Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-02-24

which shall be conclusive proof of how
the State voted.
Fitth-The votes thus returned TO
be counted by the two houses i'll joint
convention met.
Sixth-The person having the high
est number of votes from all of the
districts voting Ga plurality being suf-
ficient) TO be elected.
The qualifications of voters, the di.
vision of the State into districts, and
the canvass of individual votes to he
under control of the State and the
mode of voting TO be the secret ballot.
The districts are to,be formed after
each census of the United States has
been taken, and are first to be formed
Immediately after the adoption Of the
amendment. No change in the dis
tricts can take effect at the first cleo
tion after such change. The quallii-
cations of electors, as now prescribed
by the constitution of the United States
for members of Congress, are preserv-
ed, and the universally Of secret
ballot is enforced. The votes cast in
each district by the electors, when
computed by the election officers, are
to be returned to the State canvassing
board, and whoever shall have reoeiv-
ed the highest number of votes in such
district shall be held to have received
one vote. The whole number of votes
cast for each candidate in all the dis
tricts in any State are to be ascertain
ed by a cauvassing board, composed of
the governor, chief justice and secre.
tary of state, and they are within sixty
days after the election to certify the
number of votes by districts received
by each candidate in each State to the
speaker of the house of Representatives.
This return is to be the only aud CON
elusive proof of the result in that State
The returns thus made to the speaker
of the house are to be laid before the
two houses III joint convention met, at
the usual time, aud they are authoriz-
ed and empowered there to count the
vote aud determine the result. The
candidate for president and vice presi-
dent, respectively, receiving the high
est number of votes out Of the whole
number of districts voting, shall be
declared elected president and vice
president Of the United States, thus
substituting the plurality vote both in
the districts and of the districts for
the majority rule of the State. or Of
the electoral colleges which j, now in
operation. IL will be noted that this
system changes, first, the electoral col.
lege to direct vote by the people in
districts; second. the plurality or ma.
jprity in each district contribute one
vote to the election of president and
vice president directly; third, the
State has entire control Of the cleo
tons and the certificate thereof to
Congress fourth, the two houses, act
ing together, are given sole power to
count the votes fifth, the necessity for
n majority of the electoral college aud
for action in any event by the house
Of representatives voting by States j.
dispensed with, and the plurality rule
by districts adopted. The district sy--
TEN is no new thought in the politic-
of this country. It found It's origin IN
the constitutional convention OF 1889.
on the motion OF Judge Wilson. ot
Pennsylvania, aud it was initiated in
Congress in the very early days of our
history. 1t has been elaborated and
enforced from time to time by leading
senators and members Of the house.
This is not n process of entire and all.
solute consolidation bg n direct vote
of the whole people Of all the States.
but It i a vote by the people. in the
districts made by ;he State. directly
for the candidates, which votes are to
be returned TO State authority and
conclu-iyely certified thereby as the
result Of State action. In this respect
it Is a different from an universal
vote throughout the whole country as
certainiug results by its aggregate as
il the present system from n direct
vote by the people. One of the lead.
ing purposes to be attained by this
amendment is representation Of the
minority in each State, aud as n CON
sequence the destruction aud absolute
eradication of sectionalism. Under
this system in the last election Penn.
syIvauia would have probably chosen
nineteen electors for Garfield and ten
for Hancock, while Virginia would
have given eight for Hancock and
three for Garfield. 1t is simple and
direct, but it processes to contain no
new thought. 1t is the mere appIica-
tion of what we have come to recog.
nize as the American system of cleo
tions to the practical working of the
federal constitution in the election of
president and vice president. In the
elections of our county and State Of
ficials as we'll as in the election of
members of Congress, the person hav-