Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1876-11-07
THE NATIONAL CONTEST,


It is true that the President of the United
States is the President-of the States as such,
and not of the aggregated people. Hence it
is. that if the big State of New York had as
many electoral votes in proportion to her pop
ulatiOn as the little State of Delaware, she
would have 120 votes instead of only 35-
And hence it is, that the trainers of the Com
stitution, by declaring that the person elected
President shall receive majority of the whole
number of electoral votes, seem to have in>
tended that in most Presidential elections the
President should be elected by the House of
Representatives; in which election each State
has only one vote. For when the Constitu-
ton declares that the Electors, who have been
appointed" (not elected by the pcople) by
each Estate" Gin its corporate capacity shall
meet on the same day in their different State
capitals. and cast their votes for President
without responsibility save to God and their
own conscieuces, it seems hardly credible that
cur forefsthers could have believed that any
one candidate.would receive majority of the
whole number of electoral votes. The fact
that the Constitution declares that in the
event of a failure of any ono candidate to re-
ceive majority of the whole number of cleo
toral votes, the House of Representatives is
to elect the President from the fire candidates
who have received the highest number, shows
that it was contemplated that great number
of persons might be voted for for President
For as the whole number of Electors mus, be
equal to the whole number of members OF
both Houses of Congress; and as each Elec-
tor appointed by his State Tin its cor,
pnrate cspAcity) might cast his vote for whom
he thought proper, without any responsibility
to anybody, it is obvious that as many diff
ferent persons might be voted for as there are
members of both Houses Of Congress in
which event, as in sll other cases, in which
there is q failure OF any one candidate to re-
ccivo a majority Of the whole number ofeleo
tOral votes, the little State of Rhode Island
and the biz State of New York ere given ex-
Sctly same number of votes in the election of
thu Presiden, Of the States. For in the
election Of President by the House, the States
act III their sovereign capacities and under
such circumstances it would scarcely be moro
proper to give to New York more votes THAI
are given to Rhode Island, than to give to !
man 6 feet inches in height more political
rights than arc given to = man only feet
inches high.
But We have digresscd most sadly. The
| DESIGN Of rho constitution for tLo oIoo.;oo sc
the common President of number of distinct
sovereign States has been almost wholly de-,
feated by the convention system adopted in
Andrew Jackson's time-when, in the down
ward tendency of things, the electoral 7Ots of
Michigan was counted before she had even
been admitted as State in the Union. What
We intended to cay is, that the Republican
party designs resorting to every possible ex>
| pedient for holding on to their waning pow
er. The limit of their devices will be the limit
of their courage. They will do whatever
they dare. Therefore let every man TO day
do his utmost to swell West Virginia's ma,
jOrity. Let it appear that jority of the
aggregated people of all the loyal StaSes,
as we'll as Of all the Southern, arc in favor OF
Trlden, Hendricks and Reform Let no man
think that because West Virginia gave over
l4,OO0 majority on the 10Th of October, his
own Individual vote is of no consequence
Our seal Of condemnation of tho corruption
aud biOOdy-shlrt policy CT the Republican
party shoaii be not only emphatic, but crush,
ing aud terrifying.