The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1875-01-27
Electtons--A Threasen.
4~o- ed Danger. 5gfs

The discussion of Senator Mofton's
proposed amendment to the Consti-
tuition, which provides for achange in
the mode of electing the President
and Vice President, devel6pe some
rather startling facts in regard to our
present system These facts can hard-
ly be called new, though the possibly
resulting dangers are for the first time
put prominently before the country
! The remarks of Senators Morton,
Thurman. and Con kim. and the points
made by themlin the consideration of
this question, are but briefly sum
married. in the teleeralhie account,
but the dangers to which they aliude
can be easily calculated n detail by
considering their suggestions Tor a
moment. The Constellation provides
that the electors of the various States
shall transmit to the President of the
Senate the votes for President and
Vice President. The Presidents of
the Senate 1.-THE Vice PresidenO shall,
in the presence ct the Senate and
ii ouser of Representatives,, open all
the certificates and the votes shall
then be counted. The persons hay
ing a majority of all the electoral
votes shall be President and Vice
President s9Estrf asa III seeafH&veAa
eel Now, ii will be Observed that the
opening of the cea tifitates is to be in
the presence of the Senate and House.
hut these bodies have nothing what
ever to do with the counting. The
power is in the hands of the Vice
President. sdSanater Morton alluded
to the fact that since the organization
of the government there had been six
several times when the Vice Presi-
dent, charged with the duty, was
candidate for re- election. He there
J fore counted and announced a vote in
which he was directly interested. In
each OF these instances there had been
no question as to the fairness OF the
announcement. hut this might not al
ways be the case, and two or three
times there had been signs of trouble.
1t has happened sometimes that two
sets of electors have claimed authority
from enc State. Heretofore. the ad
mission or rejection of either the one
or the other could not ate. the gen.
eral result. But suppose il were 9TH
erwise2 Suppose the resultdepended
on the electoral vote of one State. and
from that came one setaof electors ia
vorables to the Vice President and his
party. and another opposed to him.
The temptation to decide fayorably to
the friendly electors would be exceed
sinely strong, and one W hieh a weak or
ambitious man might easily yield to.
Strange enough. no tribunal is pro-
svided fer the determination of a con-
test on such questions, it appearing
that so far as the Constitution Is con
cerned the decision Of the Vice Presi-
dent is conclusive. e. saz SIS sEszss
= Another danger pointed out Is that
occasioned by the death or absence of
an elector. Now the vacancy may be
filed by the other electors. If ii
should happen that these were evenly
divided. the death et one on either
side weulde enable the majority OPP
posing to east the entire vote of the
whole State as they desired, thus. if
they so willed. disiranchising one half
the citizens Of any State. The last
objection which Mr.. Morton makes TO
the present system, eAough not one
arising from the Institution. and
therefore easily remedied, is, it seems
to us.,the one from which danger is
just now most to be feared. The
twenty second joint rule of Congress
provides that II any question shall
arise in regard to counting the vote,
the Senate shall Withdraw. and the
question be submitted separately 10
both houses BY their respective pre-
siding officers, and mo question shah
be decided ,af6rmatiyeE and no vote
objected to snali be counted, without
the concurrent vote, of she st~o
houses. When we read this rule we
are amazed th2taooasEsskie has here
tofore arisen under IT. Certainly
nothing could be more loosely or care
lessB drawn : Ii VIII be seen thattne
proceedings are. TO De intsrruissd
whenever amy question shallss be
raised in regard to counting the vote
The question may be utterly frivolous
for that matter. though of course the
aim would be, If an attempt were
made to profit by the provision, to
make the objection a plausible one.
We can imagine in an event now
approaching Us when the existence of
this rule will be fraught With great