The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1876-11-24
THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE.
How the Vote is Counted aud Dis.
patched.
The Law Of the United states ON the
subject.

Inc cioSehesS Ol Nne eIeStlOn mas SGT
people to specializing ON. the contin-
| gencies likely to arise when it comes
| to counting the electoral votes. What
| might be attempted, or what might be
! done, in case the election Of Tilden and
Hayes should hinge on one vote, are
questions which have, during the last
forty-eight hours, assumed considera-
bic prominence, and:nay become ques-
tions of vital importance. The electo-
| raj system now in vogue has always
been regarded by many as defective in
| certain important respects, and whether
| it will be adequate to meet probable
contingencies close at hand Is a ques.
| ton yet to be decided.
The constitutional provisions are, It
| is presumed, fresh reading to most peo-
| pie, AS few persons ever look into that
document nowadays. It is, therefore,a
matter of news to many, at least, to
say that in the Twelfth Amendment
of the constitution 1t ia provided that
| the electors shall "meet in their respec-
tive States and vote by ballot for Presi-
dent and Vice President, one Of whom
shall be an inhabitant OF the same State
with themselves" and, again, ssThat
| they shall make distinct lists of all per-
sons voted for as President, and all
persons voted for rs Vice President, and
of the number of votes for each which
lists they shall sign and certify, and
transmit sealed to the government uf
the United States, directed to the Pres
ident of the Senate. The President OF
the Senate shall, in the presence of the
Senate and House Of Representatives,
open all the certificates, and the votes
shall then be counted. The person
. having tho greatest number Of votes
flor President shall be the President, If
, such number be Il majority of tho
, whole number Of electors appointed"
etc.
The following regulations will be
. found in the revised statutes of the
United States ,as adopted from the orig
a inal acts of 1892 and 1904 -it
al SEC. 1856. Tho electors for each State
|, shall meet and give their votes upon
l. the first Wednesday In December In
n the year in which they are appointed,
- ut such place, in each State, as the leg
islature of each State shall direct.
SEC. 1876. 1t shall be tho duty Of tho
l. executive of each State TO cause three
lists of the names of the electors Of such
:. State to be made and certified, and to
he delivered to the electors on or be-
|. fore the day on which they are requir-
cd, by the preceding section, to meet.
SEC. 1877. The electors shall vote for
J. President and Vice President, respec-
= lively, IN the manner directed by the
l. constitution.
SEC. 1913. The electors shall make
and sign three certificates of all the
votes given by them, each, OF which
) certificates shall contain two distinct
lists, one Of the votes for President, and
the other of the votes for Vice Presi-
dent, and shall annex to each of tho
ccrti tiilcates one of the lists Of the cleo
tors which shall have been furnished
to them by direction Of tho Executive
of the State. 80
rOn ~ Drtx
the certificates SO made by them; and
certify upon each that tho lists OF all
n the votes of such State given for Presi-
I'd dent, and Of all the votes given for Vice
rs President, are contained therein.
~ SEC. 14O. The electors shall dispose
IL the certificates thus made by them In
q. the following manner:
Id /. They shall, by writing under their
e, hands, or under the hands of a majori-
in ty OF them, appoint person to take
an charge of and deliver to the President
it, ! of the Senate, at the seat Of govern.
lr ment, before the first Wednesday In
hg January then next ensuing, one of thu
us certificates. g
rs =. They shall forthwith forward by
ch the postofiice TO the President Of the
by Senate at tho scat Of Government, on,
WIS other of the certificates. 30
cir 3. They shall forthwith cause tn
ed other OF the certificates to be Delivers
tic to the Judge of that District in whicl
on the electors shall assemble.
Ike SEC. 142. Congress shall be in session
on on the second Wednesday in Februar
'ey succeeding every meeting of the elet
lrd tors, and the certificates, or so many c
them as have been received, shall the
ent be opened, the votes counted, and til
sht persons to fill the offices of Presider
zen and Vice President ascertained and d.
.th. clared, agreeable to the Constitutions
but Chicago Times. .......
and
on The Returning Board of Louisian
the foiStcd a set of thieves upon that Sta
the in 1872 and 1874, and now the san
MIS- body is to be called in to foist a set
tired thieves upon the whole country.
ling might as well be understood that II
'crt, United States will not receive a Pres
give dent at the hands of men who ha'
IN a been pronounced usurpcrs by all Il
easy Republicans and Democrats who we