Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1878-11-16
NORTHERN TRIBUNE.
SATURDAY. NOVEMBER 16, 1873.
oaacial Paper ofthe County and Village
the ELECTION OF PRESIDENT nv
THE HOUSE.

THE k1OOSns
In the eve 1t Of no Presidential candi-
date having a majority Of the electoral
votes in 1880, the election of President
will devolove upon the House of Repre-
sentatives of the Forty-sixth Congress,
which, with the exception Of four Rep
,sentatives to be elected In California
next September. has already been chos-
en-. The constitutional requirement Ia
respect to an election of President bv
the House provides that it shall choose
the President by ballot, from the three
persons having the highest number OF
votes. The representation from each
state has one vote; so that if the repre-
sentation from state Is equally divided
such state has no positive voice in the
election. A member from two-thirds OF
the states is nessary TO constitute quor-
um, and a majority of all the s,ates-at
presen: twenty Of the thirty-eight-is
necessary to u choice. The Constitution
further provides that, 'if the House OF
Representatives shall not choose Tres
ident whenever the right of choice
shall fall upon them, before the 4th day
of March next following. then the Vice
President shall act as President, as in
case of the death or other constitutional
disability OF the President"
As we have before remarked, neither
party will have a majority of the state
delegations i'm the next House of Repre-.
sentatives. The Republicans have
eighteen, and if they choose three of the
four Representatives. from California they
will have nineteen. In this event De Il
Matyr, the present member from Indi.
ana, by acting with them will give them
majority. Counting Florida and Indi
ana us Democratic, the Democrats have
control of nineteen delegations, and the
election of three Democrats from Cali
fornia would give them the twentieth
state. With the best possibility fol
either party considered. neither can
count upon majority of states without
having the support Of De La Matyr
while the probability is strong that even
with this vote absolutely secure neither
party will have "A majority. Therefore
In all probability, if the election j:
thrown into the House, it will be with
out result.
With no clroice by the people and NJ
President elected by the House, the
Vice-Piesident becomes President. Ii
case OF a failure of choice by the elector
al colleges-which would, Of course, bt
inevitable, if the President were not SC
choscil--it is the duty of the Senate &c
elect the Vice-Presldent from the two
highest numbers OH the list voted for
III such an election two-ihilds of the
Senators are necessary TO constitute
quorum. and majority of the who;,
number is necessary for choice.
In the Senate of the Forty sixth Con
gress it will be AN easy matter-if the
election of Vice-Prcsident devolves upol
that body-tO avoid compliance with the
constitutional requirement. Two-third;
are necessary to constitute quorum
and the minority by abSentings them
selves or declining 10 vote. can prevent
such quorum. There. would be nothing
TO be gained by such a course. however
no fIaf al,
United States, enacted i'm accordance
with section OF article . of the Consti
tuition, provide that the President pre-
TEN. of the Senate shall act as President
IN the case of vacancy in the Vice
Presidential Office, A majority of th,
Senators constitute quorum for thi:
purpose. and a minority of The majority
can rlect.-Dctroit Free, Press.