The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-18

E SHEET.
The Manner or Eleeting the Prosi-
dent OF tho United Enthusiastically
Of Reform.
It viii startle many of the conservative
people Of the United States to lesrn that we
have hitherto been electing our Presidents OF
the Republic under system open to the
grossest abuses and likely at each recurring
contest to plunge the nation into the horrors
of civil war. Yet such was the announcement
made by Mr. Morton, of Indiana in the SEN
ate yesterday, in his speech ON the resolution
previously introduced by him calling upon the
quire into the defects Of the present. electoral
system and the best means for remedy
ing them. We have no security, says
Mr. Morton, under the existing practice
against an improper or corrupt decision
by the President of the Senate, who is charged
with the duty of opening the vote, in case two
sets of electors should be returned, and there
is no tribunal through which wrong can be
set right if frauds have been committed in the
election of Presidential electors. Thus, should
the election of President and Vice President
turn upon the vote of single State, or OF two
or three States, the win of the people might
be thwarted and result be announced fla
GRAVITY in conflict with justice and likely to
occasion violent opposition from the people,
who would no doubt be disposed to resist to
the bitter end the usurpation of the Presiden-
tial Office by q candidate not honestly elected.
Recent events have shown the importance of
some revision of our present mode of electing
the President and Vice President. 1t is easy
to foresee the dangerous agitation that would
have prevailed throughout the country if the
election of General Grant had depended upon
the votes of the States of Louisiana and
Arkansas yet there is no foretelling how
soon a condition Of affairs may arise when
the decision of contests similar to those
existing in the States we have named
may actually turn the election one way
or the other. Mr. Morton proposes, as
safeguard against these threatened
evils, that the vote for President shall be di-
rect by the people as one community; but In
case the smaller States should oppose such
system as unjust to them he is willing that
each State should cast as many votes as it has
Senators and Representatives, provided that
the President and Vice President shall be
voted for directly in each district, and the
vote cast for such district in accordance with
the will of the majority of the electors
thereof This would still give to each State
the same number of votes it now has for Pres
ident and Vice President; but the votes would
be given directly for the candidates by the
people, without the Intervention of electors.
If the system of the Electoral College is to
be continued, then Mr.. Morton proposes that
some means may be devised whereby the
election of electors may be contested, in case
of fraud, violence or irregularity, before some
impartial tribunal, and whereby, in case Of q
contest such as has. arisen in Louisiana and
Arkansas, the claims of contesting sets Of
electors may be settled in advance of the time
when the vote is to be finally counted This
would prevent the President of the Senate
from exercising the dangerous powers that now
seem to be placed in his hands. Mr.. Morton
suggests the Supreme Court of the United
States, OF the Circuit and District Judges of
the Courts of the United States, as proper
tribunal for such a purpose being far
removed from the excitement and prejudice
Of party. The experience of Judge Durell's
Court certainly does not favorably recommend
this portion of Mr.. Morton's suggestion, and
there may be- besides, some grave objections to
making the federal Courts the judges in an
election for President and Vice President of
the United States. There is no question that
in the present condition of the country
change is needed from system which was
fitted to the nation nearly hundred years
ago. But it must not be o change which
would strip the States of their independence
and leave them wholly at the mercy of
the federal power. What a United States
Court is capable Of doing has been
proved in the overthrow Of the State gov
eminent and the Inauguration of set
of irresponsible claimants in Louisiana, by the
mandate of single Judge The people want
no repetition Of the Durell orders anywhere,
and hence would not approve of placing in the
hands of United States Courts the power of
deciding questions relating to any election
held in o State. Much less would they be
willing to allow federal Judges, appointed by
the President, to exercise the right to decide
contest upon the result Of which the election
or defeat of the President would depend.
Whatever changes may be made in the present
electoral system it is to be hoped will be in
the direction Of preventing q repetition of
such decisions as those recently rendered by
Judge Durell, and not Of legalizing and ex-
tending them over States at present compare
lively free from federal interference.