The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-02-12

| the sense OF Che OulCou othtoo WVuiu NO
better expressed by the State legislatures
than by the people ab large.
Wilson urged his plan OF election by
the people. Mr.. Pinckney, Of South Car
olina, opposed a popular election, and
favored election by Congress.
Mr.. George Mason, of Virginia, con-
ceiyed that it would be as unnatural to
refer the choice of the President to the
people as it would be to refer trial of
colors to blind man.
The question being taken on an cleo
tion by the people instead of Congress,
it was decided in the negative-ayes
PENN l; nays, nine States.
Luther Martin then moved that the
President be chosen by electors appoint
ed by the State Legislatures. This was
defeated--2 ayes, nays. The question
recurring on the words ito be chosen by
the national legislature" 1t passed unan'
imousy.
This was reConsidered the next day
when Oliver Ellsworth of Connecticut,
moved to strike out the appointment by
Congress, and to insert ITO be chosen by
electors appointed by the legislatures Of
the States"
This was carried, 6 States voting aye,
8 States nay. This action was subse'
quently reConsidered, when Mr.. Hous-
ton of GaOrgialrenewed the plan of ap'
pointment by Congress, instead of eleC.
tors appointed by the State Legislatures,
which was Carried-7 States for, to 4
against.
The next day Mr.. Gerry repeated his
remark, that an election of President by
Congress, was radically and incurably
wrong, and moved the executive be zap
pointed by the Governors Of the States,
with the advice of their councils" Mr.,
Madison made speech, prefaced by the
statement that there were objections
against every mode that had been or
perhaps can be proposed. The Presi
dent will be subservient to the State
Legislatures if the latter had the power
of election.
He saw but two methods. First, the
appointment by electors schosen by the
people. Second. an immediate election
by the people. He preferred the former
mode. AS the electors would be chosen
for the occasion, would meet at once, land
proceed Immediately to an appointment,
there would be very little opportunity
for Cabsl or corruption. As a further
preCaution he suggested that the cleo
tors of each State meet and cast their
votes at some point distant from the ma
tional capital.
Mr.. Gerry declared that the popular
election would be radically vicious. The
ignorance Of the people would put it in
the power of bad men TO delude them.
John Dickinson of Pennsylvania fa-
vored an election by the people. The
question being taken, the plan was
again adopted of electing the President
by Congress for term Of seven years,
The whole proceedings were then re-
ferred to committee, which reported in
substance the present electoral system
for choosing the President instead of the
plan 80 often adopted by the convention
for eleCting by Congress, viz:
Each State shall appoint in such man
ner as it's Legislature may direct mum
Der Of electors equal to the number of
Senators and Members of the House of
Representatives to which the State may !
be entitled in Congress. To this was
added proviso that if an equal number
of votes should be given to two persons |
by the electors, the Senate Immediately |
chose by ballot one of them for Presi |
dent, and if no person should have a |
majority, then from the FIVE highest on
the list, the Senate should choose the
President.
Mr.. Mason urged the objection that
10 times out of 20 the President would
be chosen by the Senate-an improper
body for the purpose.
Mr.. Wood moved to strike out the
word Senate" aud insert legislature
defeated
Mr.. Hamilton disliked the whole
scheme of Government, though be liked
the new modification, on the whole, bet.
ter than any other yet presented.
The question was taken on the report
Of the committee and Carried-9 States
for, to two against.
Roger Sherman moved an amendment
10 strike out the words "the Senate shall
choose" and insert the
House of Representatives shall immedi.
ately choose by ballot one Of them for
President, the members from each State
having one vote" Mr.. Mason liked this
node best as lessening the aristocraticaI
influence of the Senate. The vote being
AIKEN, ten States voted aye and one
Deaware) voted nay.
Thus the electoral system was inCor.
'orated into the Constitution, Septem.
DER 6, 1887.
1t will be noticed that the Convention
,oted three times, once by unanimous
,ute, to make the President elective by
he two Houses of Congress.
Once they voted to make him elective
" body of electors chosen by the State
legislature.
On the motion to choose the Presi- /
lent by direct vote ofthe people, out of !
welve States but one voted for it.
The objections urged against electing
be President by direct vote of the peo.
lie was, that they being so widely scat.
cred and ignorant of the qualifications
( candidates, might be influenced by
abal of bad men to vote for unfit per-
ons But this objection cannot lie, un.
er the present system of requiring elec.
1rs to vote for the nominee of q Con ,
ention. Every voter now virtually
asts his votes for the nominee of the
Few persons know, or
are, who the electors are, knowing d
nat, if elected, they will vote for such
ominee. 1t is just as well for every vo. I
,r to cast his vote direct for his choice ;,
" President, as to vote for a set Of elec- G
,rs whom he knows will vote for Ger. 2
lin candidate Chicago E1preSS.