New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-10-12
A Senatorial Cousultatiou.

| From the New York Tribune, October.l
The United States Senate, a. the last ses.
sion. passed resolution directing the Com.
mlttee on Privileges and Elections to report
at the next Congress plan for chan ging
the constitution with regard to the method
| of electing a President of the United
States. The first meeting of the committee
since the adjournment of Congress was ap.
| pointed to be held at the Fifth Avenue Ho.
tel, in this city. yesterday. but quorum
d1d not arrive in town. and no meeting was
| held. The committee consists of Senators
Anthony, OF Delaware: Carpenter, OF Wis.
| consin; Bayard. of Delaware: Morton, of
| Indiana; Logan. Of Illinois: Boutwell,. of
| Massachusetts: Alcern, of Mississippi: Hill.
OF Georgia, and Mitchell, of Oregon. Messrs.
Anthony. Carpenter. Morton and Ravard
were the only Senators present Yesterday.
and not constituting quorum, they could
not mold session. Messrs. Logan and Bout
well were expected to arrive last night.
In answer to inquiries yesterday. Senator
anthony said that il would be impossible TO
indicate the character of the report that
the committee would make. He was quite
certain. however. that the method of elect.
Ing the President by direc. vote of the !
people. which has been urged in yarious
quarters, would not be recommended. for !
the reason that it would be impo ssihIe To !
get the necessary two thirds vote of the |
method would be to lessen the Influence |!
which the smaller States now have il, q I
presidential election through their Sena.
torial electors. and all these States would
OF course, be opposed to the plan Of q direct
vote for President.
There are certain defects however il the
present method which, it is very essential
should be remedied, and the nesAAd rem.
edy VIII. without doubt, be embraced in the
report OF the committee. Fo- example. at
the last presidential election two se,s of
presidential electors claimed The rich, 10
cast the vote of the State Of Louisiana for
President. and get the constitution pro.
vlded no tribunal for settling the DISPUTE
between the contestants. If the election !
had turned on the vote of Louisiana. the
question raised by those contestants would
have been OF vita! Importance, Senator
Gays that the committee will .nr.
fanny recommend the designation .. some
tribunal alrc.i; IN existence or the .ras.
ton "f special tcibuna. 20 decide all dis.
putes OF this character before the electoral
vote goes 10 the SeHate. so that that body ,
will have nothing to do but count the votes !
before them and declare who is elected.
Again, the constitution provides that the
electors shall meet in their respective States !
and cast their votes for President and Vice
PRESIDENT on certain day. which shall be
he same in all the States. Now j. han
1ened in the presidential election of 1850.
hat owing TO heavy snow storm the elect. ,
RS OF Wisconsin were unable TO meet AZ
he place designated. and OF course we're
Unable to comply with This Requirement. Of {
he constitution. Fortunately in that case.
IS IN the other: the contest did not depend {
n the vote OF Wisconsin. otherwise very l
EMBARRASSING state Of affairs would have
nsued. The committee will recommend J
uch changs in the law az will avoid the , (
vii results Of such a contingency. should it t
ves happen again.