Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-12-06

each candidate voted for by a sufficient
number Of citizens, u proporiionatc
number of the electoral votes to which
tho State shall bc entitled in manner
following, that is 10 say They shall
divide the whole number of ve,cs re.
turned by the whole number Of this
States electoral vote and tho resulting
quoticnt shall be the electoral ratio for
the State, ndsLslll assign to candidates
voted ior one electoral vote for each
ratio Of popularvotcs received by them
respectively, and, il necessary, addition
al electoral votes for successive largest
fractions of a ratio shall be assigned to
candidates voted for until the whole
number of electoral votes of the State
- sa,srx II As~SDeIDl - 49,
=. .srll10S v-.r~s<@HNy~ S<9tE 41KF
6hfcS1s shan thcreupon make up and
certify at least three general returns,
sa%aSisisS = ;siiis sssi.S --~~.~ss
parishes, or other principal divisions Of
the State, and their apporiionmcnt of
electoral votes as aforesaid, and shall
transmit two thereof, under seal, to the
seat of government Of the United States,
one directed TO the President of tho
Senate and one to the Speaker Of the
House of Representatives, aud third
unsealcd return shall be forthwith filed
BY tho said Secretary in his Office, be
recorded therein, and be at all times
open to inspection
These provisions, with a few slight
changes of phrascology in the remain
ing text of the Constitution rendered
necessary by them, will constitute a
complete, workable amendment, by
which several objects of high impor-
tanco will be secured,
|. 1t will render almost impossible
the election Of a minority man in con
test between two candidates. peril
very nearly if not actually incurred in
the recent election.
2. 1t will enormously reduce if not
extinguish the chances of disputed
election-so dangerous to the peace of
the country and to Republican institu.
tions.
,. 1t will give just allotment of
electoral votes TO canddatcs---cxactly
proporionedt to popular support ofcach
-and not greatly too many or too few
as under the old plan
A. 1t will give almost complete cx-
preston to the popular win, for each
electoral voto will represent an actual
body of voters-a fair ratio of voters or
nearly one-who have ordered it given
as their own rightiul and equal voice in
the election.
8. 1t will very greatly discourage
and prevent uufairness and fraud in
elections by excluding the motives
which produce them. In this respect,
its superiority TO other plans of amend.
ment is conspicuous and unqucstiona.
bic. Assuming n ratio Of 10000 for an
electoral vote, II fraudulent yotc Of TO-
900 would mean one.third Of one electoral
rote instead of meaning, as now, the
balance of power in Il State and control
OF its rhole electoral vote Speaking
within bounds, the effect of any com.
mon fraud in a Presidential election
would become Insignificant, and tho
motive for committing ii would be
wholly removed.
8. That the plan dispenses With clcc-
tors and Electoral Colleges-swceps
away returning boards organized for
controlling instead of serving the peo-
ple-placos returns in responsiblc,saie
hands, under rule OF uniform applica.
tion-avoids fruitless assault upon
the equal voting power Of the States as
totwo electoral votes cach-and avoids
the capital evil of gerrymandcring in
all its possible forms, are subordinate
advantages not to be overlooked sut
possibly obtainablc by other means.
The plan indeed fully secures them but
its special merits are those before men.
toned. In fact, in discouraging elec.
ton frauds and creating a correspond.
ence between popular and electoral
votes so that the latter shall truly rep.
represent the former, the plan is unique,
and therein its chief merit consists.
c. X. BucKALEw.
Bloomsbury, Nov. %, 1876.