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


popular vote, House to elect, voting by
Slates.-[Globc, third session, Forty.
third Congress, page 353.l
Oliver p. Morton, of Indiana, sub.
mitted a resolution in the Senate Jan.
uary g, 1873, directing the Committee
ON Privileges and Elections to inquire
and report upon the best and most
practicable mode oi electing the Presi.
dent and Vice President ibid, p. $40.
January 10, Mr. Morton called up
and discussed his resolution at longth.
He said that, under article ?, section |,
Of the Constitution
The appoiniment ofelectors Is placed absolutely
and wholly with the Legislatures Of the States
They may choose by the Legislature, or the leg.
islalure may provide that they shall be elected by
the people a, large or in districts as are members
OF Congress, which was the case formerly In many
States aud Il is No doubt competent for the Log
islature to authorize the governor, or tho supreme
court OF the State, or any other asea, Of is WILL
to appoint these electors
lie then argued that although there
might be the most monstrous frauds
and uniairness in the choice Of electors,
the will Of the people being entircly |
suDverted, there ia no provision Of the
law in any State for settling a contest
arising out of such election. Ibid
page 662
He criticised the present system and
said there was danger Of revelation
growing out of its defects; that it a
President should bc elected by the
vote of a State, secured by fraudulent
or unfair means, she would 10 advance
be shorn Of moral power and authority
in his office, and would be looked upon
as a usurpor, and the consequences
that would result from such o state Of
things no man can predict
He argued that the President Of the
Senate had exercised an uncertain and
dangerous power, but combatod the
proposition that the trainers Of the
Constitution intended that he should
perform other than merely ministerial
functions in opening certificates at the
JOINT meeting Of the two Houses. But
he insisted that the exercise Of judicial
and discretionary powers may devolve
upon him &c ReceSsitdte rel, and it he
decides corruptly or in violation OF the
law his decision is final, and there is no
remedy provided in the Constitution.
[ [Ibid., page 663
He declared that "the idea Of inter
posing an electoral body between the
Chief Magistracy and the people had
come down from ancient times, aud
had its origin in aristocratic forms OF
government where the nobility elected
the sovereign or Chief Magistrate"
He believed the electoral system was
born of distrust in the people, as the
federal convention seemed TO think il
unsafe TO lodge such power in their
hands. He argued that the electoral
system has completely tailed. "The
electoral colleges, he continued, "have
turned out to be wholly useless. Every
reason given for their original ostab.
lishment has absolutely failed in prac.
ticc" [IJid., page 66il
lie preferred, he said, that the
President should be elected by the
people as one community giving the
election to the man who received the
highest number of votes, without re.
gard to State lines or municipal di.
visions"
lie was opposed to the present sys.
ten because 'the dangers of sectional.
ism are greatly increased by ii.
"Under the present apportionment the
electoral votes Of ten States ont Of
thirty-seven may elect President"
| But submit to the inevitable, and assume
that the smaller States will not consent 10 no
amendment by which the President would be
elected by the people Of the Ubi,od States "a one
community. Yet | believe that they can have no
objection to such a change as will bring the eieo.
ton Of the President directly to the people Of the
several States, each State 10 be divided iato a.
many districts as 1t has Senators and Representa-
tiyes, each district TO have one vote In the cleo
ton Of President AMI Vics President, aud the
vote Of that district TO be counted In favor Of the
candidate for Presien: and Vice President who
receive the largest number OF votes Ia it--Ibid.,
page 66j.
lie argued further that the district
system would give due weight to the
smaller States, and that under the
present system the sovereignty of great
States has been strengthened at the
expense of the small ones [lbid.,
page G65l
Mr., Morton, IN the course of his
speech, adopted the same line OF argu.
ment in favor of the district system
pursued by Benton, Dickerson, and
others. (ibid., 66i, 665)
Mr. Sumner again submitted his
joint resolution at the first session, For.
ty.third Congress. Record, first ses
sion Forty-tbird Congress, page 2.)
Senator Wright, Of Iowa. proposed
an amendment December Is, 1874,
providing for election by the direct
vote of the whole people, a majority
clecting II no one have a majority a
second election to bc held and votes
cast for the two highest on the list
only. Returns to be certified to the
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court OF
the United States, and that court to
determine all questions relating to va.
lidity of returns, &c. Incligibilty after
one term of six years. Ibid, second
session, Forty.third Congress, page 81. |
Senator Morton reported from the
Committee on Privileges and Elections,
January 20, 1875, joint resolution
proposing an amendment for providing
Tor election by direct vote in districts
Senate Report No. 16, second session
Forty,third Congress Record, second
session Forty.third Congress, page Co.'S,
See, also, report of same committee
submitting arguments in favor of dis
trict system.-[Senate Report No. 1906
first session, Forty.third Congress
The joint resolution discussed al
length by Morton, Thurman, and Conk
ling -[Ibid., pages 626 to G3I, and 6iE
= to 652,l
Senator Morton again submitted biz
amendment at the next session, Decem
Der D, ls76.-[Record second session
} Fortyfourth Congress, page III
Discussed by Senators Morton ant
Edmunds.- Ibid., 1913 to 1871
] move the reference of the iolnt
resolution to the Select Committee tC
take into consideration the state of tn,
law respecting the ascertaining ant
declaration of the Result OF the Elec
: tons Of President and Vice Prcsiden
, of the United States.
!