Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1879-12-27
The Republican scheme of A pPOinf-
ing Presidential Electors by Re
publican Legislatures.
New ork sun

WAsHINGTON, Dec. 16.-There is
no doubt that the extreme radical
leaders among the Republicans are
seriously contemplating change in
the mode Of appointing Presidential
electors, not only ir New York, but
in several other States where the re-
suit at the polls next fall might be
doubtful. The States particularly
spoken Of in addition to- New York
are Connecticut, New Jersey, Ohio,
Colorado, Nevada, California, and
Oregon.
1t is understood that the Re
publicans will control the next Leg
islatures in those eight States, and
though New Jersey and Oregon
have Democratic Governors, who
will hold through the coming year,
the stalwarts think they can frame
such a law as will prevent any OBJ
structiOn of their plans by the EX-
ecutive of any State.
The Federal Constitution confers
full power upon the Legislatures in
regard to the appointment of Presi-
dental electors. But Congress has
passed a law directing that they
Shall be appointed in all the States
on the Tuesday next after the first
Monday Of November, and that they
shall cast their votes on the first
WednesdayOf December. This is
all the Congressional legislation
t ere is or can be on the subject. If
any State Legislature should, at its
approaching session, take the APP
pOintment from the people and con-
fer it upon itself, the law for this
purpose would provide for the as
sembing of the Legislature ON the
day in November fixed by Congress
for the appointing OF the electors.
If anybody should ask whether
the Republican party would dare to
do this in the doubtful States above
mentioned, he may find his answer
in the character and history of that
party. The stake would be the
Presidency and Vice. Presidency.
rhe alleged excuse for this extTaOr-
binary measure would be the charge
that the Democrats in most of the
Southern States will resort to init
midatiOn and force to- prevent the
Republicans from voting in those
states, and therefore the Republicans
of the North are justified in using
all legal and constitutional means
for cOunterbalancing the unjust
course OF the Democrats Ofthe South.
The Republican party was origin
ally made up of the most radical
elements of the Wing, the Demo-
cratic, and the Abolition parties.
Its youth was spent amid the heat
ed agitatiOns that sprang out of the
slavery question. In its early matu-
Tity it conducted one of the greatest
wars of modern times. Upon it de-
vOlved the reconstruction Of the
Union amid commissions that had
no presidents in our history.
The first fifteen turbulent years of
its existence brought into its ranksa
large share of the young, hot blood
of the country. When Grant was
first elected, it had become ac-
cnstomed To deal with great queS-
tons, and to get along, whittier il
was deemed necessary, without pay
ing too careful regard TO the C0nsti-
tuition. 1t thus grew to be a very
bold, aggressive, and somewhat I'M /.
Scrupulous party, and, upon the
whole, perhaps, the most skillfuliy
handled party which the country
ever saw. During all this time, and
down to the present day, it has new
er for one moment feared the Demo- b
cratic party, but, on the contrary,
mas rather ieered at its timidity and
despise its methods, and has ever &
stood ready to take it by the throat,
rs it did at the close of the last
election.
Hence, ought any close observer
Of the events Of the past twenty
years to doubt that the Republicans
viii change the mode of appointing
electors in six or eight States, If
they can thereby secure the Presi-
1ency? As to any recOiI from its
bold step, the advocates of this line
Of policy point to the fact that the
next census will considerably re-
luce the power of the Southern
States in the Electoral Colleges,
while at the same timei increasing
hat of the States in thu as1-t ana
Northwest, wherelie the II ID s,..t. Ids
IF the Republican party.