The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1885-06-06

The Electoral College originated at
the organization of our Government,
and there was a great deal of discus
sion over it at the time. Two of the
most important plans of election were
known as the New Jersey plan and the
Virginia plan. Both of these gave the
election of the President entirely to
Congress. A Pennsylvania delegate
wanted the President elected by dis
tricts by popular vote, and Roger Sher-
man, of Connecticut, was in favor of
election by Congress. Elbridge Gerry
was in favor of letting the Governors
of the States elect the President. Gov
ernor Morris wanted the President
chosen by popular vote, and Alexander
Hamilton had a complicated scheme
by which the people were to select one
set of Electors. these were to elect an
other set, and this last set was to elect
the President. These different plans
were discussed and voted upon. Now
one, such as the election by Congress,
would be in the ascendant, and then
another, such as the choice of Electors
by the State Legislatures, would APP
pear about to prevail. The election by
Congress was passed several times and
reconsidered, and it was only about
two weeks from the close of the con-
vention when the Electoral system was
finally adopted.
AT first President and Vice President
were voted for together. The candi-
date receiving the majority of the
votes cast was elected President, and
he receiving the next highest number
became Vice President. 1t was not
until 1905, at Jefferson's second cleo
ton, that Vice President was voted
for as such. At this election George
Clinton, of New York, was elected,
and he was consequently the first Vice
President who was directly the choice
of the people.
1t is disputed question as to
whether Congress has right to decide
as to the regularity or irregularity of
Electoral votes, and this question has
been the subject of attempted legisla-
ton on the Electoral College for a
number of years. In our early history
when the President of the Senate de.
cided the tickets to be valid he passed
them to two tellers who were appointed
by the two Houses, and these counted
them. In some cases these returns
were irregular enough to have created
trouble at the present day. But they
then passed without question. In 1791
for instance, when that stiff-necked lit
tie great man, John Adams, was Vice
President, Vermont's vote could havt
easily been thrown out, as that STATE
had as yet passed no laws fixing tn,
manner of election of the Electors
Had this been done Jefferson woul(
have been elected and Adams defeated
Adams, however, decided that the Yer
mont vote was valid and so elected
himself. In 1909 the vote of a Stat
was counted without Governors Ger
tifcate as to its validity, and befor
1901 no one could tell what the vot
of any Elector would be before the Ger
tificates were opened. Now the view
of all the Electors are known befor
they are even nominated, and the re
suit of an election can be accuratel
told during the week in which it take
place. In 1917 the first objection to a.
Electoral vote was offered. John w
Taylor, of New York. objected to tn
count of Indiana's Electoral vote be
cause it had been admitted as a Stat
after the Presidential election. Bot
Houses separated and discussed tn
matter, and the result was that In
diana's vote was counted. 1t was i
1921 that the House first claimed tn
right to canvass the votes. The ques
ton was on the counting of Missouri
In 1887 Michigan was objected to, bu
was counted, and in 1857 Wisconsi
was counted in the midst of great dis
order. Up until 1921 the President {
she Senate seems to have had consider
able power. At this time the tellers {
Congress began to take his place
and eight years later he allow
them to declare the vote, and in 1874
they even break the seals of the ce
tiicates. In 1851 Congress claims tt
right to canvass the votes. and in iS(
it has usurped absolute control oYt