The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-12-20

We notice that the New AaFtins7il


We notice that the New MartinsvilIe
Lyceum has announced the following
question for debate at its next meeting:
1Resolyed, that the President oil the
limited States should be chosen by the
nopular VOTE" Inasmuch as Capt. Bob
McEldowney, editor Of the Democrat, is to
take hand in this debate, on the atiFms'
tive side, We hope that he will favor tue
world with report Of the arguments by
which he will seek to upset the present
method Of elrc!ing a President, There is
a good deal to be said agaiDat the present
method: 1t is subject to TOO many naz'
ards as the recent elections plainly show;
as for instance, in the State OF Indiana
where one elector was overlooked by mis-
take, and in California, where another
Was defeated on account OF his duel with
Broderick, Then, too, the question Of
official occupation is continually ans
ing aud for fear OF trouble all OF the Ohio
electors who were officially connected With
national banks resigned their positions
this year.
The fact is that no political party can
feel safe in close election under the pres
ent system. The will Of the people Is con-
stautly in danger Of being defeated BY
reason of some technical error. ltisplain,
tbsrelore that remedy is needed, and
this is why we address ourselves at this
time 10 the affirmative side in the New
Srarlinsyile debate. The remedy pro-
posed by that side il to elect the President
by the popular vote. This looks fair
enough on first view, but it will not bear
investigation. The temptation to fraud is
great enough now, but it would be Still!
greater under the proposed change. At
prcseu! the surplus maiority in State
coupts for nothing, and kence il Alabama
gives 10000 majority under such peculiar
circumstances as characterized her vote In
August last, it does not overslsugh that
many updoubted and unChallenged votes
In some other State. 1t simply gives the
tan electoral votes of Alabama to the
Democratic nominee, and there is no game
of slap and slam" about 1t. The same
thing Is true OF any State where condi.
ton Of things exists that keeps any political
party under repression. at the worst,
said State can only give its electoral vote
IN A Presidential candidate, and that vote it
cannot enlarge by fraud or bull.dozing
This is certainly very important restric'
ton. There must be some check on the
disposition Of the majority in a State to
abuse theft power at the polls. Aslong as
that majority feel pretty well assured OF
their doninaucy, they do not seek to absorb
the minority by unfair means, but once 1t
is understood that every vote is to count
in the election Of their candidate for Pres
ident, then it becomes their ambition to
squeeze the minority down to the last man
BIZ any means at their command.
1t seems to US that the 1emRdy is to
abolish the Electoral College and yet leave
the electoral apportionment as it's. The
electoral apportionment is simply the
representation OF any State in the two
houses OF Congress. For instance, West
Virginia has two Senators and three Con-
gressmen, and this gives her five Prest'
dental electors, and it might, under the
remedy we suggest, still give her i've votes
for President, voting directly for tho can
didate as suggested. While this plan
would de away with electors and all the
hazards connected with them, it would
not increase the inducements to fraud or
intimidation in any State. The State
would only have so many electoral votes,
whether the majority was large or small,
and yet we would be assured that'notech'
nicality could arise, as in the case OF some
electOr, to lose any part OF her vote.
The State Of Georgia will probably lose
her whole electoral vote this year, on &C.
count Of the electors not having met on
the day provided for by United States law.
Now, suppose the result had turned on the
vote of that State. The country might
have been plunged into great danger. We
would now be in the midst Of a great ex.
element, destructive to the business IN.
terests Of the country and demeralizing to
the public virtue. All such dangers are
to bs avoided as far as possible, but in
avoiding them We must not 60 to an other
extreme and concoct a premium for rascal.
ty in the shape OF an inducement to ex'
tirpate the minority sentiment in any par.
tcular State.
ru,,,,ro,;on - a ro;lrood i,or, Nav