New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-08-16
JEFFERSON ON ELECTORAL Votes.

HIS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS DISCOVERS MENo-
RASDuM OF HIS SUGGESTING METHOD or
COUNTING DISPUTED ELECTORAL NOTES.-THE
MEMORANDUM.
Thomas Jeifersons suggestion of method
OF counting disputed electoral votes when Congress shall
be engaged in counting the votes of the several States
for President would surely have been eagerly read dur
ing the fierce controversy Of last Winter The existence
OF such document not then suspected Miss sar h
Nicholas Randolph. daughter OF the late Thomas Jefer
Randolph grandson OF jefferson and has executor,
discovered April last memorandum In Jener-
sons handwriting Of the nature described She found
the memorandum among the papers OF William Cary
Nicholas. of her grandfathers, who was L. ;.
Senator from Virginia IN 1900 and who an intimate
friend OF Jefersons In the year $500 there was some
discussion in concerning the method Of count
ing the electoral votes and this memorandum was prob
ably at that time by Jefferson, who candi
date for the Presidency and sent TO Mr. Nicholas for his
in the debates the subject Miss Randolph had
tile document photographed. and sent Of the photo
graphs The World Of this city which yesterday printed
engraving Of 1t. The following ths words Of the
memorandum:
Whereas on an election Of President Vice President
Of the United States questions may arise whether
elr,.or kas oee. sppo.nel sun de wbth.r ,b
time at which he chosen and the day on when ne
his those determined by Congress
Whether he were not at the time senator or epreSen
tive ~ the United States held an Office OF trust or profit
persons he las voted for inhaDitant OF State
other than his ovnf Whether the electors voted
by ballot and have signed certified and transmitted TO
the President OF The Senate list OF all the persons yoed
the number OF fOr each Whether the
persons voted FOR natural born citizens were clt
OF the Unied States at the time OF the adoption OF
the Constitution thrfyVe years Old ana had been
fourteen years resident within the United states Ana
tue Constitution OF the United states having directed
tbaB the President Of the senate shall IN the
presence OF senate and HOuss Of Representatives
open all the certificates and that the votes shall then be
counted" from which is most reasonably inferred thal
they 10 be counted ny toe members composing the
sad houses and brought there for that oce, no other
being assigned them and inferred the more reasonably
thereby constitutional weight of each state IN TIE
tribunal which judge Of its validity, the number OF
Senators and Reprpsen frJn ate composing
the sat tribunal being exactly shat Of ae electors OF tine
state
BE u therefore enacted etc fnere insert the former
clause PrOuded That the certificate OF the Executive ~
any shall be- conclusive evidence that the requisite
nJmber has been given for each elect0r named
him such mere add all other limitations OF the
cedlu questions. when be Thought proper stating
what the houses shall not decide
nd be further enacted That whatsoever the vote "
Of the Of any STATE snail FOR any
cause Whatever be adj judged invalid. II shall be lawful
for s Senator'S and Representatives OF the said state,
either the presence OF the two houses separately
and Withdrawn them 20 decide by their votes
which person.. voted for by OF the electors
votes shall be gwen which purpose they snail be
allowed the OF zone hour. and longer. during
which other hcate shall be opened OF proceeded