National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-01-10
The Electoral System.

enlAfBlnB tlc powers OIL pfO5ldehJlal ClcCJOIS'
brings to mind some curious incidents con-
ncctod with the electoral college. In the
first place, IL should DO borne In mind that
the electors have never fulfilled the original
purpose for which they were intended. It
was assumed by the fathers of the republic
that the people at large were less likely to
act dispassionatoly in the choice of prcsi-
dent and vice president than representative
men who would be chosen rs electors in each
state 1t was supposed by the trainers of
tho constitution that tho electors would
Judgment aud that, meeting in
their several states, they would vote for
whom they pleased, unbiased by any prcdi-
loctons Of the people, But this dream has
never been realized, for it has been found
that the people are unwilling to delegate this
power TO even representatives of their own
choosing; qpd, though they have been
obliged to record their verdict through the
cumbrou8 machinery of the electoral college,
the unwritten mandate Of caucuses and CON
ycntions has been so far binding upon the
electors that they have bccomu mere automa.
tons. There have been instances in the
history of the county where electors have
ignarod tho party candidates and voted
loS some one else, but tho result
has never been changed by such
action. That the temptation might
sometimes DO great for an olector to hctray
his trust we hayo seen in our owu times
when the presidential election depended upon
a single electoral vote but to the credit of
the country it can be said that 10 corrupt
consideration ever influenced the action of
any clcctor in any presidential contest who
exercised the privilege of voting ndcpond-
emily, a privilege not denied him by tho
constitution. During the first four presidcn-
tial elections, under the constitution, az it
then existed, the person receiving the
highest number of electoral votes was
declared elected president, and the one
receiving the noxt highest number
was declared elected vice president. This
mode of procedure caused no collision until
the famous Jefferson and Burr contest. when
the candidates of the then republican party
for president and vice president, ,1cncrson
and Burr, each received the same mum her Of
electoral votcs-vi2, 20. This threw the
election into the .hodse Of representatives.
which WIS at that time federal in its politics,
~.
bitterness through the attempt of some of the
rcdoralists to elevate Burr over jefferson.
Had the constitution been the same then as
now Jefferson would have been declared
elected president and Burr vice president.
When the electoral votes were counted by the
president of the senate, each had n ma
jority over Adams and Pinckney tho oppos-
ing candidates before the people. Had party
lines been as we'll defined prior to 1900 as
they were then and afterward, this same
difficulty might have before arisen Wash
both times, and there was no organized OPP
position to Adams's election as vice president.
In 1706, when Adams was elected president,
Thomas Pinckncy, his colleague on the fed
cral ticket fell behind him eleven votes in
the electoral college, and Jefferson, the can
didalo of the republican party for president
was elected vice president, thus presenting
the only instance in the history of tho
country where part of presi
Dental ticket failed Of an election
when its counterpart was successful. In lSOj
James Madison received 122 electoral votes
while the republican candidate for vice presi
dent, George Clinton, only received 113, ye
both were elected. In this election Madison
also received votes for vice president. Ii
1912 Madison received l2S votes to 80 for ID,
Witt Clinton for president whilo Elbridgc
CORY received III votes to SO for Iarc,
ingersoll for vice president. In 1916 til
foderalist party was passing out of existence
md its small electoral vote, while unit 70
Rufus King for president, scattered anon
several candidates for vico president. /
1890 Monroe was entitled to every elect
:, oral vote, us candidate for rc-clcC
ton, but vote in New IIampshir
= was cast for John @, Adams, upon the groun,
it is said, that the olcctor was unwilling to aC
cord to any candidate tho same unanimou
election which was given TO Washington
. Tompl;ins of New York, was elected vic
y president receiving 2ls votes to ii seattle
- ing. In 1924 Calhoun was elected vice pres
o dent by vote OF Is? to 20 for NJ. other, br
~ the election of president was thrown into tn
Ia house Of representatives, thoro being no olo,
II ton in the electoral college, Adams, Jackson
II Crawford, and Clay being candidates. !
"a this salao election jackson received 30 vot,
- for president and 10 for yico presiden
70 At the next election Calhoun receive
p 6 less votes for vice presider
n than Jackson for president though both wei
IN candidates of tho democratic party. m
n same Independence Of electors was exercise
n in 1892, 1896, and 1870 when Martin Va
- Buren, and Richard NJ. Johnson wero Il
is democratic candidates for yieo presiden
mr. each one failing TO receive an equal numbC
of electoral votes with hi colleague on II
ticket From 1870 to the present time b
MS candidates for vice president appear to ha'
A. \ A..a r