Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-10-26
Mr.. Edmunds on Presidential Elections.

| No. II.
Senator Edmunds, in the article in the
American Lar Reriac, portion Of which
we have heretofore considered, shows the
need of some permanent method of settling
disputed national elections-so some method
which shall.obviate the necessity for another
resort to a temporary expedient, like that of
the Electoral Commission-and proceeds to
set forth plan to that end.
The question practically lies, in the Sena-
tors view, between two methods-one the
plan proposed by the Senate Committee on
Elections in 1874, known as the Morton
plan; and the other the existing system,
with change advancing the time OF the ma
tional election, and delaying the time for the
meeting of the electors to vote for President,
so as to afford time between for the DISPOSE
ton of disputed questions by the courts. The
Morton plan proposed that instead OF
voting through electors, the people should
vote directly for President and Vice Presi
dent but that the votes should be cast by
districts, equal in number to the present
Congressional districts, one vote for Presi-
dent to be counted from each district, and
each State casting also two votes at large for
the candidate who has received the highest
number Of votes in the State, in the voting
by districts.
The arguments for this plan are that it
does away with cumbrous plan which in
practice had entirely departed from the the
DRY on which it was framed, while at the
same time, it affords greater securities
against frauds, by combining the voting and
the counts to districts, and so within limits
wherein gross frauds could hardly fail of
detection.
Mr.. Edmunds does not favor this plan.
He suggests-but We think history will
hardly bear him out in the suggestion-tbat
there may have been no departure from the
theory of the founders of the Constitution in
regard to the Electoral College; that that
theory may have been that the electors
have the freedom that belongs to members of
State Legislators, who, though elected in
view of Senatorial election and with known
opinions on the subject, are yet free to adapt |
their action to unforeseen contingencies, such
as the death or insanity of candidate Be
that as it may, Mr.. Edmunds objects to the
Morton plan, that it practically obliterates
States lines, and is dangerous step towards
and Capitalization. In this, it
strikes Us that he hardly does Justice to the
Morton plan. Under that plan, he says.
the election Is the act Of the people, as citi-
zens of the United States, with substan-
TALLY the same force as if no State lines ex-
isted. If the districts were formed without
regard to State lines, the plan would be
essentially the same" On the other hand,
i seems to u that it would be yerv differ
mt plan if the districts were formed with
)ut regard TO State lines. 1t is an essential
eature Of it, that zach State shall be divided
ntO districts, and further that each .State
hall have two votes as such, at large, fol
owing the plan OF Senatorial representa-
ion. This preserves the autonomy of the
states and, as the districts would in prac-
ice, doubtless, correspond with the existing
Congressional Districts, the local knowledge
# the conditions Of parties, the scrutiny Of
he votes and the safeguards against fraud
valuable in the elections of Members Of Con-
,ress, would be important aids towards Sc
uring honest results in the election Of presi-
ent. 1t is not essential to that plan that {
he virtual control of the national election
&c placed in the hands Of the National Ex-
cutiye. The control may be left with 4
be States, as now. Mr.. Edmunds OBJ
eryes that while under the present system l
here may be thirty-eight contested returns, '
nder the district system there might be
90; yet it is to be remembered that the {
Dnte-t would cover the same number Of $
otes for President as now and that the q
n1uceinehtS 10 get up contest oil returns
Tould be much lesscned under the district
ystem. 1t is some object to dispute a re-
lrn like that Of the State of New York, 7
-hich carries with it 3j electoral votes. but it t
ill commonly in practice be of far less con Il
,quence to dispute a return which involves !
ut single vote for President. q
a weightier objection-not stated by Nj b
dmunds has been brought against the t
IOrton plan, viz that it would not have met Il
lie of the difficulties which threatened the 81
'untry, in the late disputed national clcc- a
on. If that is so, and we cannot saw that a
is not, some different plan is needed. o
ONE better plan for correcting election =
auds, for providing against frauds or mis- is
kes Of State canvassers and for ascertaining O