The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-11-15
COUNTY AND CITY OFFICIAL PRESS
Friday, November 10. 1878.
HOW PRESIDENTS ARE ELECTED.

The fact that popular majority Oh
noarser of a million was reversed by !,
the decision Of the Electoral Commits
sion, is held by many as conclusive OF
an unjust determination, But under
our electoral law that does not neces-
sarily follow. Under the present law
a number of the Presidents have been |
elected by a minority Of the popular
vote. In 1874, Polk was elected on 40
per cent. OF the popular vote. In ls4s,
Taylor had bu. Al per cent. In 1882,
Pierce bad just so per cent In 1856.
Buchanan had As per cent. In 1850,
Lincoln had 80 per cent. OF the popu-
lar vote aud received SO per cent. Of the
electors. In 1864, Mcclellan received
A per cent. of the popular vote and
only 0 per cent. Of the electors. In 1868
Seymour received Al per cent. OF the
popular vote aud had only p per cent.
of tho electors. In 1872. Greeley re-
ceived As per cent. Of the popular vote
and had only Is per cent. Of the cleo
tors. In 1915. Hayes received AZ per
cent. Of the popular vote and only 30
per cent of the electors; less per cent.
of electors in proportion to the popular
vote than either Of the other Presi-
dents elected by popular minority.
The discrimination against the popular
vote would be vastly greater Ia pro-
portion, If the next election is deter
mined by the House of Representatives.
The eighteen States which will be rep.
resented by Republican ms;ori'ies in
the next Congress, are: Connecticut,
Colorado. Illinois. Iowa. Kansas. Maine.
Massachusetts,. Michigan. Minnesots.
Nebraska. Nevada. New Hampshire.
New Jersey. New York. Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.
with an aggregate popular vote at the
last Presidential election of 1853, $50.
The eighteen Democratic States are:
Alabama. Arkansas. Delaware. Georgis,
Indiana, Kentucky. Louisiana, Mary
land. Mississippi, Missouri, North Car
olina. Ohio. Oregon, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Texas. Virginia and West
Virginia, with an aggregate popular
vote Of 1880. Florida is tic, and
California las not yet elected the mem.
bers of the next House. In the event
OF the election Of President going Ia
tho House, the vote Of California will
determine the contest. II that State is
Democratic, Democratic President
can be elected legally and constitution
ally elected. though there may be q
million Of the popular vote sgainst him.
If California should be tied after the
next election. as at present, it would
make deadlock in tho House on the
election of . President--10 to 10 and
two States neutraliEsd. Then il would
devolve upon the Senate to elect one of
the three candidates for Vice President
having the the highest number OF votes
to serve as President. That would have
occurred in 1851 had the electoral vote
been apportioned to correspond with the
popular vote. The States we're: divided
between four political parties. repre-.
sented respectively by Lincoln. Doug.
las. Bell and Breckenridge. neither h.v.
ing majority in Congress. and With nc
possibility Of . compromise which
would give majority to either.
These are some Of the curiositiss and
the difficulties Of our present electoral
system; but whether it can be improv.
ed without inpairing or overturnina
our composite system Of government |.
questionable. The solution Of the
great problem has been fippsntly pro-
posed by shallow politicians. but has
not yet been discovered by our NOR,
profound statesmen. A Union which
did not recognise and guarantee Stat.
equality aud State sovereignty would
have been impossible at the time the
Union was formed. or Il any subse-
quens period. The Constitution recoc.
nizes the States aud the people - TN
basis OF the General Government and
the source Of it, powers. which wer.
expressly defined and limited, and M
such powers not clearly defined wer,
expressly reserved. Representation
and taxation Ter the support Of the Gen
eral Government, were based upor
population Tor the control Of the pom
lar branch of legislation. To reprrseu
the sovereignty aud maintain the equal
ity OF the States. the Senate was est.b.
iisae't, coordinate in Legislative powe
with the popular. Or peoples branch
Both State sovereignty and populs
suffrage were joiued in the selection q
tho Executive branch Of the Govern
ment. and when these powers fail 1,
agree, State sovereignty comes ia /,
determine the contes: through the popu
lar branch Of legislation. where III,
equality of the State is ,nain,aiuetl
while the popular will 10 expresse.
through popular representatives. AL
these checks and balances were the re-
sult Of m tfnro d.l;ho...: