The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-11-23
CLOSE ELECTIONS.
Exciting Presidential Contests of the
Past.

Exciting Presidential Contests of the
Past.
The possibility that Hayes or Tilden
may have but small majority (says the
New York Evening MdiD renders the
result of previous elections especially
interesting. AS a general rule, the ma
iorities in the electoral vote have been
very decided. To Washington there
was no opposition: but John Adams
got in by close squeeze. Mr.. Adams
had seventy-one votes, and Jefferson
sixty-eight. One of Adams votes was
from Virginia, and one from North
Carolina. Had these two been given.
as it was natural they should have been
to Jefferson, the cavalier, instead of
the Puritan, would have been Washing
toms successor, and the Old Dominion
would have had an unbroken succession
of Presidents for thirty-six years. One
of the Adams electors in Maryland was
chosen by only four majority. In 1906
Jefferson defeated Adams by only eight
majority, the electoral vote being-Jef-
ferson Is, Adams IS. In 1912 change
of twenty votes In the colleges would
have prevented the reelection OF Presl-
dent Madison, who received 1913 electoral
votes, while De Witt Clinton got SO. In
1886. Mr.. Van Buren, would have failed
of an election had there been change
of % electoral votes, as he had but
% over the necessary to choice-and
Pennsylvania, having thirty such votes,
gave him but small popular majority.
A change of 5000 in that States popu-
lar vote would have defeated him In
the colleges, by sending thirty
Wing electors to the Pennsylvania
College. AS it was, Col. Johnson,
the Democratic candidate for the Vice
Presidency, was defeated in the colleges
because Virginia would notsupport him,
her % votes being given for VIM. Smith,
of Alabama. Col. johnson was chosen
by the 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
1840-41, he would have been defeated in
the colleges had it been possible to
change some 8, 900 or 1900 votes in the
four States of New York, Pennsylvania,
Maine and New Jersey. These States
cast SO electoral votes, which, added TO
the 80 votes which Mr.. Van Buren, re-
ceived, would have given him just the
number necessary to choice; and yet
there would have been popular major
ity of more than 100000 against him.
The four States named gave 8 popular
vote of almost 900, 900, though their
united majorities for Gen. Harrison did
not much exceed 16,0OO-New York
giving him rather more than l3,OOO,
New Jersey about 1890; Maine, 40;
Pennsylvania, 343. In 1874 Mr.. Polk
was chosen through the aid of the New
York electors, who we're Sc in number,
and as Mr.. Polk had 40 votes. and the
number necessary to choice was l0o-
the whole number of electors being 90
he would have but 1874 had New York
decided against him. Mr.. Clay had lO5
votes, and had he received New York's
vote, he would have been chosen by al
votes or by majority of only 5 votes.
The vote of New York was lost
to Clay by the running of James G. Bir-
ney as an Abolitionist candidate. The
vote of the State was Clay, 233, 482
Birney, Is, 812; Clay and Birney, 24S,-
294 Polk, "a, 588. SO Polk got the
| 01GCbOIdl VOGS3 GuOu3n AOU a. hdJOAASJ "
the popular vote. The votes for Birney
were nearly all Wings. In 1840, l9
electoral votes would have given the
Presidency to Gen. Cass, as Gen. lay
lor's vote was 1863, and that of Gen. Cass
1877, and some of the Taylor votes were
got by small majorities. All know that
Mr.. Lincoln did not get a majority OF
the votes of the people in 1860, though
his electoral majority was very decided,
being $50 to 1913 for Breckenridge, Bell,
and Douglas. The $50 electors for Lin
coin represented l, 1866, 452 voters, while
the 123 for the other candidates repre-
sented 2,813,741 voters, not counting
South Carolina, where the Legislature
chose the electors, AS States now vote
solid one way or the other, it is just
possible that South Carolina, or Rhode
Island, or even little Delaware, or the
Centennial Colorado, may have the
casting vote, as it were, and if SO, unim-
portant Now Workers or Pennsylvanians
may hide their diminished heads. If
Delaware should cast the fatal die, the
scream of the American eagle would be
a mild whisper compared with the crow
ing OF the Blue Hens Chicken.
Enfant Terrible.