of betrayals,
and breaches of faith in all branches Of official
lie, eTen among sworn officers, but the Presi~
DENTAL Electors have never, under any circum-
stances, failed in an honest obedience to the
Will Of those who elected them.
Ihe objection to having these Electors vote
Tor General Grant reets upon the imperative
necessity Of maintaining the responsibility of
the Electoral College, and Of preserving with
unbroken uniformity the faithful execution Of
the popular will by those appointed for that pur~
pose. once establish tie precedent for de-
parture from this rule once admit that m
Glccsor' appointed by the people Of the State to
vote Tor \, and not to vote for, B, may, under
sof1e circumstances, vote for 3, and the long
ING ot honorable precedents will be broken, the
eiSoiot'on OF the Elector will be substituted for
the implicit obedience to the popular will, and,
ILLS dono. the election Of President will cease to