The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-12-02

the popular vote. But why nave an
agency when no agent is neededH At
the very best, Electors are needless,
and they may become dangerous. 1t
were easier to corrupt the Electoral COL
lege of State than the whole people Of
State; cheaper to buy the vote OF a
single elector OF district than to buy
up all the voters Of his district. We
have no idea that any Elector heretofore
chosen has ever betrayed his trust; and
we have no idea but that such betrayal
might occur in case its occurrence would
be Of sufficient Importance to invite the
temptation. And SO long as the mis-
chief by such betrayal is even possible,
the plan that renders it possible ought to
be abolished. Inasmuch as the risk is
needless it should never be incurred. 1t
were infinitely safer to bring the people
and their candidates face to face, without
any such intervening medium, at once
cumbrous and dangerous.
In another particular amendment
might be made, and that is as to consti-
tuIing the House of Representatives the
Electoral College for choosing Presi-
dent on failure of an election by the
Electors. AS now provided, the House
of Representative is farther removed
from the people on such an issue than
even the Electors are. For, in case of a
choice devolving upon the House, it must
needs be composed of members elected
two years before the Presidential elec-
| tion could occur, when issues and plat
forms were uniformed, and the Presi-
Dental candidates were unknown. How
could it be possible for House, elected
| two years IN advance of all these events.
to declare the voice of the people upon
the Presidential question, upon which
the members were not chosen to act2
Twice in our history has the choosing
Of the President devolVed upon the
House. The first instance was in 1890,
when Aaron Burr and Thomas Jefferson
were the rival candidates. The strange
peculiarity in that case was that while
each had an actual majority OF the elec.
toral votes, each had exactly an equal
majority, I. g., seventy-three votes each.
And it SO happened that the State of
Rhode Island had cast one electoral vote
Tor G. Q. Pinckney. and thereby prevent
ed tie as between him and John Adams
for the Weep resIdency. The choice
for President was therefore confined to
Burr and Jefferson. There were then
sixteen States, nine was the majority.
For seven days and nights, with but
brief intervals of rest, the House ballot
ed for President, eight States for Jetfer-
son, six for Burr and two divided. AT
the thirty-sixth ballot ten States de-
clared for Jefferson, and Aaron Burr
was defeated. To remedy these def
| ciencies, the Constitution was then
amended SO as TO require the President
and Vice-President to be voted for sew
orally; and on failure to elect the for
mer, the House Is to choose; and when
the latter, the Senate is to choose.
The second instance of election by the
House was in 1924, when John Quincy
Adams became the President, although
in the Electoral Colleges he received
only S4 votes to General Jackson's so,
but neither had a majority Of all, as there
were four candidates before the people.
Charges of intrigue, of "bargain and
SALE" were freely made against this elec.
tion; and though the party Of Mr.. Adams
succeeded in achieving the Presidency, it
worked their political overthrow, and
gave the Executive power of the Gov
ernment to their Democratic opponents
for thirty years thereafter. One peculi-
arity of this election appeared in the
TACT that, though there was no election
of President by the people, the Vice
President, Calhoun, was elected by a
large majority of the Electoral votes
Indeed, the only instance in which this
amended provision of the Constitution
has had application to the Vice Presi-
dency was in 1895, when Richard NJ
Johnson having failed OF election by the
people. was chosen Vice President by
the Senate, and served with the Admin
istration Of Mr.. Van Buren.
The circumstances attending the elec-
ton of Mr.. Adams in 1924 called the
attention OF the country to the need of
further amending the Constitution on
the subject of Presidential elections.
During the following session of Con-
gress, 1896, attempts were made to
procure an amendment of the Con stitu-
ton, by Mr.. McDqttie in the House, and
Mr.. Benton in the Senate. In the Sem
ate, on motion of Mr.. Van Buren, a
special committee fnine was appointed
to considerand report upon this subject.
Such men as Benton, Macon, Van Buren,,
Hugh l.. White, Dickerson, Hayne of
South Carolina, and Richard M. Johnson
of Kentucky, were members of that
committee. This committee reported an
amendment, which dispensed with elect
ors entirely, directed a-vote OF the peo-
pie by Congressional districts and Sem
ators at large, the vote of each dis trict
to count one cote for whichever candidate
received the majority in such district.
The votes thus given were to be certified |
to the Governor of each State, to the
United States Senators Of each State, and
TO the President of the Senate. Congress
was to be assembled in October following |
the election in August TO witness the
opening OF the certificates and the count
Of votes. A majority Of all such votes
ola n Il,