The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-11-16
The Electoral College.

defective In that a President may be
chosen by majority of electors and yet
receive but minority of the popular
vote, has never been changed, though
legislation has amended some of its
obviously undesirable workings, and in
one important particular there has been
an amendment to the organic law. The
original constitution provided that the
person having the largest number
of votes, if majority, should
be declared President. and the.
person having the next largest
number, if a majority, should be de-
clared Vice President. Thus, until the
adoption of the Twelfth amend
ment, it occurred that the chief rival OF
the successful candidate became the
Vice President. Atneither the first nor
the second canvassing of the electors
votes was there any dispute upon the
Presidency, George Washington re-
ceiving the unanimous vote, a showing
which would not have been altered at
the first meeting had New York, Rhode
Island and North Carolina voted. They
had not ratified the constitution in time
to be- entitled to voice in tho electoral
college, but their vote would have been
for Washington. John Adams was
chosen Vice President on both occa-
sions. AS legislation was necessary to
determine the time of choosing electors,
the act of March l, 1892, was passed and
is still in force. It was at the reelection
of Washington that Congress determined
the forms OF counting the vote, and the
method then adopted continues. The
two houses meet in the Senate chamber
at noon of the second Wednesday of
February succeeding every meeting of
electors, the Senate having previously
appointed one and the House two tell
ers to set down the votes as declared;
the result is delivered to the President
of the Senate, who announces the state
of the vote and makes formal declara-
ton of the election.
In 1896 John Adams was chosen by
majority of one vote, aud Jefferson, his
competitor for the Chief Magistracy,
received the second place. In 1900
tie was anticipated, and a joint rule was
adopted that If no person should have q
constitutional majority of the electoral
votes, the Speaker and the members of
the House should at once return to their
chamber and immediately proceed, with
out debate, to vote for President, and
should not adjourn until they had made
q choice. The canvass showed that
Jefferson and Burr had seventythree
votes each. After remaining in session
continuously for six days Jefferson was
chosen on the thirty eighth ballot. It
was after this ele elton that the desira-
bility of ali amendment to the constitu-
ton whereby the President and Vice
President should be chosen as at present
was so apparent that the Twelfth amend
ment was adopted.
No question arose until 1917, when
objection was made to the reception OF
the vote of Indiana on the ground that
it had been cast before the State had
been admitted to the Union, which was
the fact, but, as it's vote could not change
the result, the point was not pressed.
In 1921 similar objection was made to
the vote of Missouri, but it was not
pressed, since every vote but one was
for James Madison. In 1924 the Senate
came to the House. There was no cleo
ton by the people, John Quincy Adams
having received 81 votes; Jackson, SO;
Crawford, Al; Clay, 81. The Senate
retired after the announcement of the
election of John @. Calhoun to the Vice
Presidency, and the House combining It's
ballots, as required by the constitution.
to the three highest candidates, elected
Adams. 8 #@ A #8# 81
In 1887 there was no popular choice
of Vice President, the vote being tie
between Richard M. johnson and Fran
els Granger. The Senate therefore elect
ed, the choice not being by States, but
according to the Individual wishes of
Senators, and Johnson was the victor.
A question upon the reception of Michi-
gan's vote was raised, but not pressed.
In I841 nothing of note occurred save
the use of a little more formality than
had hitherto prevailed We quote from
q recent compilation of the proceedings
of this nature: sm
The Senate formed with its Sergeant at
Arms at the head then the Vice President.
with the Secretary of the Senate on mis- left
then the Chief Clerk, bearing the electoral
votes. and then the Senators, two by two. The
procession was met in the rotunda by the
House Sergeant-at-Arms who led it down the
broad aisle. The Speaker received the Vice
President on the steps of his stand and con-
Quoted him to the chair as President OF the
Joint session, the Speaker seating himself on
the left. The Secretary of the Senate took
seat at one end of the Clerks table, and the
Clerk of the House at the other. The telers
were stationed in front OF the presiding officer,
the Senate teller in the middle, and the House
tellers on each side. The members of the
House remained standing while the Senate
came in The galleries were filled with ladies'
and the scene was very impressive. The pre-
siding officer announced the purpose of the
Joint session, and took up the package contain
ing the vote of Maine. He broke the seal, and,
handing it down, said: ''I deliver to you, gem
tlemen teliers, the votes of the electors of the
State of Maine for President and Vice Presi-
dent of the United States, that the same may
be counted" When the counting of the States
was finished the presiding officer declared the
result, and said: 81 do declare that William
Henry Harrison, of Ohio, having majority of
the whole votes of electors for President. is
duly elected President of the United States for
Az form of four years commencing with the