National Republican., 1877-07-07
A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT


The peril which the country recently so
mauclouSly escaped of having disputed
Presidency WAS warning which should I've
needed IN practical way by taking meas
urCs 10 80 amend the Constitution us To
render s,irl danger impossible in future.
Fortunately there is no difference of opinion
between the two parties in regard TO the
CNp"dirnry OF such an amendment, since 1t
is demanded by men 81 widely separated
from each other politically as CHARLES
FRANCIS ADAMS and senator MORTON.
Such an amendment is rendered the more
proper from the fact that the machinery
now provide, by the Constitution for elect
ing President was constructed upon the
theory that the people would not have sUtli-
cicnt wisdom to choose their Chirf MuGis-
trltcs, and therefore committed the work to
u select body of electors who were expected
to make the selection regardless of the pop
ular will
The democratic element in the Govern
mcnt ut once proved 81 strong that il could
not be restrained within the bounds marked
out by the fathers of the Republic. The
people have absolutely controlled the clec-
tnial colleges and rendered their functions
N",d. The plan having failed, the cumbcr-
some machinery should, with as little dc
Lay HS possible, NC swept away.
However widely men may differ as to the
details Of the proposed amendment, there is
one principle about which there will prOba-
bly, he no dispute This principle is that
the President shall hereafter hc elected by
u direct popular vote Under the Electoral
College system il has several times hap
pcned that Presidents chosen have not had
u majority Of the popular vote. In the
event of the election lring thrown into the
House still greater injustice might he done,
for, as Senator MORTON shows although
there are two hundred and ninet ty-thrce
members Of the House Of Representatives.; il
would be IN the power Of iOrty-siX meml,ciS
in vote by States TO elect President
against the wishes Of the other two hundred
and forty seven. A COntTiNance which can
thus defeat the will of the people should be
no longer tolerated.
One Of the most important questions tn he
decided will br ,s TO whether the President
shall he elected by ma Ority OF all the
votes east, or whether the person who re-
Ccrcs the highest number of votes shall be
entitled to the Office. To require II majority
of all the votes east would he impracticable,
as il either calls for repeated trials to make
II choice or q provision that in such cases
the President should bc chosen Ivy the House
ol representatives as now. Lllhcr of the
LATTER alternatives would he IEught with
all the dangers We are now seeking 10
escape.
There remains, therefore, but one prac-
iirabc plan and that is to have the prcsi-
drnry awarded to the man who receives the
highest number OF votes If there should
bc numerous candidates it might, of course,
happen under this system that the Prcsi-
dent actually chosen might not he the man
desired by II majority Of all the people, vet
there is n0 way in which such u Cuntin-
grncy cgin he avoided This rule would not
do any practical harm, for whenever issues
of vital importance should he presented
there would not likely he more than two
parties 81 at least the number of citizens
who would not be embraced in one or the
other would constitute but q small fraction
Of the entire population.
The principles of popular government
have been 50 thoroughly tested that there
ought TO he no hesitation in adopting the
| plan Of direct election by the people. But
whatever scheme may he adopted, the great
| est difficulty to be encountered will be t.
establish an impartial tribunal to settle dis
putes which may arise when double return
are made, or when it il claimed that the re
turns made are tainted by fraud or intimi
dation. The constitution, jurisdiction an,
powers of q tribunal having such vast re
sponsiblities ought to be clearly and ex
plicitly defined, and when this is done al
the difficulties connected with the subiec
will he substantially overcome. We bcliev
that there is sufficient wisdom and patriot
ism in the country to meet this questio
and settle il in such manner MS to secur
the perpetual duration OF our free institu
tiOns