National Republican., 1877-02-01

quite certain u at the remedy to be invoked
viii, be such an amendment TO the Constitu.
tIon as shall do away with the present compli-
Gated mode Of electing the President, and remit
the whole question 10 the people TO be decided
by direct vote, the candidate having q plu.
rality to be declared elected. But II Is be-
lieyed no system can be devised that will not
involve the same dangers we have now suffered
from, which would not otherwise, sooner or
later, result In such Capitalization Of power
in the General Government as to make the
sovereignty of the statds a mere name, with
no semblance Of authority; for, unless the
supervision Of the election be reserved to the
States, the same as now, 1t Is plain that their
supremacy for any purpose would be speedily
frittered away. Sovereignty cannot survive
without untrammeled suffrage, no more than
human life can be sustained without nourish
ment. But II the States are to retain the SINE
authority over the exercise Of this right, then
the same questions Of fraud and intimidation,
Of legality and sufilciency, might arise at
every election, the same as now, and the
fame dissatisfaction and danger would fol-
low. II 1t be ordained that Congress shall
have power TO question the result as finally
returned by State officers, and to affirm or re-
verse their decision, as is claimed now IL has q
right to do, then the form OF State election
is a mere sham, a shadow without substance,
and the sovereign function may as well be
originally exercised under the control Of the
Federal power as to be the subject Of its re-
| view; and far better, for then there would be
simplicity, dircctness and expedition In the
process, attended by much less excitement. II
is not clear, therefore, what remedy for pres.
ent ills there is which will not prove more
disastrous than their undisturbed existence.
The duty of electing q President must be
either intrusted 10 the States, with full and
final authority, or TO the General Government
with the same powers. There is no divided
responsibility In any Of the concerns of life
that is wise or practicable. If the control Il
left TO the States, as was deemed best by the
founders Of the Government, then the 6naI
decision of the properly constituted State
authorities must be conclusive Of the result
fit Is turned over to the Federal power Il
may as well be exercised In the first instance
as to be effected by process Of appeal.
There is another objection TO the proposed
action by the people directly in the election o.
President that will be likely to prove an OBJ
stacle in the way of any change. 1t is that Il
the plurality Of the popular vote is to elect
the candidate receiving IT, then the smaller
States are to be deprived Of large proportion
Of their present power in the matter. They
will lose their Senatorial representation, and
have only so much voice as is given by the
ratio Of representation In the House, and II Il
more than likely that they will not readily
assent to system which will thus diminish
their participation in the proceedings. 1t Is ar
object, however, that must be accomplished IN
some form, and we hope to see brought to the
discharge of the duty all the wisdom and
moderation evlnced by the people and their
Representatives in the adjustm ent just made