Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-11-24
Close Presidential Elections.

Should the successful candidate owe
his triumph to his having received the
favors of small State or two, he would
not stand alone in the list of our con.
sulares, for more than one man has
been made the President of the United
States by meager majority--cast either
in the Electoral College, or at the polls.
or at both places. Our first contested
Presidential election, in 1796.97, was de-
cided so closely that the change of too
electoral votes would have placed
Thomas Jefferson, instead of John
Adams, at the head of the nation, as
Waskington's immediate successor. Mr.
Adams had II votes, and Mr.. jefferson
So. One of Mr.. Adams votes came
from Virginia, and another from North
Carolina; and had those two votes been
given for Mr.. Jefferson he would have
had 20 votes, and Mr.. Adams 69-and the
Virginian would have been elected by
one majority. One of the electoral votes
for Mr.. Adams, chosen in Maryland, was
obtained by only four majority; and, had
it been secured for Mr.. Jefferson. he
would have had 60 votes, and Mr.. Adams
70-and the latter would have been
elected by one majority. There were
1873 electoral votes at that time, or about
AZ less than one.half the present num-
Der; so that, should the successful candi.
date on the 7th of November, 1876, re.
ceive eight majority in the Electoral Col
lege, he would be elected about as well
as John Adams was elected eighty years
since. Considering who and what John
Adams was, eight majority would bo
nothing to be ashamed of on the part Of
either of our candidates-and nothing
to be proud of, it must be added Mr.
jefferson defeated President Adams in
1S00.01, when he had 73 electoral
votes, and the President 65, or
majority of 8, equal to about 02
majority in 1876-77. In 1928
change of 20 votes in the colleges
would have prevented the reelection of
President Madison, who received 1913
electoral votes, while Dewitt Clinton
got SO. In 1S3637 Mr.. Van Buren, would
have failed of an election had there
been change in % electoral votes, as
he had but % over the number necessary
to choice--and Pennsylvania, having
80 such votes, gave him but small
popular majority. A change of 1900 in
that States popular vote would have de-
feated him in the colleges, by sending 80
Wing electors to the Pennsylvania col
lege. AS it was, Col johnson, the
Democratic candidate for the Vice. Presi-
dency, was defeated in the colleges, be-
cause Virginia would not support him,
her % votes being given for William
Smith, of Alabama. Col. johnson was
chosen blythe Senate, the only instance of
the kind known in our history. Great as
were the popular majority and the elect
oral majority given for Gen. Harrison in
1904, he would have been defeated in
the colleges had it been possible to
change some eight or nine thousand
votes in the four States of New York,
Pennsylvania, Maine and New Jersey
Those States cast SO electoral votes,
which, added to the 60 such votes which
Mr.. Van Buren received, would have
given him just the number necessary to
choice; and yet there would have been
popular majority of more than 100000
against him. The four States named
gave popular vote of almost 900, 900,
though their united majorities for Gen
Harrison did not much exceed 10000
New York giving him rather more than
$4,000, New Jersey about 1890, Maine
410, and Pennsylvania 343. 1t was very
close work, and there would have been
great trouble had the Democratic vote
been so increased as to defeat Gen Har-
rison in the colleges after. the people
had so decidedly indicated their prefer
ence for him at the polls. Some men
feared that there would be pronuncia-
mento At the election of 1844-45 Mr..
Polk was chosen to the Presidency
through the aid of the New. York elect
ors, who were 36 in number; and, as Mr.,
Polk had 40 votes, and the number nee
essary to a choice was 13S-the whole
number of electors being 275-he would
have had 1874 votes, had New York de-
cided against him. Mr.. Clay had 105
votes; and, had he received New York's
vote, he would have been chosen by 14t
votes, or by a majority of only fUe votes.
The Democratic popular majority in
New York was small about 5000, we
think; so that small change there would
have substituted Mr.. Clay for Mr., Polk
as President, and thus have changed the
whole current of our political history for
the last 32 years. The Wings attributed
their defeat in the Empire State: first, to
the action of the Liberty party in running
Mr.. Birney for the Presidency; and, sec
ondly to fraudulent voting in New.
York city. In '184S-49 the change
of 19 electoral votes would have
given the Presidency to Gen.
Cass, and Gen. Taylor's vote was 1853,
and that of Gen, Cass 1877; and some of
the Taylor votes were got by small ma
iorities. The elections since 184S 40 do
not require particular mention.-BOstOR
TrdUeLLer.