The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-12-29

extraordinary Development out III vas not
until had three times talked with you face
70 face that could believe in the reality OK
an Intention 81 inconsistent with your pre-
viouS conversation, SO repugnant To your
pledges, so amazing 10 your constituents, SO
ata To yourself
"The vote which YOU intend thus TO give is
lot your own, 1t belongs TO the people Of the
state of Missouri-they are against Mr..
Adams |, IN their name, do solemny pro-
lest against your intention and deny your
moral power thus To bcstow your vote
lyon have been pleased TO make reference
in one of your conversations 10 my per-
sonal wishes in this election now reiterate
that diScam and repel the appeal, and
again remand you to the exalted tribunal Of
honor and duty
For nine years we have been closely con-
nectei in our political course AT length the
connection is dissolved and dissolved under
circumstances winch denounce our everlast-
ing separation.
For some expressions which you felt as
unkind, in our conversation of Sunday, ask
your pardon, and oblivion | have right
to give you my opinion upon point of public
duty, but none to inflict a wound on your
feelings, and in this unexpected breaking Of
pain without the gratuitous infection of I'M
kind words.
Tomorrow is tho day for your self immo-
laton. If you have an enemy he may go
and feed his eyes upon the scene. Your for
mer friend will share the affecting spec
tacle
with sincere wishes for your personal
welfare, | remain, etc,
THOMAS H. BENTON"
At noon on the 9th of February the senate,
with their president and sergeant.at-arms Mt
their head, entered the representative hall.
The president of the senate took seat at the
right hand of the speaker, The formal open
ing of the electoral packets followed, and the
announcement of Mr. Calhoun's election for
vice president was followed by the state
ment that no one had received a ma jority of
the electoral votes for the presidency, and
therefore the house would proceed to elect
from the three highest candidates, jackson,
Adams and Crawford. The senator's retired,
the Toll of the house was called by states and
the members of each delegation took their
seats together. Only one member of the
house was absent-he from Illness The vote
of each state was deposited in box by itself
and placed upon the table. Teliers previously
appointed-Daniel Webster and John Ran
dolph-proceeded to open and count the bal
lots. A long contest had been expected, as
it was not known that most of Mr.. Craw-
ford's friends had given him up The result
surprised everybody, even the best informed
politicians On the first ballot Mr.. Adams
received the votes of thirteen states Mary
land and Illinois, which had given popular
majorities for jackson, and Kentucky, Ohio
and Missouri, which had given majorities
for Clay, voting for Adams. Crawford re-
ceived the vote of Delaware, North Carolina,
Georgia and Virginia, and Gen. jackson, for
whom eleven states had given popular ma
ority, had the vote of seven states in the
house There was momentary burst Of APP
plau,e from the galleries, followed 10y hiss
Ing, and the speaker Immediately ordered
the galleries to be cleared.
The election Of John Quincy Adams in
1925 By the house of representatives voting
federaily," gave a congressional construction
to the electoral clause of the constitution
which has not since been disputed, perhaps
because no occasion has arisen The house
then virtually decided that member was
under no moral obi cation TO go by the vote
Of his district, much less his state ut the pre-
celinG election, that the true intent Of the
constitution was that the house should act rs
an original and independent electoral college,
each member exercising his own Judgment,
as he might or might not hold himself
responsible to his constituents, aud that,
saving the fact that they were limited to the
three leading candidates, their powers were
as if the constitution had said: The first
choice is with the people, but If they fail or
refuse to elect, the power is gone from them
and given to another tribunal
Fifty-two years passed before another great
trial of the system, but not without elaborate
debates on controversial questions and many
surprising prophecies of trouble.
in 1879 the two houses acted without rails
ING any issue, the result being: For jackson,
rs; for Adams, So In February, 1883, pre-
clscy the same forms were observed and no
issues raised The result was: jackson, 2l9;
Clay, 40 A question arose as to count
ing the vote OF the state of Michi-
gan very nearly the same as that which
had arisen in 1917 rs to Indiana, and in
1921 as to Missouri, but as it made
no difference in tho election, the Ques-
ton was again evaded, though the vote was
declared alternately thus; For Van Buren,,
10 with Michigan, lG7 without; for Harri-
son. - foi Hugh Lawson White. Of Teunes
see 20, for DanIei Webster, IL, for Willie T.
. Maugum of North Carolina, H. On vice
president the vote was declared: For Richard
M. johnson, l47 with Michigan, IA with
out; for Francis Granger, -; for John Tyler,
AZ; for William Smith, %. But whether with
or without Michigan there was no election
for vice PRESIDENT so the senator's retired TO
their chamber and on the first vote chose
! Richard NJ. johnson, giving him SO to 10 for
| Francis Granger-three senators absent,
there being twenty-six states.
On Feb TO- 1871, the same method was
| followed The vice president merely read
! the result, namely: For Harrison, 232; for
| Van Buren,, 60 No question was raised.
| On Feb IL, 1885, the vice president handed
! the sealed packets to the tellers, who opened,
| counted and handed list to the vice presi-
dent, who read the footings: For Polk, l79;
! for Clay, 105 On Feb A. lSi9 the same
| process was observed, except that the vice
president opened the packages and handed
| the certificates to the tellers Jefferson
! Davis was teller on behalf of the senate. The
result was: Taylor 1863, Cass, l27. On Feb.
Q, 1858, the same forms were observed, the
result being: For Pierce, 25+; for Scott, AZ.
On the llth of February, 1887, there were
the same sitting and proceedings A ques-