The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1877-01-18

provides that Congress shall meddle
with the election OF President. l have /
twice published the 18th amendment, |
which makes provision after the Electors |
shall have been appointed. Now let us
see how the Electors are to be appointed.
Here is the Constitution itself upon this
point:
ARTICLE II.-PREsIDENT.
l. The executive power shall be vested in
shall hold his Office during the term OF four
years, and, together with the Vice President,
chosen for the same term be elected as follows:
2. Each state shall appoint, in such manner
as the Legislature thereof may dlrect, a number
ators and Representatives TO which the State
may be entitled in the Congress; but no Sena-
once OF trust or profit under the United States
/ shall be appointed an Elector.
Now read that in the light of common
sense. The appointment is State mat
ter solely, and so careful were the fra
mers Of the Constitution that the Legis-
lative Department should have no con-
troll over the election of the Executive,
that Senators and Representatives in
Congress cannot be appointed Electors.
Can these do that indirectly which they
are expressly forbidden to do directly
They cannot act as Electors, and vote
for President. Can they, not as elec-
tors, but as Senators and Representa-
tives, elect President, when their Off
cial position disqualified them from so
doing as Electors2
Each State shall appoint. in such
manner as the Legislature thereof may
direct" etc. From the foundation of
the Government until the rebellion, the
Legislature of South Carolina appointed
the Presidential Electors, and no part Of
the people of that State except the mem
bers of the Legislature, as such, ever
voted for Electors. Did any one ever
question the legality of the appointment
of Electors in South Carolina, in this
manner2 l never heard Of such an OBJ
lection.
A person reading the papers now,
would be led to think that the Constitu-
tion provides that the people, and they
alone, have the appointment of Electors,
whereas the people have nothing to do
with the matter, SO far as the Constitu-
tion of the United States is concerned
1t is frequently said: "Shall a Return
ing Board in Louisiana set aside the will
of a majority of the people Of that Slater
That depends entirely upon the action of
the Legislature of that State. Read
again the portion of the Constitution
above published. Will any one say that
the Legislature of Louisiana has not
power under that provision to enact that
the Senate shall appoint Returning
Board of FIVE men, who shall have power
to throw out all illegal and fraudulent
votes, or if one party by violence pre-
vents the other party from voting, then
the votes cast by the party thus voting
shall be thrown out2 This the Legisla-
ture surely has the right to do, and it is
justice so far as it goes; it should also
have power to count the votes of the
party prevented by violence from voting.
Has not the Legislature of Louisiana full
power to create Returning Board, and
say that that Board shall appoint the
Electors in the first instance, without any
vote Of the people2
Take another illustration. Suppose
that the present Legislature of Ohio
should pass law this winter providing
that at all subsequent elections for Pres
ident, the saloon keepers of Columbus
shall appoint the Presidential Electors.
Would not that law be constitutional
and valid2 Suppose that law should
be passed that the Governor of the State,
or the editors Of the State, or the Minis
ters, or the lawyers, or the doctors should
appoint the Electors, would not such a
law be constitutional and valid, and
could Congress throw out the votes oi
the Electors Of any State thus appointed
in such manner as the Legislature there
of may directT' Yet it is gravely assert
ed that Congress- or rather the House oI
Representatives, composed largely Of reb
els-traitors-men lately in open rebel
lion and war to destroy the Government
shall throw out the votes of the State oi
Louisiana, appointed in strict conformity
; with the Constitution of the United
States, and the direction of the Legisla
ture of that State.
Now if the plain provisions of the Cor
stitution can be thus set at nought, and
Congress-or that part of it whose ma
jority is composed of rebels and traitors
and their allies, can elect President, oI
prevent his election, the sooner some
bold man declares himself Dictator, the
better for all / believe it is generally
conceded that despotism is preferable
to anarchy.
If the provisions of the Constitution be
complied with, and the Electoral votes
shall be counted as was done in the elec
ton of George Washington, and for forty
years thereafter, there will be no danger
J but if Congress shall attempt to meddle
and patch up some kind Of scheme to
set aside the Constitution, then the be
! ginning Of the end of our Government is
very near at hand.
BULL-D0ZERs.