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

Hc lleh lolhlcu out how, under
, the operation OF the second clause
Of section /, article ., OF the Constitu.
= ton, State Legislatures may deprive
p the people of all power of choice, and
referred TO the appointment Of electors
70 by the Legislature Of New Jersey "at
the moment when tho people were
about TO exercise the right Of voting
for electors Tho same bad occurred
in North Carolina
Continuing Mr.. pickens said
10 zach ditrict the candidate will tc known
eihrt 10 ptron of character TO the people, aud
: they will iuow the interests Of the people whose
opi0ion. they propose to represent and the per.
sons to whom they will be responsible for faith
d fully performing their trust If differ.
ent sentiments or interests exist in any State,
those sentiments or interests should In their prop
er proportion be put into the national scale, and
the fair results Of the whole will point out the
true national representation. Political parties
will be less sectional than any other plan Where
each single district gives distinct vote, the pO.
lillea character Of the voter will not be 50 ident
fed by geographical sections, but more inter.
sperssd over ali ieotions Of the country.
Il Il a rulo Of policy which applies to all pub
lie measures, aud more especially TO the eoneefnl
/ Of nation, that next 70 tue object Of aotins
rightly is that Of rendering general saiiVaetioH.
Elections will e best secured against intrigue
and corruption where this power l. exereised By
The scattered treemsH al large.
] The proposed method will arrive the nearest at
a fair equality between the relative weight Of The
States.
4 By any mode Of giving an satirs cote to each
State the will Of the majority Of the people Of the
/ Union Is not certain 10 prevail. State however
divided will give the same united vote with a
State however unanimous.
A reason against any mode Of giving the nndl-
yided votes Of the States, Of all others the most
/ important and most affecting the vital interests
Of the Union, sits tendency toward geographi.
cal severance Of parties. by the principle Of self.
deieufe all the States must adopt such a mode,
unless a uniform plan is established indeed,
theyhaye nearly all so acted at the late electionas 10
give unanimous votes, and by this meaasa whole
section Of the UHion, with a small exception,
voted for one individual while the opposite Sec
ton supported bis opponent, and these sections
are divided by regular State lines. Nov, does
Chief Magistrate 20 elected appear 10 represent
the whole Union And will not a small number
Of repetitions Of such events naturally draw the
opposite parties, 10 looking toward their oppo-
henls, to look directly across this divisional line.
Under the district plan, he argued,
there would be "a promiscuous division
Of sentiment extending itself over the
whole nation, and not capable Of being
delneated by State lines or the course
OF rivers" ANNALS, Thirteenth Con.
gress, first session, pages S2S to s3j.)
Mr. CASTOR, Of North Carolina, sup
ported the resolution in q lengthy
speech. After describing the union Of
the teierdtiro and popular principles in
the existing mode Of choosing u Chief
Magistrate, he said.
The amendment now before us Is perfectly Ia
character with the symmetry Of this paa. II
0vetsteps none Of its outlines; Il alters not the
ratio Of electors, their duration, their mode Of
voting, nor the materials Of which they are CON.
posed. II directs only uniform mode Of ap-
pointing them. which practically corresponds
Sith the view Of the FEDERAL convention
IL will narrow the range VI faction and
diminish be scope Of intrigue. The political
eouba'abt' will come into the dsld fairly
Iis By this method that the voice Of the peo.
pie may be fairly expressed. There may be differ.
enco between the relative strength Of minoriiie'
in any two districts, but when all the districts
ia zen into the computation such difference must
be equalizel. lie who obtains the suffrage Of
more than half Of the districts must, in oil human
probability, have a majority Of the suilrages Of
the people. But how Is Il when each State Is
made to throw all It's votes into one scale how
ever much the citizens Of that State may be d.
yided A majority Of the votes thus obtained is
no evidence Of the sanction Of q majority Of the
people,
When the electors Of President are chosen by
States, the minority in each State is utterly with.
out weight. o. Let the voice Of every
part Of the nation be heard in the appointment Of
the Chief Magistrate, and the minority in each
State acquires an Importance. which insures to
them respect and political freedom.
lie argued further that this plan
will not deprive the State governments
"of single privilege which is neces.
sary to their support, or TO the full ex.
ercise of their peculiar powers, and
continuing, SAID
A mode Of voting whish throws the entire voice
Of each State into the scale Of is favorite oandi-
date, though II may bring about a cooperation Of
State with State in fact disunites the people and
breaks them into distinct masses Such a co.
operation Of State with State far from being pro
duetvo Of benefit to the nation, Is scarcely less
TO be dreaded than the array Of state against
State, The opposition Of individuals is harmless,
and their union most salutary.-Annals, Thir-
teeuth Congress, FIRST session, pages sS5-siS.
The vote, January 1, 1914, in Com.
mittoe ofthe Whole House on adopting
the resolution was--yeas 81, nays 20.
(Ibid., page Si9)
The vote in House, January 81, 1914,
on concurring with Committee of the
Whole in their dsagreoment-yeas s2,
nays g. Lost, two-thirds not voting
therefor (IJid, page 1885,
The same proposition again intro
duced by Mr.. Plckens at next session
March 6, 1916. (Annals, Fourteenth
Congress, first session, page HOO
Legislatures of Virginia and North
Carolina recommend passage of same.
(Ibid,, pages llO-ii)
Same amendment submitted again
by Mr.. Pickens at next session-De.
cember II, 1916. (lbid., second session,
page 2jG.)
December II Mr. Pickens, in Com.
mttee of the Whole, made another
argument in support Of the resolution.
He insisted that it proposed to in.
graft no new principles into the Con.
stitution:
The objection, therefore, which Is urged BY
some, that the features Of our dovernment should
not bc altered will not apply TO the proposed
amendment, inasmuch as 1t embraces no Hew
feature, and Gxes upon y uniform rule. rendering
It una terable by the varying views Of the States
and the changes Of factions and times.--Annas,
Fourteenth Congress, second session, page sol.
lie argued further that the federaiire
principles would not be decreased by
this plan, "as there is no alteration in
the distribution or number of electors
(ibid., page 30j.)
Mr. Root, OF New York, repeated the
arguments of the opposition, which
were, in brief that the proposed
amendment destroyed the iederative
principle and invaded the rights Of
the States
Mr.. Hammond, of New York, follow.
ed in support Of the resolution. He
insisted that il "would increase the
value OF the electoral franchise" lie
was willing that
The influence Of tbe great States in their cor.
pOrate capacity In the election Of President
fhould be diminished. Ifthe people
are not their own worst enemies let your electors
be created Immediately BY and come directly from
The people. when you DO that, and not until
then, you will be certain that your President holds
his office by the consent and at the request ofa
majofiiy Of The people over whom he presides.--
Annals, Fourieenth Congress, second sssilon,
pages S06-l0.
John c. Calhoun, then a member Of
the House, in the course Of his argu.
mont, declared that
The proposed amendment, II adopted would
remove evils which experience has shown 10
= vtaf a ..htaE Ia. f.tus. tla,. ~ uuaarrn.4aI