Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-03-13

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ent. il one 0f bis entertaining letters
says: The size Of the Electoral college
hes steadily increased from sixty -nine
members st the election Of Washington
in 1889 to 40l, which Il i IS present
40 our first Presidential election the
votes were counted on the 9th Of April,
snd Washington was not inauguratea
until several months after that
The Electoral college originated e. the
organization OF our government, and
there was great deal of discussion over
it al the time. Two Of the most import
ant 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. APenn-
sylvanin delegate wanted the President
elected By districts BY popular vote, and
Roger Sherman, Of Connecticut, was in
favor Of election by Congress. Elbridge
Gerry was in favor Of letting the govern
Orn0rs Of the States elect the President.
Governor Norris wanted the President
chosen by popular vote, and Alexander
Hamilton had complicated scheme by
which the people were to select one set
0f electors, these were co elect another
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 IS choice Of the electors by the
State legislature, would appear about to
prevail. The election BY Congress was
passed several times anu reconsidered,
and it was only about two weeks from
the close Of the convention, when the
electoral system was finally adopted.
At first President and Vice. President
were voted for together. The candidate
receiving the majority Of the votes cast
was elected President, and he receiving
the next highest number became Vice
President. It was not until 1905, at
Jefferson's second election, that Vice
President was voted for as such. At
this election George Clinton, of New
York, was elected, and he was conse.
quently the first Vice President who was
directly the choice Of the people. The
original idea Of the Constitution was
that the President Of the Senate should
count the votes in the presence of Con-
gress, and the act gives Congress no
power over the counting Congress has,
however, seized the power, and the Presi-
dent Of the Senate has become merely D
factotum in their hands.
1t is disputed question as to whether
Congress has the right to decide as to
the regularity or irregularity of electoral
votes, and this question has been the sub
ject Of attempted legislati On on the Elec-
toral college for number Of years In
our carly history when the president Of
the Senate decided the certificates to be
valid he passed them to two tellcrs 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
1897, for instance, when that stiff necked
little great man, John Adams. was Vice.
President, Vermont's vote could have
easily been thrown out, as that State had
as yet passed no laws fixing the manner
Of election Of the electors. Had this
been done Jefferson would have been
elected and Adams defeated.
Adams, however, decided that the
Vermont vote was valid and SO
elected himself In 1909 the vote of q
State was counted without governors
certificate as to its validity, and before
1901 no one could tell what the vote Of
any eleetor would BIO before the certih-
Gates were opened. Now the views Of
oil the electors are known before they
are even nominated, and the result of an
election can be accurately told during
the week In which it takes place. In 1917
the first objection TO an electoral vote
was offered. john W. Taylor. Of New
York, objected to the count Of Indiana's
electoral vote because it had been adj
mitted as State after the presidential
election. Both Houses separated and dis
cussed tho matter, and the result was
that Indiana's vote was counted.
10 was in 1921 that the House first
claimed the right to canvass the votes.
The question was on the counting OF
issouri. IN 1897 Michigan was object
cd to, bat was counted, aud III 1857 Wis
consin was counted ia the midst OF great
disorder. Up 70 1921 the President
Of the Senate seems to have had consid-
cradle power. At this time the tellers
Of Congress began to take his place. and
eight years later he allows them to de-
clare the vote, and ii 1915 they even
break the seals Of the certificates.
IN 1851 Congress claims the right to
canvass the votes. and ii 1865 It has
usurned absolute control over the electors.
There have been during our history
four disputed presidential elections. III
most Of these cases the election has
been thrown into the House of Represen-
tatiyes and tho Congressman voting bv
States have elected the President. Each