The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-08-03

arrived in Washington Wednesday. for
the purpose OF availing himself Of the
facilities of the Congressional Library
and certain imprinted records Of Con-
gress in preparing his report for the Se-
nate Committee on Privileges and Elec-
lions, Of which he is chairman, upon the
proposed election Of the President and
Vice President of the United States by
direct vote of the people, instead OF by
the intervention OF electoral colleges
MIR. Morton's plan Of reform, which is
that Of dividing the States into Presiden.
tial districts Of equal population and
contiguous territory, aud giving each
district n single vote Tor President and
Vice President, would, in his opinion, if
adopted before the summer of 1876,
strike such blow at the caucus tyranny
OF party conventions that Cfe ,aiism, if
there should be any danger of it under
the existing electoral plan, would be
possible only in tho event Of tho masses
tual office holding ns the army of offica-
Morton, in his report, intends to go
back to the debates in the Constitutional
Convention over the mode of clcctiug
the President and Vice President, aud
show how the best and most logical
minds there present, ut the head of
whom was the illustrious franklin,
pointed out the inconyonicnces md dan
gers of the method that prevailed, and
argued eloquently for entrusting tho
people directly with the determination
OF the one question that reul)y concerned
them more than any other in the fedora!
system. He will show, too, the mistake
reasons Oh which tho conservatives in
the convention cnrlied the poi IT and
fashioned their Presidential election
upon the aristocratic models of the
Venetian and Gcnoese republics, while
fearing that they had already conferred
too much direct political power upon tue
general mass of the people.
He will refer to the cases of Jefferson
and Burr and Adams aud Jackson to H.
lustrate his assertion that the Electoral
College system, besides being useless as
medium Of selecting men Of better
character and attninments than could be
discerned by enthusiastic and unthink-
ing direct voters, can become, through
intrigue, so dangerous rs to precipitate
civil war, and that such danger grows
with the lapse of time, aud is, by the na-
ture OF the system, more dangerous now
than ever, aud will be SO hereafter. The
district system is supported by the Sc
nator in preference to the plan preferred
" others OF giving every voter in every
State direct and independent vote for
President and Vice President, because it
gives more practical force to the wishes
OF contiguous communities and interests,
and restraints the power Of such log. roll
ing combinations rs carry prohibitory
tariffs and fraudulent internal improve
ment bills. This was the plan recon-
mended by an illustrious Senate commit.
tee that sat upon the question nearly fifty
years ago, and brought in report that
contrasted the merit, OF both plans of
voting; and though the logical argument
is admitted to lie apparently on the side
of individual voting, the practical view
OF the question demonstrates that tie
result of a vota by districts organized as
proposed would be much nearer pure,
impartial expression of the popular will
Senator Morton expects to carry his COM
mittee, unanimously, for his plan, and
hopes to advance the measure considora-
bio before Congress as early as next
session.
SUICIDE OF Box FROM GRIEF. .-Coro.
ner Brennecke was called yesterday to
hold an inquest in the town of Harrison,
Westchester County, on tho body OF
Waldron X. Haviland, aged sixteen
years. who had Committed suicide by
hanging himself in barn About u
year ago, his mother died, when he went
to live with q Mr.. Gilbert HayiIund, n
relative, aHd aid him in his work on the
farm. Since the death of his mother, to
whom he was devotedly attached. he had
labored under great depression of spirits.
On Sunday last. he visited his mothers
grave, us he had repeatedly done before.
and trimmed up the grass around it.
He was missed from homo on Sunday
night, and on the following morning
was fonnd hanging dead in the barn,
some distance from tho house. The
physician who was called was of the
opinion that he committed suicide on
Sunday evening. after his return from
tho grave of his mother. No cause bnt
filial grief can bo assigned for tie nc.
Ne,o York Ercning Post
The NEW COLLECTOR IN CHARGE OF Tue
CUSTOM HoCss. Collector II. g. Wor-
thington arrived in this city yesterday
mOrpinO from, R,lt;p,Ora. o,,5 90 oi,o,t