Smyrna times., 1873-10-15
The Proposed Constitutional Amend
ment,

:, NEW York, Oct. 8.-Hon. o. P. Morton,
IIndlana), Hon. Matt; Carpenter, wis J, Hon
II. b. Anthony, (R. L. }, and Hon. Thomas f.
Bayard, (Del. }, members of the Standing
Committee on Privileges and Elections of The
Senate OF the United States, to-day closed their
conference, which has been continued from day
TO DAY tor the past week. at Fifth Avenue Ho-
tel, IN this city, in reference to the mode of
electIng the President. The Senate, Just ad-
Journlng, last spring instructed the Committee
10 examine the whole subject during the va
cation and report their conclusions at the next
session OF Congress. The following proposi.
| tons were considered:
FIrst To abolish Electoral Colleges.
second That the President and Vice Presi.
dent shall be elected by the people directly for
candidates. ava
Third. That each State shall be divided into
as many DISTRICTS as the State is entitled to
representatives IN Congress, to be composed OF
contiguous territory, compact in form, and as
nearly equal IN population as may be, and the
| person having the highest number of votes for
resident IN each district shall receive the vote
OF that district for President, which shall
count one Presidential vote that each State
snail be entitled to two Presidential votes at
large, which shall be counted for the person
having the highest number of votes in the
| whole State. ''-o
Fourth. The person having the highest
number of such Presidential votes in the I'M.
ted States shall be President.
fltth. These provisions to be applicable 70
the election OF Vice President, Congress shall
have power to provide for holding and conduc.
ting the election for President and Vice Presi.
dent, and establish tribunals for the decisions
W Sl contests as to the vote in any district OF
State, and make regulations governing the nro.
ceedlngs OF these tribunals by the adoption Of
the district system of voting by the people di.
| rectly Tor candidates. with two Presidential
votes IN the State at large, and the plurality
rule Tor determining the result of the election
| IS brought as nearly home to the people as can
be, not to make it one election by the nation
as one community, and it still recognizes the
states as such. While it enables the people
or each district in the State to express their
Will, SO that hereafter the State will not cast q
sOll1 vote as under the present system il
| tends to dispense with the convention which is
now necessary IN order to form an electoral
ticket for each State, and it enIarges the liner.
ty OF the individual voter, who can vote for
any citizen he may select for President or
vice PRESIDENT. BY the plurality system, the
election will always be final, and there can be
no necessity for election by the House of Rem
resentatives, which is so much objected TO
The plurality rule has been adopted success
Iuily IN all the States in the Union, except
tour, in the election of State officers, and i
generally prevails in the election of member,
OF Congress. In none of the States where il
mas been tried is there any thought of aban,
doning it.
Other questions are considered in connection
with the votes in States and districts, and pro
vldlng for the exigency of death or resignation
OF the President after election and before in
auguration: These are suggestions which have
been considered, but Of course, no conclusion,
could be arrived at.