The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-02-18
Senator Wallaces Plan for District System
and q Popular Vote in Presidential
Elections.

Mr.. Wallace was awarded the floor IL
the Senate upon his constitutional
amendments for district system and q
popular vote by the plurality rule in
Presidential elections, and spoke for al
hour upon the defects and dangers which
he argued were inherent in the presen,
electoral college plan, and would be rem
edied by applying the principle in coun
ty, State and congressional elections
(namely the choice of the person having
the highest number of votes) to the
Presidential contest. He was attentive.
" heard in the Senate and by an unusu-
ally large audience in the galleries. II,
said his joint resolution was submitted
not with any hope of immediate adop
ton, but as a contribution to the agita
ton from which alone change could
come. The anticipation of the original
ors of the Electoral College system, that
it would secure body of intelligent citi
zens upon whose Judgment and integrity
in the event OF difficulty the countr,
could depend, had failed, the Presiden
tial electors being mere instruments to
vote for party candidates. Practically
that system threatened the country peri
otlically with civil war, corruption and
anarchy. 1t was relic of the old aris-
tocratic theory of the Federalists, having
originated with Hamilton and his confed-
crates, who favored a life tenure for
their President, and was accepted by the
early Democrats only because they were
obliged to take the Constitution as n
whole and could not accept or reject il
in part. The idea of the district system
was no new one. 1t was suggested in
the convention of 1889, and had since
been elaborated from time to time. 1t
did not contemplate an absolute consoli
dation by direct vote, but would be q
direct vote for the candidates in each
district, as made by each State. 1t was
as different from an election by the ag-
gregate popular vote OF the country as ii
was from the present system. Review
ing the details OF the proposition, which
provide that the votes OF the district in
each State are to be returned to State
canyassing board, whose return is to be
the only and the conclusive proof of the
resultin the State; that they are then to
he certified to the Speaker of the House
and laid before the two houses, who are
to count the votes and determine the re
suit, that the ballot by the people is to
be secret and by direct vote; that the
number of districts in each State is to be
equal to the whole number of its senators
and members in Congress; that each dis
trict is to have one vote, and this vote to
be determined by the plurality rule Mr..
Wallace said the plan of minority repre-
thus secured in each Stat,
would eradicate seGtionalism from ON
politics. Under it Pennsylvania would
have had In the last election probably
nineteen votes for Garfield and ten for
Hancock while Virginia would have Civ
en- eight for Hancock and three for Gar
field. The plan would not impair State
independence, for although q plurality
vote you'd elect, yet it would be found
that . majority President would as fire
qpently be elected as now. Vhe pluTali
y rule Wonld obyiate danger to the peace
Of the eonntry TO result in tie vote in
the electoral colleges or In the House OF
when voting for Presi-
dent by States. The division OF a State
into districts would be not upon the ratio
Of representation in the House, but upon
Il ratio WHICH would include with the
In the house the two Senators
from State. Thus New York, with
thirty three representatives in the
House. would have thirty-fve districts
and thirty-Gye votes for President, while
Rhode Island, with but two members of
the House, would have four districts and
io9r votes, thus preserving State inlivid-
aa!ity aud state apptTpl, With sufficient
Of the Federal system, The correction
Of the vicious system of marked ballots
il provided for by secret ballot, and
,he disputed question of who has the
ight under the Constitution to count
he electoral votes II settled by the return
,t the State being made conclusive proof
and the Two Houses given control of the
,ount As the Constitution now provides
hat each State "shall appoint Prcsiden.
ial Electors in such manner as the Legis- |
ature thereof may direct, the power is
given to legislature to appoint them, or
o tie people through the Legislature
o elect them either on general ticket |
,r by districts They are now chosen in
very State upon the general ticket, but
III three of these modes of choice have
,een in operation at one time. The pro
'osed plan you'd secure uniformity as
veil AZ stability. An universal lirect
'ote by the people would oblterate State
ines and State equality and enable a few.
'opllous State to oyerWhelm the re-
or, by the division Of their
eople, small State giving large ma
nrity for one candidate would outweigh
be voice of many larger ones. In the
ite electlqn the majority in Texas for
ne candidate was greater than The ag
Iegate majorities in New York, Penn
ylyapia an,i Ohio for the other. The
OF the tednraliye system ut
'rly fopbiis the universal direct vote.
t would not nil in the destruction Of
ectional feeliDg but the very reverse,
" the tendency ot ma jorities is always
, grow, and when based upon passion
! interest sectional ma ajorities invariably
lcreases. Such a rule would prepetuate
itterness, for the result would demon
rate that there was nearly equal divis-
IN OF the people of the section and de-
died proponderance Of those of the other
hich would overcome the former. An
niyersal direct vote can never be had
lcept under a new compact in which the
mailer States will agree to surrender
leir equality and independence, and
lis is neither desired nor desirable The
orst OF gerrymanders is preferable TO
le dangers end evils of the present sys-
m.
Mr.. Wallace then submitted an his
'rioal compendium, reviewing the at
mpts in the Constitutional conyention