The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1877-02-03
CLOSE PRESIDENTIAL ELEC.
TIoNS,
Some Previous Interesting Contests.
From the Boston ZrnrslLar

From the Boston Traveller
Should the successful candidate owe his
triumph to his having received the favors
of small state or two he would not stand
alane in the list of our consulares, for more
than one man has been made the president
of the United States by a meagre majority
cast either in the electoral college or at
the polls, or at both places. Our first con |
tested presidential. election, in 1862.
was decided so closely that the change of
tlUO electoral votes would have placed
Thomas Jefferson, instead of John Adams,
at the head of the nation, as Washington's
immediate successor. Mr.. Adams had II
votes, and Mr.. Jefferson IS, One of Mr..
Adams's votes came from Virginia, and
another from North Carolina; and had
those two votes been given for Mr.. Jeffer
son he would shave 70 votes, and Mr.,
Adams CO. and the Virginian would have
been elected by one majority. One of the
electoral votes tor Mr.. Adams, chosen in
Maryland, was obtained by only four
majority; and, had it been secured for
Mr.. Jefferson, he would had have 90 votes,
and Mr. Adams 20, and the latter would
been elected by one majority. There were
l3S electCralsyotes at that time, or about
AZ less than one-half the present number;
so that, shouldi the successful candidate,
on the 7th IF November, 1876, receive
eight majority in the electoral college he
would be elected about as well as John
Adams was elected eighty years since.
Considering who and what John Adams
was, eight majority would be nothing to be
ashamed of on the part of either of the
candidates-and nothing to be proud Of,
either, it must be added. Mr. Jefferson
defeated President Adams in 10000,
when he had 70 electoral Svotes and the
president 65, or a majority of s, equal to
about 20 majority in lS76-77. In lSl2-l3
a change of 20 votes in the colleges would
have prevented the reelection OF President
Madison, who received l2S electoral votes,
while Dewitt Clinton got 80. In 1861
Mr.. Van Buren, would have failed of an cleo
ton had there been a change in % cleo
toral votes, as he had but % over the
number necessary to a choice-and Penn.
sylvania, having 80 such votes gave him
but small popular majority. A change
of 5000 in that states popular vote would
have defeated him in the col
leges, by sending 30 Wing electors to the
Pennsylvania college. AS it was, Col
johnson, the Democratic candidate for the
vice-presidency. was defeated in the COL
leges, because Virginia would not support
him, her 20 electoral votes being given for
William Smith of Alabama. Col. John
son was chosen by the senate, the only In.
stance of the kind known in our history.
Great as were the popular majority and
the electoral majority given for Gen. Har-
rison in lS40-4l, he would have been
defeated in the colleges had it been posi-
BILE to change some eight or nine thousand
votes in the four states of New York,
Pennsylvania, Maine and New jersey.
Those states cast IS electoral votes, which,
added to the 60 such votes that Mr.. Van
Buren, received, would have given him
Just the number necessary to choice; and
yet there would have been popular ma
iority of more than 100000 against him.
The four states named gave a popular
vote of almost 100000, though their
united majorities for Gen. Harrison did
not much exceed J6 000-New York giving
him rather more than $4,000, New jersey
about 1890, Maine 4l0 and Pennsylvania
343. 1t was very close work, and there
would have been great trouble had the
Democratic vote been so increased as Il
defeat Gen. Harrison in the colleges after
the people had so decidedly indicated theil
preference for him at the polls. Som,
men feared that there would be a pronun
ciamento. At the election of 1844-45 Mr.
Polk was chosen TO the presidency through
the aid Of the New York electors, whc
were &c in number; and as Mr.. Polk haC
10 votes, and the number necessary to
choice was l38-the whole number o
electors being 275-he would have had Is.
votes had New York decided against him
Mr.. Clay had l05 votes; and had he re
ceived New York's vote ne would hav
been chosen by al votes, or by a maiorit,
of only ytUe votes. The Democratic popu
ular majority in New York was small
about 5000, we think: so that small
change there would have substituted Mr.
Clay for Mr.. Polk as president, and thu
have changed the whole current of GU
political history for the last thirty-tw
years In l84S-49 the change of i
electoral votes would have given the presi
dency to Gen. Cass. Gen. Taylor
vote was l63, and that of Gen, Cass I27
and some of the Taylor votes were got b.
small majorities. The elections sine,
lS4S-49 do not reuuire particnlar mention