The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-12-11
From he Nsw Kerk SIN. Dseemse, !
Oasling the EIectoral vote.

tors, aud the day on which they shall give
their votes; which day shall be the same
throughout the United States" Accord
iagly, Congress passed a law, approved
March |, 1892, which in part reads as
follows
"SRoTloS 2. ARd be Il further enacted,
That the electors shall meet and give their
votes on the said first Wednesday In Deem
Der, 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 viii
cast their votes for President and Vice
President.
The historical record Of the electoral
votes from the foundation of the Govern
ment forms an interesting study. Forthe
first term, three States did not yote-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 num-
Der of voting States from ten to thirty
eight has been accompanied by growth
10 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, and the one next highest
as Viee-President. 10 1889 the total
number of votes was So, all Of which were
east for George Washington. They we're
distributed 10 this way Massachusetts.
Pennsylvania and Virginia, 10 each; Con
necticut and South Carolina, each; Ma.
ryland and New Jersey, 6 each; Georgia
and New Hampshire, 5 each; Delaware, 3.
John Adams, for the second place, had "a
votes the rest were divided among ten
candidates. Adams thus became Vice.
President.
10 1892 the whole number Of electors
was 1872, and all voted for Washington.
Adams, for second place, got n votes;
George Clinton, 80; Jefferson, 4; Burr, /.
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, I'll Massachusetts,, 16; Penn
sylyania, 10; North Carolina and New
York, II each; Connecticut and so down.
In 1876 Tennessee had come in, and
the whole number Of electors was 1888.
John Adams received III votes; Jefferson,
6si Pinckney, SO; Burr, 30; Samuel Adams
of Massachusetts,, 10; Oliver Ellsworth Of
Connecticut, IL; and the resi- were divided
among seven candidates. Adams there.
fore became President and Jefferson Vice
President.
In 1900 occurred the memorable tie
vote. The total number of electors was
again 1873. Jefferson and Burr each re-
ceived 80 votes; Adams had 65, and
Pinckney, Ga; Jay had 1. 1t was quite eyi.
dent that the parties had now consolidated
upon regular nominees for President and
Viee-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.
Ca appealing to the Congressional vote, as
provided for by the Constitution, Jeffer.
son, on the thirty sixth ballot 10 the House
of Representatives, became President, and
Burr became Vice-President. Then the
twelfth amendment to the Constitution wa.
made, guarding against such predieamcnt.
theneeiorth.
For twenty -four years thereafter there
was little 10 the electoral voting out
Of the common. In 1904 Jefferson and
Clinton were elected President ard Vice,
President by l62 votes each against II
each for G. c. Pinekuey aud Rufus King
Ohio had now entered the Union. IL
1908 the vote was Madison, 122, and
Clinton ll3, against AZ each for Pinckney
aud King, with some scattering--the tota
vote being l7G, as before, except that there
was one vacancy. 10 1872 the vote was
l2S for Madison, aud 13l for Elbridge
Gerry, against 50 for Dewitt Clinton and
Sc for Jared Ingersoll. In 1916 il was
1873 for Monroe and d. ID. Tompkins
against "a for the persistent Rufus King
aud scattering of candidates for Vice.
President, Mr. John f. Howard being
highest Louisiana and Indiana had now
como in. In 1920 occurred the over.
whelming vote Of 231 for Monroe against
for j. Q. Adams, cast by New Hamp.
shire, whose other seven votes went to
Monroe. ID. d. Tompkins received 219
votes for Vice President, with IA scatter.
ing. Alabama, Mississippi, Illinois, Mis-.
souri,, and Maine had nov been taken in,
Ia 1924 memorable strife occurred.
The whole number Of electors was 26l-
no new States, but new census apportiou-
meut. Andrew jackson, for President,
had 80; j. Q. Adams, 81; w. II. Craw.
ford, Al; Henry Clay, 81 The election
for the second time vent into the House
Of Representatives, where the race was
not to the swift, for the second candidate,
Adams, was elected on the first ballot BY
States. John c. Calhoun had received
ls2 electoral yotes-Y Virginia, Ohio, Con-
uecIicut, Missouri and and Georgia casting
all their votes against him, and few 9th.
or votes from divided States, also going to
other candidates; but he had been elected
Viee-President BY large majority.
10 1928 The vote was jackson, 17S; and
Calhoun, Ill, against So each for Adams
and Rush, and Z for Smith as Vice resi-
deet. In 1889, il was 2l9 for jackson
and lS9 for Van Buren,, against 40 for
Clay aud John Sergeant, while Pennsyl.
vania east her 30 for Yice-Presideut on
William Wilkins. That year South Car.
clina gave her IL votes % Floyd Of Vir-
gina aud Lee Of Massachusetts,, while
Vermont gave her to William Writ and
Amos Ellmaker. The Anti Mason party
was then active.
10 1886 there was smother unusual oc,
currenee. Arkansas aud Michigan had
come in. The total number Of elector,
was 294, with l48 majority. For Pres
idens, Van Buren, had ITO, against 70 fol
Harrison, 26 for Hugh L. White, IA for
Webster, and II for W. p. Mangum; but
X NJ. johnson got only 147 for Vice
President, or one less than a majority. Of
account Of Virginia, with her 20 vote,
boiling him. The Senate, however, elect