The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-11-17
o hr Bu!letin.
THE PRESIDENCY.
Time of Meeting Of the Electors
and Mode Of Voting.
constitutional and statutory Provis-
ions for Counting the vote

Tie meeting of the electors of each
state ana the mode OF casting their vote
and the manner of counting II after II Is
received ut Washington. are becoming
points OF interest under the present con-
dition OF affairs. The constitution OF the
United States provides as follows:
The electors shall meet in their respec-
tive states and vote by ballot for two
persons, Of whom one at least shall not
be an nhabitant OF the same state with
themselves. And they shall make a list
Of all the persons voted Tor and Of the
number OF votes for each; which list they
shall sign and certify and transmit sealed
to the seat of government of the United
States, directed TO the president OF the
the senate. The president OF the senate
shall, in the presence OF the senate and
| house Of representatives, open
all the certificates, and the vote
shall then be counted. The per-
son having the greatest number OF
votes shall be the president, if such num-
| Der be a majority of the whole number OF
| electors appointed and if there be more
| than one who have such majority and
! have an equal number of votes, then the
! house OF representatives shall immedi-
ately choose by ballot one of them tor
! president ard if no person have ma
! jority, then from the five highest on the
| list the said house shall in like manner
choose the president. But in choosing
| the president the vote shall be taken by
| states, the representatives from each
| state having one vote.
/ As affairs now stand there is no pos
siblc chance for the selection of presi-
dent to 90 INTO the house, the question
being simply in reference to the count
ing OF the vote sent by the electoral coll
| 81 I4a crt.gpal 81 fn a..
! authorities.
The Revised Statutes Of the United
| States, chapter !, make the following
| provisions in reference to the meeting OF
the electoral college. the certifying to
the vote aud 10 whom the certificate
shall be delivered.
SECTION 1873. Each state may, by law,
provide for the filling of any vacancies
which may occur in its college OF electors
when such college meets TO give its cleo
| toral vote.
SIC 13I. Whenever any state has held
an election for the purpose of choosing
electors, and has failed to make choice
on the day prescribed by law, the cleo
tors may be appointed on a subsequent
day, in such manner as the legislature of
such state may direct.
SEC. l3j. The electors for each state
shall meet and give their votes upon the
first Wednesday in December in the year
in which they are appointed. at such
place in each state, as the legislature of
such state shall direct.
SEC. 1856. Ii shall be the duty OF each
executive of each state to cause three
lists of the names OF the electors of such
state to be made and certified, and TO be
delivered to the electors on or before the
day OH which they are required by the
preceding section to meet.
SEC. l31. The electors shall vote tor
president and vice-president, respective
ly, in the manner directed by tie constr
tuition.
SEC. l3S. The electors shall make and
sign three certificates of all the votes
gwen 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-president, and shall an
mex to each certificate one of the lists of
electors which shall have been furnished
to them by direction OF the executive of
the state.
SEC. l39. The electors shall seal up the
certificates so made by them, aud certify
upon each that the lists of all the votes of
such state tor the president and OF all the
votes given for yice-president are con-
tanned therein.
SEC. 40. The electors shall dispose
of the certificates thus made by them in
the following manner:
First-They shall, by writing under
their hands or under the hands OF a ma
iority of them appoint person TO take
charge of and deliver to The president of
the senate, at the seat of government, be-
fore the first Wednesday in January then
next ensuing. one OF the certificates.
!Secoad-rhey shall forwith forward by
the postoflce to the president of the SEN
ate, at the seat of government, one other
of the certificates.
| Wird-They shall forthwith cause the
other of the certificates to be delivered
to the Judge of that district in which the
electors shall assemble.
SEC. III. Whenever q certificate OF
votes from any state has not been re-
ceived at the seat of government on the
first Wednesday OF January indicated by
the preceding section, the secretary OF
state shall send special messenger to
the district Judge in whose custody one
certificate of the votes from that state has
been lodged. and such judge shall forth
with transmit that list 10 the seat of gov
eminent.
SEC. li2. Congress shall be in session
on the second Wednesday in February
succeeding every meeting of the electors,
and the certificates, or so many OF them
as have been received, shall then be
opened, the votes counted and the per-
sons to fill the offices of president and
vice-pres ident ascertained and declared
agreeable to the constitution.
SEC. I43. In case there shall be no
president of the senate at the seat of gov
eminent on the arrival of the persons in
trusted with the certificates OF the votes
of the electors, then such persons shall
deliver such certificate into the office OF
the secretary of state, to be safely kept
and be delivered over MS soon as may be
to the president of the senate.
SEC. l45. Every person who, having
been appointed, pursuant to subdivision
:. | of section 40 or to section III, to de-
liver the certificates Of the votes OF the
electors to the president OF the senate
and having accepted such appointment
shall neglect to perform the services re
ouired from him, shall forfeit the sum o.
$1,000.
SEC. l46. In case OF removal, death
resignation or inability of both president
and viee-president of the United States
the president of the senate, or il there il
none. then the speaker of the house o
representatives. for the time being
shall act as president until the disabilit.
is removed or president elected.
WIN. X. SMITH