The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-11-23
GhaGttelLig


g#s,epcs between an election by the
r,o0Is and an election by the Electors
ior whom the people vote when a Pfesi'
Js,,i. TO be cho,er. Hence when they
,,c told ,hs, 3 candidate, as for instance
NJ. Tilden, has a majority Of the Popu'
lar vote cast in the county, and 'Ne'e'
lorO should become President, they are
al a, sea in their minds as to the proper
bearing, Of such an observation
Va will epdeayor to make this matter
,,.io n rll reader. who desire to under
.and H. The Electoral College System
S,d ia origin in desire on the part OF the
Fathers Toi the Government 10 protect
niuori,iss and also to remove the elec'
lion Of a President from the popular
arena into more deliberate and intelli'
yen, body OF electors. II the popular
ro,e Of the country had been determined
oa as the proper ugcncy by which to
,,ect President, the time might have
eo,ue when half dozen large and popu.
lou, States, having special or class In
,s,r,,s Of their own, could have elected
one Of their own citizens TO
lbatpo.ilion over the wishes OF all the
balance Of the people Of the country.
This is not so likely to occur under the
present method Of electiug President.
Why? Because the popular maiorities
in,he vote Of state do not count. For
iuusnce, the State Of Iowa gave 1900 OF
.u.iority for Hayes over Tilden. The
State Of Kansas gave 10000 OF majority
for him. The State OF Michigan gave
g;OOO ola majority for him. These ma
Iorites do not count for anything what
ever. II Iowa had simply given Hayes
5Ofa majority instead of 67ooO--or
even on. Of majority, he would have
bad all thai was necessary to
,ivs him the eleven electoral votes oi
tha, State. An undisputed majority oil
ono vote Is Just as good as a majority OF
thousands. It gives the whole electoral
vote Of the State to the candidate who re-
ceives that one vote, and that is all that
tho mos. overwhelming majority can do
The Electoral College means simply
tho whole number Of persons chosen in
the various States as Presidential Elec'
.On. Vest Virginia chooses i've Elec.
tors. Why? Because she has three
u.mbers Of Congress and two Senators.
She is entitled, as every State Is, to one
slseIor fer each one OF her represents
ayes Iu the lower bOuas OF Congress and
ors for each Of her two Senators. There
ws now 39 States in the Union and con
4Q1enlly 70 Senators. There are 2eS
csatcrs Of the House. Added together
I4elr membership amounts to three hun
l,ed ,ud sixly.nine, and this is the num-
Der Of Presidential Electors in all the
sn,u. These electors, thus chosen by
Ias peop!e, meet at their respective State
Capitals on tke FRS. Wednesday Of De-
auber, alter Presidential election and
vote Iby ballot for President and Vice
pn.ilCn. Of the United States. a csrti-
id record Is made Of their vote and it Il
lal By special messenger to the Presl'
lent Of the Senate at Washington, and by
aiu opened and counted in the presence
aiae two houses on the second Wedne'
ilyIn February.
When the people Of each State vote aI
,pte.lIsntial election it is usual to use
lstsh designating by name lover the
ih OI electors) the persons voted for as
President and Vice President. This Ia
'IIuunecesssry, however. Tho voter can
aai vote directly for the candidates OF his
Piry, lie must vote for the persons who
siFe been designated by his party as
tIsctOrs il he wishes 10 elect his party
saainCes to the Presidency and Vice
Presidency. Some voters arc foolish
'IOugh to cut of the names Of the elect
'nt'Om their tickets, suppOsing that the
dimes Of the President and Vice Presl.
d'rt are enough. This, OF course
iei'roys the ballot altogether.
The original idea OF thus voting for
electors, instead Of voting directly for
Preaident and Vice President, was, as we
ave said, to secure body Of men who
'ould be ono degree removed from the
people, and from all the passions of party
'''Itc, and who would come togeth.
q" their respective State Capitals
% tho day appointed, and vote 70,
god and suitable men without refer
'aes to the choice Of their constituents
st this theory, like several Of the theo
''a aOi tho Fathers, did not work out ii
S'0al practice. After land even before
pity conventions came into existence
Ft'idsnIial Electors became SO many au
aHliOn', with no more real free agency
s'n 40 many machines, True, an EIec
" b" still as much power a. eve
s'''s IOF anybody he prefers as Presi
"ah but The exercise OF such n pow
e'ouId now 10 regarded as treacherou
W ti''spuiabIe, and no EIector think
"S'S back on his constituents in tha
w lie regards himself simply as tn
,sSNu'nt or medium OF carrying int
S"' The choice Of those who seleo,eI
.a, aud he knows that on this under
'4'i0s alone hc was voted for.
SnsaFd TO the argumeu. Just nov
sNs u'' Of, that. because candidate
%ae Presidency ha, majority OF tn
t.P''i' vote that therefore he should b
W "'''sd To- there Is nothing In it what
w. Several Presidents have been Sc
~ Who did not have the popula
- !Aues K. Polk was minorit,
SS,. Ss,a'a', So were Taylor, Buchanan