The Russellville Democrat., 1879-04-03

OUR ELECTORAL SYSTEM.
Some of its Crudities ans Ab-
 surdities-

teresting reflections upon our cleo toral system. The signature, Saxet, will at once be recognized as the nom de plume of former citizen of this county, whose contributions at one time frequently appeared in tho DEMOCRAT columns over the same signature.
 Editors Union Record:
 I find that at the elections held in November, 1878, for Representatives in Congress 6,624, ,195 votes were cast in all the districts, exclusive of the four in California (which are to elect in September) the six in Louis jana and one in Florida, for which latter districts have not been able to obtain the returns. In the sew eral sections of the Union the vote was as follows: New England Democratic 150, ,51S, Republican 323,- 270. Greenuack I39,679, all others 2,559; Middle States-New York, New Jersy and Pennsylvania-Dem. 613, ,l32, Rep. 733,887, G. B. 320, ,324, all others 46,944; Southern States Dem. 1,057,525, Rep. 347, 1892, G. B. 24S.256, others I53,916; Northwest ern States-Dem. 5,643, Rep. l. l95, ,94S, G. B. 6,520, others 26, ,94l; ; Nevada and Oregon-Dem. 25,791, Rep. 25,320. Total-Democratic g. 792, ,639, Republican 2,526,3l7, G. B. 974,779, others 230,460. In New England Rep. plurality 172,572, ma jority 30,456; Middle States Rep. plurality 330,725, minority 146, ,543; Northwest Rep. plurality 2O5,503, majority l0,744. The Democratic plurality in all the districts, as far as I am able to ascertain, was 166,322, and adding the vote of Louisiana the plurality. for the Democrats would exceed 100000. Not counting Lou isiana the Democrats exceed the Republicans in the Sout TOT ,633, and the actual Democratic majority over all (including Independent Demo crats among the opposition) was 415,379.
 Notwithstanding the cheering fact that the Democrats had an aggregate plurality over the Republicans of over 100000 (and adding to that plurality the Independent Democrat ic vote of Texas, Tennesse and other Southern States and the Anti Tam many vote of New York 1t would be increased to over 100000. we are confronted with the astounding truth that had the same voies been cast for President instead of Congressmen the Republicans would have carried the day, although they polled only 39.64 per cent of the popular vote. The States, with the electoral vote of each. in which the Republicans obtained pluralities on Congressional vote last fall were:
 Maine ', Vermont ,, R.. Island 4, New York 35, Pennsylvania %, Michigan II, Wisconsin 10, Iowa II, Kansas 5, Nevada 3, New Hamp- shire 5, Massachusetts l3, Connect icut 6, New Jersey 9, Ohio P, Hi nois 2l, Minnesota 5, Nebraska 3, Colorado 3. Total 2Q7; Or P more than majority! This is one of the crudities of the Electoral system, which not only admits of President being chosen who had not received Q majority of the popular vote-as was the case with Polk, Taylor, Buchanan and Lincoln at his first election-but a candidate receiving an actual majority of the popular vote may fail of an election, and that too without any deviation from the strict letter of the law.
 Whatever may be said of the means used in deciding the last Pres idential whether the result was obtained by fair means or foul the truth must be apparent to the most casual observer that the SYSTEM by which Presidents are chosen is at fault. With view to the abol- ishment of the Electoral system, a citizen of Arkansas in 1877 memo rialized Congress to submit to the States an amendment to the Consti- tuition providing for True Method of electing the President. In the Senate the petition and accompany ing amendment were referred, but no report has been made, so far as I am aware. In the House majority of the committee reported in favor of the theory of the True Method, which, in brief, is to allow each State a number of Presidential vo es equal to the whole number of
 Senators and Representa-
 Congress, the people tov'
 for President, and th
 vote to be adjuste
 of the popular vc
 four Representativ
 tied to SIX Presid
 putting the popular
 of which A had 52,419, B 5tovo and c 9,SS3; by multiplying B's vote by six and dividing by 100000 his share woulk be 2,26l; by the same process C's share would be .592; add these together and you obtain 2.853, which, being subtrac.ed from six31eaves 3.l47 as As share. 16king the Congressional elections, |