Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-12-06
EX-SENATOR BUCKALEW on
THE ELECTION OF A
PRESIDENT.

EX-SENATOR BUCRALEW on
THE ELECTION or A
: PRESIDENT.
4 That the voters of tho several State.
might properly be allowed in form as
well as in fact TO vote for candidates
for President and Vice President, and
. Electoral Colleges be dispensed with, /,
an opinion now pretty gnerally enter
tained but there has been no common
: or general agreement upon an amend
ment to the Constitution of the United
States by which the object shall be ac,
complished.
The proposition that there shall be
direct vote by the people throughout
tho country for candidates, a consoli-
dation of the votes cast into one gen
cral return, is quite out Of question. In
addition TO the strong objections which
lie against it when presented upon its
merits, we have TO consider how i'm
possible its adoption is in view of the
strong interests opposed and which
remain opposed to it. Fully two-thirds
of the States would lose portion OF
the power which they now possess in
Presidential elections by accepting it,
inasmuch as il furnishes no substitute
for the representation of States in the
Electoral Colleges. Representation by
Senatorial electors constitutes at pres
ent from one-fourth to two-thirds of
the voting power of each Of no less
than twenty-onc States in the Presi.
dental elections, and il is idle TO sup
pose that they will surrender it with.
out equivalent. 1t follows that Con.
gress will not pass by two-thirds
vote in each House. nor thiec-fourths
of the States adopt, this particular
popularvote plan for Presidential clec-
tions.
The plan of single electoral districts,
either for the choice OF electors or TO
cast electoral votes, has the sanction of
some distinguished names Hamilton
and Benton among them. But a plan
which was plausible in 1904, or in
1880, may appear intolcrable in 1876,
and invite instant rejection. And such
is this plan. For we can see at glance
that it would introduce most shameful
gerrymandering into every State of
tho Unions would Whenever districts
were made inhame the greed of one
party and the discomfort Of another,
and would often work fragrant injustice
in our future elections. We know
much more about the iniquity and evil
of gerrymandering than was known q
generation or two ago, and in making
constitutional changes we must seek
rather to extirpste than to increase
them. There are other objections to
this plan of electoral districts, but the
one mentioned should suffice.
But few words need be expended
upon third possible popular vote plan
for Presidential elections, 10 wit: That
the voters in each State shall vote d.
rectly for President and Vice Pres.
dent and that candidates having q
plurality OF votes upon the returns
shall have assigned to them the whole
electoral vote Of the State without the
intervention of an Electoral College.
But such change, if the details of il
were worked ont and arranged, would
be mostly change of form and not of
substance, and would not reach any
mischief or evil of the existing plan off
election. All tho serious defects and
dangers of that plan would remain un.
touched. To reach them we require a
change much more thorough and
effectual.
And here We reach what we suppose
to be firm ground So far tho discourse
hns been objective and Introductory.
We may not advance to the proposition
had in view from the outset, and will
be prepored to comprehend and TO
Judge it. 1t is this: That in each
STATE candidates for Presidential and
pice Presidential offices shall be voted for
directly BY the people and shall receirc
electoral rotes Of the State IN proportion
to their popular rote therein. In other
words retaining electoral votes to each
State as now allowed by the Constitu.
ton but dispensing with Electoral Col.
legcs, the people shall themselves be.
stow the electoral votes of the State
in just proportion upon the candidates
OF their choice, in the very act Of poll.
ing their own votes, and all that will
remain to be done win be tho oxecu.
lion OF their will by means of proper
returns and legal announcement Of
The result. The proposition may be
in the following, or in some
similar form; {
AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION I
Article ii, 5 !, paragraph 2, to be I
made to read as follows Each State $
hall be entitled to a number of elcc. u
oral votes equal to tho whole number i
II Senators and Representatives to I
which the State shall be entitled in
The first division Of tho twelfth y
amendment to the Constitution, ending
With the words directed to the Presi. a
lent of the Senate" to be struck out. =
md the following substituted 9
"The citizens Of each State who shall "
70 qualified to vote for representatives ;
D Congress, shall cast their votes for u
for the Presidential Office by
allOt. and nroner rcfurna of ,ha ,o...