The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-05-20
the First Dispute over the Electoral

occurred when Missouri, which claimed
to be State, had chosen three electors.
The southern members made vigorous
effort to have the vote counted, and, after
days discussion, 1t was rejected. 1t
would not have effected the result, how
ever, II the vote had been counted. In
1855 Wisconsin did not cast her Ave votes
on the Sd OF December, as required by law,
but on the day following, and many mem
beers oil Congress. when the electoral votes
were opened, were disposed 10 doubt
their legality. Their plan did not succeed
and the vote was counted. The method
OF counting the votes seems to have occas-
Toned no trouble until 1879. when the great
eat election in the annals OF our country
was held.
The House OF Representatives was Dem.
ocratic and the Senate Republican, aud
each would certainly support Its own
party In former years, when the Repub-
iicans had 9 majority in both Houses,
they had seen Ct under the rule to exer.
else Joint authority over the country,
and had on several occasions rejected
votes. But now they were in dilemma,
and to save the difficulty the Electoral
Commission act was passed by Congress,
creating an electoral Commission" Of
FIVE Senators, five Representatives and five
Justices Of the Supreme Court. The Com
mission was as follows:
JUSTICES Hon. Nathan Clifford, OF
Maine, (Dli Hon. Stephen ]. Field, Of
California, (D.); Hon. William Strong, Of
Pennsylvania, "a. j; Hon. Samuel F, Mil.
Ter, Of Iowa, iR,i Hon. Joseph Bradley, Of
New Jersey, (R).
sESAroRs.-Hon. Allen G. Thurman, OF
Ohio, (D); Hon. Thomas F. Bayard, Of
Delaware, (D.l; Hon. George F. Edmunds,
Of Vermont, (R.l; lion. +. 7. FrellDghuy-
sen. OF Pennsy lvania, [ R. }; Hon. Oliver P.
Morton, Of Indiana, (R.l
REPRESENTATIVE Hon. Henry B.
Payne, OF Ohio, ID J; Hon. Eppa Hunton,
Of Virginia, D); Hon. Josiah G. Abbott,
Of Massachusetts, tD.)i Hon. George +.
Hoar, OF Massachusetts, (R.); Hon. James
A. Garfield, Of Ohio, (R.l
The Commission, after great debate,
DECIDED that 1856 votes were for Hayes and
1884, for Tiiden.
There has been only the Jetisrsou-Hurr
| CUuLe6b VI 4o1S ~ VIZ hl9t1l{ VI tS9lNuh-
tial elections where the Vice. President
was chosen by Congress, l. e., in 1895
when r. N. johnson, who was associated
with Van Buren, on the Democratic ticket
received l47 votes, Just one.half the whole
number cast for Vice-President. The Sen
ate chose Mr.. Johnson by a vote OF 50 u
10 for Francis Granger, the leading Whii
candidate,
The closest Presidential Election
with the exception OF the lastl was tina
Of 1893, when Jefferson was defeated b,
the elder Adams by only three votes
Only once in her history has the Unltet
States entered upon a Presidential cleo
ton In the time Of great war, and tina
was in 1884. The second contest will
. England In 1879 did not begin until th
summer Of that year, when Il was know
that Madison would be reelected. TIL
> trouble with France possibly had som
I eject on the fourth Presidential election
but 1t cannot be Justly termed as Q wa
J. The Mexican war had been closed beior
= the election Of 1913 was opened, and
, The twenty'iour elections which the eoal