Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1878-04-12

On Friday last the Governor signed all the
bills passed by the Legislature except the fol-
lowing, which he vetoed
An act 10 prevent the husband from being
liable for the debts of the wife before mar
riage; an act to accept the scrip of the Phila-
delphia and Reading Company in payment of
the Indebtedness of the Susquehanna and
Tidewater canal companies; an act to adopt
the Campbell system of indexing in the Su-
pericr Court of Baltimore city; an act to
promote mechanical, agricultural and house
hold arts In Allegany county; an act to pro-
vide for the speedy trial of misdemeanors in
Baltimore county: an act 10 punish embezzle-
ment Of writings MI act TO amend the char
ter of the Western Maryland railroad compa-
ny; an act for the improvement of the agri-
culture of the State; act to pay the excess
OF Circuit Court fees in Carroll county to the
County Commissioners an act 10 amend the
act Of 1870, chapter 45n, relating to jurisdic-
tion 10 chancery an aci to reduce the capital
stock Of the New Central Coal Company, and
an act to punish enbezz!ement ofproperty and
writing, and to punish gaming.
TIE NEW NODE or ELECTION
It is stated that the House committee
charged with the consideration Of plan for
remedying the defects in the present method
Of electing President and Vice-President of
the United States has agreed upon the form of
an amendment 10 the constitution to be re-
ported to the House. II is further stated that
sit is the opinion of the committee" that the
proposed amendment will fail to receive the
necessary approval of two-ihirds of each house
OF Congress, without which it cannot be sub
mitted to the Legislature of the States for
ratification. The plan proposed, it is under
stood, was adopted in committee by bare
majority of one, which suggests the further
inquiry why the committee could not agree
upon plan which would stand a better
chance Of being adopted?
The plan is something similar TO the one
adopted IN this county recently that governs
our nominations.
THE plan now proposed would have the
effect OF distributing the electoral vote in the
y
s5 votes and Pennsylvania 20 would no
longer be cast In lump for the candidate who
may have only carried the State perhaps, by
a few hundred voies, but would be divided
80 as to represent the division of the popular
vote at the ballot-box. The plan proposed is
to ascertain the number of electoral votes in
each State 10 which each candidate is entitled
by multiplying her popular vote by the whole
number OF electoral votes to which the State is
entitled, and dividing the product by the ag-
gregate popular vote of the State, the quotient
TO be the number Of electoral votes and decimal
fractions of a vote using three decimals aud
no more, 10 which the candidate is entitled.
The practical operation Of this, in MARYLAND,
for example, at last election may be easily
illustrated. Mr.. Hayes popular vote of IL
ssl multiplied by 8, 1.-THE number of electoral
votes to which the Stale is entitled and the
product divided BY l6s, sO4, the aggregate Of
the popular vote, would give 3,5l5 electoral
votes for Maryland. Mr.. Tilden's popular
vote Of 81, $50 would entille him 10 4,4s2
The remaining decimals (thousandthsj would
G.. G. Smith. The theoretical advantages Of
this PLAZA cannot be doubted, but with corrupt
returning boards TO cast up the returns and
certify results, frauds may be committed under
IL jus, as easily as under the present plan.
Getting rid OF the machinery Of electors shuts
out, Of course, all such questions as were
raised 10 the case Of Cronin, OF Oregon, as 10
the qualifications Of the electors themselves, a
very unimporlant matter since the electors
have ceased 10 elect, aud & so far forth an i'm
proyement. Gen. Eppa Bunion. OF Virginia,
who was member o. the electoral commits.
sion, II is stated, proposed to the committee
further provision, 10 regard 10 which no ac-
ton was taken, providing foi Judicial scru-
hny 10 each State Of the election returns, and
the electoral votes TO be counted as certified
by the highest court in each State, unless both
houses Of Coagress eoneur 10 reject them"