The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-01-26
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS.

a,atpa have provided by law for The choice Of
Presidential electors by popular vote. Pre-
vio,s tn 1929. In probably majority Of the
states the Legislatures chose the electors
INT al that mode uf procedure waa removing
the selection Of the Chief Magistrate etih
further from the people. public sentiment
became 60 strong In favor VI change that W
taGn South Carolina was the as,v state ~
which the electors were chosen 10y the Leais
ature After the Palmetto state resumed
her previous roaiHnn IN the 7 MON. che ~ (
lowed the example of other AtRaa, am gave
the people a direct vote for the electors
Florida since the late war, on enc or two oc-
caelona. chose electors by the Legislature. and
I'm 1876 Colorado did az
IN both Louisiana snd Mississippi q tetuf q
20 the plan If choosing electors by the Ieais
lat,,re has been suggested, but has not met
with general favor from either the press, the
politicians o. the people. Gov. Wilt, IN h's
message, favora Al adherence ia the plan oi
choosing electors Ivy the people. and the Ptcd
uut,e sustains the Governors View and thinks
II would be setting Republican legislatures
had example fnF the Democratic Legislature
Of Louisiana to take the choice of electors
into its own hands New York. New Jersey
AMI Connecticut" says the IcnBsne. "are
Democratic States with Republican leaisla
lures, : and Gays further that, II the leaiala-
turea In those States should determine to
choose the electors there would he very little
" any, hope Of Democratic success In the
next contest Hut II ehouli be observed At this
point. that New Jersey, having Democratic
governor to snterpose he Veto presents no
sueh danger as either New York OF Connect
cut. while nj Massachusetts, Ohio and California.
each nf which the Ecayupp Regards aa prob
alb going democratic next fall In certain
contingency. have each Republican Leg'e-
latura 10 enact and Republican 9overnes to
approve the Obnoxious measure IF taking
rom the people tha choosing " electors. II
caunat have eanapad notice that the Renulpil-
can National Gnmmittee haa been diacuaainn
the rroprinty Of New York taking the initia
tive III the new departure BY distributing the
State If the committee advise eunh n move
ment by New York 30 suhserve a partisan
purpose 4 would piost likely urge the
came cuurae by Ohio, California and
Connecticut, and perhaps Massachusetts,.
if the latter State should be regarded
"a at all douhiful unde' any circumstances
The States Of Massachusetts. Connecticut
New York, Ohio and California have seventy
two Representatives. In Congress forty nine
Republicans and twenty-three Democrats
suppose the Democrats should he able TO carry
the twenty three diatricta they now control
III the ive States iuat enumerated. then with
the vntaa nf the Southern States ttgal they
would acore 1871: tn these add Indiana and
Oregon tlsl and they would have 11a votes
as short uf q majority. and To get theaa elk
votes they would have to obtain popular
maiorltiea In at least three Of the five States
named. unless they could succeed In carry
ing Colorado, with three votes I'm which raao
any two of the Ave States named would give
the Democrats three majority Of the elaetora
In all the States. So II will he seen that the
adoption of the datrct syatem by the Repuh
ican Leg ialatrrea IN thean tiva States lacks
that element Of certainty which generally
aetlatea Republican leaders when any
movement upon which party success dependa
n contemplated. Therefore, If any change IN
the manner ~ choosing the electors ID made.
the fear Ia thatithe Legislatures Of these five
Statea will provide for the choice OF electors
for each state at large ny the Legislature
thereof The Republican rarty haa not boon
celebrated IN the paet for any extraordinary
regard for popular rlghts when party advau-
tage wac al atake. and II Ia only necessary for
the party Of great moral ideas tn become aat-
iafied that sueceaa demands II. and the egia-
laturaa Of those five States will uEurp tho
power of chonang the eleetora Then the
Democratic could only hope 10 obtain the votea
If Indiana, Oregon and Colorado, with twnn-
Is -ona votes which. added to tho m votes Of
The South would give them 1872 eeotora to
lla for the Republicans,
The momonfnna isaun Of phonainE n Chief
Magiatratn fnr 100000 600 Of people iapanda.
IN No small degree. upon the action of hodiaa |
not ohoaen with any view whatever to tho |
election Of the President and yet Ruoh action |
"a II here HHggaated would he In strict accord
with the Federal constitution n II not an
additional reason FOR urging auch an amend
meut to tho Federal constitution "a will do |
prive State legislatures Of the opportunity Of
thwaming tho will IF the people Mt the behest