Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1881-03-02

State fhall 10 divided by the Legislature thereof
into number Of districts, equal u the Nhole nun
bor of senator's and Representatives. 10 when
such State may be entitled in the congress eaeh
district shall be composed Of contiguous territory
and shall contain, as nearly as may ue' an 'qual
numbe. Of persons entitled br the Constitution to
bs renresented, and on such days ~ Congress
sh.i letermlne, which days shall be the sane
thtou.lout the United States, the citizens of each
State who may be qualified to vote for Repre-
sentative lu congross shall meet AT such place
within their respective districts as the Legislature
Of each State shall appoint and each, 10 hi prop
or person, shall vote for Pfesidont anl Vice Pres
ilent one OF whom at least al not be an inha bitant
of the same State with himself, and separate,
tripcate lists shall be kept Of all the voters, and
Of all the votes given for each person ~ pfesi
dent and for each as Woe President
All the votes so given Ia each district shall he
collected forthwith, In such manner the Lcgslh'
ture Uf the State may direct, At some one conyrn'
lent place within the district and the votes given
for each candidate shall be added together, and
the person having the greatest number Of votes Tor
President and the one having the greatest nun
Der Of votes for Vice President shall be c,fiaei at
duty preferred in said district, and shall be en-
titled to enc vote each Tor tho respective Offices
for which they are candidates but II two OF more
persons shall have an equal number Of votes 10
such district election for the same oise, thea the
returning oGicers shall decide between them aud
certify accordingly.
Triplieate certificates VI tho whole number Of
votes given for each candidate shall be made out
and transmitted, in such manner rs Congress may
direct, to the seat Of Government OF the United
States, addressed to the Senate. The President
Of the Senate shall In the presence Of the Senate
and House Of Representatives., open all the certi.
dcates and the votes shall then be counted. The
person having the greatest number Of votes for
President, shall be President, II such number be
equal TO q majority Of the whole number Of elec-
toral votes within the United State3i and IL no
person have such majority, then the President
shall be chosco by tho House Of Representatives
from the three having the greatest number Of
Totes for President, 10 the manner nov prescribed
by the Constitution.
The person having the greatest number Of votes
for Vice President shalt be the Vice President, if
such number be equal to majority OF the whole
number of electoral districts and II no person
have such majority, thea The Vice Prcsdent shall
be chosen by the Senate from the two persons
having the greatest number Of yotel for that office,
10 the manner now prescribed by the Constitu-
ton AHnai., Eighteenth Congress, drst session
page 32
Senator Dickerson, of Now Jersey
on the 10th Of December, 1923, renew,
ed his amendment with the added pro.
visions
First That when there is no choice
by the electors the tiCO Houses by joint
ballot shall elect a majority of mem
bers present being necessary to choice
on the first ballot, and a Gplurality after
the first.
Second. That no person having been
twice elected President shall again be
eligible. ANNALS, Eighteenth Con
gress, first session, page 43
All resolutions proposing amend
ments to the Constitution were referred
to a select committee of five Benton
Hayne, Dickerson, Holmes OF Maine
Kelley bid, page Al.
In the Senate, December 80, 1923
Martin Van Buren, of New York, of
fered an amendment providing for olec
tion by districts, equal in number tC
Senators and Representatives to which
a State is entitled, to be formed by the
State Legislatures. Citizens qualified
to vote for members of the lower house
Of the State Legislature to choose one
elector in each district electors wher
met to fill vacancies Congress to fN
time OF choosing electors and day fol
giving their votes, which shall be tht
same throughout the United States
State Legislatures to have erciuSlu
authority to form districts "to direc
the election to be held, to prescribe tn,
manner thereof, except as to time o
holding the same and the qualification
of the voters and the place of meeting
of the electors, If no person have /
majority of electors chosen, the Presi
dent, by proclamation, shall reconven,
the electors, who shall ballot again fo
President aud il 40 choice is made th,
House of Representatives shall elect a
now provided by the Constitution,
Ibid, page 73.l
Mr.. Benton, January 8, 1923, report
ed from the select committee an amend
ment similar to the Dickerson resolu
ton of the previous session, excop
that the number of districts should b,
equal to the number Of Senators ant
Representatives that in case OF n,
choice by electors, the two Houses o
Congress, jointly, by ballot, shall eleo
from the three highest on the list
majority of members present necessary
to a choice on first ballot, and a plWahtl
only anerward; the Senate to choos
| Vice President when no choice is mad
by electors that no person shall b
again eligible after having been twic
elected President. Ibid, page l0l.
On the 18th Of January, Mr.. Bento
offered his amendment as a substitut
for the above. Agreed to. Ibid
page 1867
! The resolution relating to the incl
gibility OF the President after his secon
term, having been separated from th
other, was debated at length by Nj
Dickerson and others, and passed
yeas 36, nays 3. ibid., page 1907
February 3, 1928, the order Of tn
3 day being the Benton resolution as
/ substitute for that reported by tn
: select committee, Mr.. Benton supper
/ ed his amendment in a lengthy argI
ment. He said that experience was tb
only infalliable test OF good or bad il
stitutions that time had shown th
/ defects in our electoral system an
s that the trainers Of the Constitution
"despising the arrogance Of an owe
n weening confdencein theirown work
/ had provided remedy by providin
the means Of amendment Ibid
Q page 1877
# After showing how, under the preser
# system, electors had been chosen b
districts, by legislative ballots, and b
# general ticket, he argued that "suc
j deviations imply great fault in Ii
e Constitution ITSELF
Tho evil Of want Of uniformity 10 Il
~ choice Of electors i not limited TO its dsfgurir
= effect upon the face Of our goyernme nt, but 20
4 to endanger the rights Of the people by perm
ting sudden alterations on the eve Of an electis
and to anihila,e the right Of the tmall States
enabling the larger ones to combine and 10 thrC
y NJ AhNAi NNAth AuAN tAN nNalN VI INliAtN NAuN
II date. These obvious evils make Il certain th
any uniform rule would be preferable to the pre-
c snt state Of things. But 10 fixing rule II Is I
J. duty Of statesmen TO select that which is Gale
lated to give to every portion Of the Union
due share in the choice Of Chief Magistrate, Al
% to every individual fair opportunity Of voiii
ID according to bis will This would he effected
'e adopting the disiriei system. It would diyi
oi every State into districts equal to the whole nuu
= Der Of votes to be given, aud the people
70 each district would be governed By ia opn NO u
A. iiy, and not by majority existing In some reu
y part Of the State This would be agreeable to /
b, rights Of individuals for, in entering into soco
st and submitting to be bound by the decision Of 1
ie majority, each individual retained the right Of
OF ing governed by majority Of the vicnage, al
Z not by maiorities brought from remote sections
lie overwhelm him with their accumulated numb G
e. IL would be agreeable TO the interests Of
OF parts Of the States, for each State muy have al
Tara lt.Na aHa aV.l