The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-12-11
From The Ner YorE Sun, December I.
Casting the Electoral Vote.


tors, aud the day on which they shall give
their votes; which day shall be the same
throughout the United States" Accord
ingly, Congress passed a law, approved
March /, l792, which in part reads as
follows.
"SEcrloS 2. And be Il further enacted,
That the electors shall meet and give their
votes on the said first Wednesday in Decem.
beri at such place, in such State, as shall be
directed by the Legislature thereof
Some years after the passage of this act,
Article III. Of the Constitution was amend
ed; but the provision Of the law of 1892,
liking the date of the electoral vote, has
never been altered to-day, therefore, the
electors in every State Of the Union will
cast their votes for President and Vice
President.
The historical record Of the electoral
votes from the foundation of the Govern
ment forms ali interesting study. Forthe
first term, three States did not vote-New
York, which had not seasonably passed an
electoral law and North Carolina and
Rhode Island, which had not yet adopted
the Constitution. The growth in the mum
Der Of voting States from ten to thirty
eight has been accompanied by growth
in the number Of electoral votes from six.
ty-nine to three hundred and sixty-nine.
AS is well known, from 1889 to 1904
the electors voted for President and Vice
President on the same ballot, the person
receiving the highest vote being announc-
ed as President, aud the one next highest
as Nice-P President 10 1889 the total
number Of votes was So, all Of which were
cast for George Washington. They were
distributed 10 this way Massachusetts,
Pennsylvania and Virginia, / 0 each; Con-
neeticut aud South Carolina, Z each; Ma
ryland and New Jersey, 6 each; Georgia
and New Hampshire, 8 each; Delaware, 3.
John Adams, for the second place, had "a
votes the rest we're divided among ten
candidates. Adams thus became Vice.
| President.
ln 1892 the whole number Of electors
was 1872, aud all voted for Washington.
Adams, for second place, got II votes;
George Clinton, 80; Jefferson, 4; Burr, l.
Adams was again chosen Vice President.
Vermont and Kentucky had now come
into the Union, making fifteen States,
The votes were distributed In this way -
Virginia, 81; Massachusetts,, 16; Penn
sylyauia, 15i North Carolina and New
York, IL each; Connecticut o and so down.
10 1876 Tennessee had come 10, aud
the whole number Of electors was 1873.
john Adams received IL votes; Jefferson,
S. Pinckney, SO; Burr, 30; Samuel Adams
of Massachusetts,, 10; Oliver Ellsworth Of
Connecticut, l /; and the resi- were divided
among seven candidates. Adams there.
fore became President and Jefferson Vice
/ President.
In 1900 occurred the memorable tic
vote. The total number Of electors was
again l3S. Jefferson and Burr each re-
ceiyed 80 votes; Adams had G5, and
Pinekney, Ga; Jay had l. 1t was quite eyi
dent that the parties had now consolidated
upon regular nominees for President aud
Vice President, and that the constitutions
provision for election was such as to make
the winning party always put its own two
candidates in rivalry for the higher place
On appealing to the Congressional vote, a,
provided for by the Constitution, Jeffer
son, on the thirty siAth ballot 10 the House
OF Representatives, became President, aud
Burr became Vice. President Then the
twelfth amendment to the Constitution wal
made, guarding against such predieament,
thenceiorth.
For twenty years thereafter there
was little in the electoral voting ou
Of the common Ia 1904 Jefferson and
Clinton we're elected President ard Vice
President by l62 votes each against II
each for c. c. Pinekney and Rufus King
Ohio had now entered the Union. IL
lSOS the vote was Madison, 122, aud
Clinton ll3, against ~ each for Pinckney
aud King, with some scattering-the tota
vote being l7G, as before, except that there
was one vacancy. In 1912 the vote wal
l2S for Madison, aud 13l for ElbridgC
Gerry, against so for Dewitt Clinton and
Sc for Jared Iugersoll. In 1916 it was
lS3 for Monroe and d. d. Tompkins
against "a for the persistent Rufus King
and scattering of candidates for Vice.
President, Mr. John L. Howard being
highest. Louisiana and Indiana had nov
come in 10 1920 occurred the over.
whelmiog vote of 23l for Monroe against
for j. Q. Adams, cast by New Hamp.
shire, whose other seven votes went to
Monroe. ID. d. Tompkins received 2Is
votes for Vice President, with IA scatter.
ing. Alabama, Mississippi, Illinois, Mis-
souri,, aud Maine had now been taken in
lu 1924 memorable strife occurred
The whole number Of electors was 26l-
no new States, but new census apportion.
ment. Andrew jackson, for President,
had 30; j. z. Adams, 81; w. II. Craw.
ford, Al; Henry Clay, 81 The election
for the second time vent into the II ouse
Of Representatives, where the race was
not to the swift, for the second candidate,
Adams, was elected on the first ballot BY
States. John G. Calhoun had received
ls2 electoral Virginia, Ohio, Con.
neclicut, Missouri and and Georgia casting
all their votes against him, and a few 9TH
er votes from divided States, also going to
other candidates; but he had been elected
.
Vice-President by large majority.
10 1928 the vote was Jackson, 178; and
Calhoun, Ill, against SO each for Adams
and Rush, and Z for Smith as Viee. .Presi-
deet. In 1889, il was 219 for jackson
and ls9 for Van Buren,, against 80 for
Clay and Johu Sergeant, while Pennsyl.
vania cast her 30 for Vice-President on
William Wilkins. That year South Car
olina gave her / votes 70 Floyd Of Vir-
ginia aud Lee Of Massachusetts,, while
Vermont gave her to William Writ and
Amos Ellmaker. The Anti-Maso party
was then active.
10 1886 there was another unusual oc,
currenee Arkansas and Michigan had
come in. The total number of elector,
was 294, with 14s majority. For Pres
idcnt, Van Bnren had ITO, against 73 fol
Harrison, 26 for Hugh L. White, Ii for
Webster, aud II for W. p. Maneum: but
r. NJ. johnson got only 147 for Vice
President, or one less than majority. OF
account Of Virginia, with her 20 vote,
boiling him. The Senate, however, elect