The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1879-11-26

doubt or con troyersy. No one sup
posed, when the electoral commits
sion business was ended, that we
would ever pass through another
Presidential election without an
amendment to the Constitution.
Strange 10 say, we are but one year
removed from it without any change
in the situation. We have in pros
pect a contestquite as exciting and
CLOSE as the last, and il is quite GER
tain that we cannot rely even on an
electoral Commission 10 relieve the
situation, il the history of the last
elaction should be repeated.
We live In a time when it is wise
to discuss not what political parties
willlikely do under certain contin-
gencics, but rather what Il Is possible
for them to do. The Indian covered
the whole ground when he said:
aWhite man very uncertain, In
the earlier days of the Republic,
straightforward methods in politics
was the r6le, not the exception. The
politicalmofality Of the times seems
to be measured by responsibilities
left open to eentesting parties. tits
necessary nov to close up the gaps
that the Trainers Of the Constitution.
were assured would not invite q
breeoh in those times. They did
well to provide for onehundred years
of growtf6i npiitics expedients, but
they c1ni d did notaifticipate'
the present generation:
The specnlations now going on
among politicians in reference tothe
approaching election, shows that
there are more loop.holes for fraud
than we're discovered in the provis-
ions for counting the electoral vote.
The more reckless and INSCRIPTIONS
politicians are beginning TO speculate
as to how ELECTORAL votes may be
captured in advance, and the popu-
lar choice forestalled, as it was in
1876. They have done some service,
too, in showing that.this is possible
to be done with the sanction Of the
Constitution itself.
The Constitution of the United
States, it is argued, expressly declares
that leach State shall appoint, in
such q manner as the Legislature
thereof shall direct" the number of
electors to which it shall be entitled.
1t is true that at the earlier elections
for President, a majority Of the States
chose their presidential electors by
their Legislatures and not by the
popular vote. This was the practice
in some of the states, even since the
war, although now entirely abandon
ed for the more Democratic, and al
together more acceptable plan Of
choosing by the popular vote.
Nevertheless the Constitutional
authority exists, and it is suggested
that the recent elected Republican
Legislature of New York may make
the So electoral votes Of that State
certain for the Republican candidate
by returning to the methods Of APP.
pointing electors by the Legislature.
The same suggestion is made for two
or three Of the Southern States.
These things show the possibilities
of the situation-the weakness and
insufficiency of the Constitution in
respect TO the election for President.
1t is not probable though it is possible,
that a political party should hazard
the experimental capturing the thir-
ty-fve electoral votes of the State of
New York, for such a stake as the
presidency. Although the Legisla-
tors in New York were not chosen
for that purpose, and although such
action would in effect be to antici
pate the presidential election by one
year, and although it would probably
precipitaIe the country into civil
war, yet how much more desperate
would such a scheme be, than the
game played by the Republican par
ty in The last presidential contest?-
Rpnieter