Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1875-07-22
Short Reviews in Political History,


a dangerous power. A constitution
interchangeable is an equally dangerous
instrument. Peaceable amendments
are better than ware of faction. The
constitution by its provisions for
amendments adapts itself to chang
ing times, unforeseen combinations
and unexpected dangers and by the
needed elasticity prevents breakage
and explosion.
l. The Steps to be I'aken.-The
proposition to amend may originate
in Congress by two-thirds vote, or
Congress son the application of the
legislatures of two-thirds of the sew
eral States, shall call a convention
for proposing amendments" Hither-
to all have originated with Congress.
2. H0W Ratified. An amendment
originated in either way becomes a
part of the constitution "when ratifi
ed by the legislatures of three
fourths of the several States, or by
convention in three>fourths thereof,
as the one or the other mode of rati
fication may be proposed by Con-
gress." Two clauses have been una
mendable; the first expired by limi-
tation in 1903, the second is still in
| force unless the State interested
shall give its consent, viz: s'no State
without it's consent shall be deprived
of its equal suffrage in the Senate"
3. Their mber.-Down to the
present time fifteen have been ratif-
ed by three-fourth votes of the leg
islatures and announced as parts of
the constitution by proclamation.
Many others have been proposed.
In 1924 there were four different
plans for the abolition of the elector-
al system before the Senate, offered
respectively by Senators Benton,
Dickerson, Hayne and VanBuren.
Several elections have developed
alarming dangers in the old and new
methods Of election. The twelfth
averted the danger under the former
plan, but unexpected dangers have
developed under the present form.
At present the electoral votes are
opened in the presence of both branch
es of Congress /; but these bodies
have nothing to do with counting
them, that is the duty of the Vice
President. During six times in our
history this officer has been candl-
date for reelection. Suppose, now,
the election depends on the vote of
single State, and in that State
there are two sets of electors claim
ing to be legitimate, and that one
set was favorable to the Vice Presi-
dent and his party, and the other
opposed to him. There would be q
strong temptation to decide in favor
of the friendly electors and to re-
ceive their vote on the count. For
this decision, whether right or
wrong, the constitution provides no
remedy-it is conclusive. When
the votes were last counted in Feb.
1873, the votes of Arkansas, Geor-
gia and Louisiana were excluded.
This rejection did not affect ia the
least the general result. We cam
not argue however that this will
continue to occur. The time may
come when the rival vote in one
State in the case supposed, or the
casting out of electoral votes on &C
count of irregularities may and will
decide the election. The PROPOSE.
ton which Senator Morton has been
celebrating and advancing, or one
like it, which substitutes the direct
vote of the people without the inter-
vention of the electoral college is
most judcious and ought to be
adopted in regular form before the
next election in 1876. That serious
trouble has not hitherto srisin is tru-
ly Providential
4. Their scope The first eleven
refer to the personal rights OF citi-
zens and constitute comprehensive
bill of individual rights-a sort of
Magma Charter. The twelfth abol-
ished the old method of electing the
President and Vice Presi lent and
originated with the celebrated con-
test in the House in 1901, when 80
ballots were cast for Jefferson and
Burr before majority of States de-
cided the strus gle and made Jeffer
son President and Burr Vice Presi-
dent. This election presented the
peculiar feature OF making the de-
| feated candidate for the Presidency
the Vice President, for the Both bal
| lot decided the election of both &C
cording TO the article which pro-
vided that sin every case, after q
choice of President, the person hav-
| ing the greatest numbea of votes OF
the electors shall be Vice President.
The remaining three amendments
relate to the abolition of slavery and
the acquired rights of the freedmen
as citizens in full.
5. When adopted.-The first ten
were ratified by three-fourths votes,
Dec. Is, 1871, and were subsequently,
proclaimed as adopted in the legal
way by Washington.
The eleventh was announced in
the same way by President Adams,
on Jan. s, 1898. 1t was first pro
posed March Is, 1894 The twelfth
was constitutionally adopted in 1901.
The thirteenth passed the Senate
April s, 1864, tho House Jan. 81,
1865, and received the vote needed
to make three-fourtbs vote of the
States Dec. 18, 1865. The fourteenth
was announced as validity ratified by
Secretary Seward, in certificate to
Congress, July 20, 1868, which set
forth that the number of States was
then 81; that p had voted to ratifyi
that subsequently, the Legislatures
of Ohio and New Jersey rescinded
{ their votes of ratification, and that
by act of Congress, passed April 20
1918, sec. 2, if their first consent bt
J deemed as remaining in full force
t and effect "then aforesaid amend
, ment has been ratified and so has be
-olii oil ipfapfa and mr.