The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1888-08-01
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS.
Interesting Facts About Re-
Elections and the Voting by
Presidential Electors.

have had an unwritten law making
even second nominations irexpedieni
had not the civil war broken the SLOWLY
gaining custom in behalf Of It's two mos
I distinguished figures, Lincoln and Grant
In the case Of Lincoln the argument, pu
Z IN one Of his own characteristic and tell
ing popular phrases, Il isn't safe to swaI
horSes while crossing stream would
have been irresistible, independent ot
I the Jther considerations
OF the fourteen other ineumbenis oi
the Office OF President-John Adams
John Quincy Adams, Van Buren, Harri-
son, Tyler. Polk, Taylor, Fillmore, Pierce
Buchsnan, johnson, Hayes, Garfield. and
Arthur, who each served four years or less
all but two belong 10 the last ca years
0f the Government Still I must be ob-
served that in nearly all these cases there
was no second nomination, - that 4 sec
ond election vas oUt Of the question. The
exceptions we're those Of President J. 2.
Adams, Of Massachusetts,, beaten in his
second canvass by Gen Jackson, AMI
President Van Buren, Of New York, who
On his second nomination was beaten by
Gen. Harrison
At the outset no clearly defined idea
had been established as to second elec-
tons, and II WAS Washington's refusal 10
accept third term that prevented its be
ing offered 10 him. In spite Of this pos
tive refGsal be received two votes in the
Electoral College for third term. On his
first and second terms lie had ha unan-
imous Electoral votes, an honor which
has fallen 70 no successor. North Caro-
Ina and Rhode Island were not ia the
Union az the Electoral vote OF l7S9. but
they chose Electors four years later, and
Vermont and Kentucky had then been
admitted, making fifteen States. John
Adams. a. the first election. got 81 out Of
the 81 votes, OF one less than a ma joriiy,
Jay, Of New York having nine, and the
remainder going for no fewer than nine
other persons , but as the Electors at that
time voted for two persons each, the sec
ond highest thereby becoming the Wee
President, and not needing majority,
Adams became Vice President without
further voting.
AZ the second election, in 1898, the
Electors scattered their votes less, Wash
ingion getting the whole I33, and for the
second choice Adams having -. George
Clinton. OF New York. %, jefferson 1,
and Burr l. Bot At the third election the
scattering wss noticeable, John Adams
having Il. Jefferson Is, Thos Pinckney
-. Burr 50, Samuel Adams *, Ellsworth
II, Jay ), Clinton :, Iredell 5, Washing
ton, Johnston, and John Henry. . each !;
C. c. PiHckBey, l. The votes for Wash
ington were one each from Virginia and
North Carolina In the fourth election
Jefferson and Burr were tied al 3 votes
each, while Adams had - and c. c.
Pinekney 81, with Tor Jay whereupon
the House Of Representatives elected JEFF
ferson, and Bun, as a matter Of course,
became Vice President As i eonse-
qnence the twelfth amendment Of the
Constitution was adopted, giving Us or
present system Of Electoral voting for
President and Vice President separately,
and at the next election the vote was for
jefferson and George Clinton, l62 each,
against Pirckney and King. Il each.
There was curious division. however
in the sixth election Madison received
I22 votes for President and for Vice
President, while Clinton received lI3 for
Vice President and s for President, Yer
mont. throwing her SIX votes FOR Nadi-
son had gwen the SIX for Vice Presiden,
to Langdon, while New York gave I3
to Madison and 70 Clinton for President
but for Vice President gave IS TO Clinton,
3 10 Madison and 6 TO Monroe, The con-
centatsd opposition ticket was that Of
Pinekney and King again, who received
l. votes each. In Madison's second cleo
ton Elbridye Gerry for Vice President
got I3l votes, or three more FOR Madison
for President Hence in the opposition
Jared lngensoll for Vice President got but
s. votes. while Dewitt Clinton for Presi-
dent had -.
Monroe in ISL got Is votes for Presi-
.H..-- ,--,-,-.- Dr~f-. Ill. II
D. -ompkins was chosen 10 the Office Of
Vice President by ls5 votes against four
candidates. John T. Howard leading
with -. At bis reelection Monroe made
the great sweep Of 23i votes against for
John @. Adams. hile Tompkins had 2ls
against Il scattering.
The Succeeding election was among the
most singular in the record Calhoun
vas chosen Vice President by ls2 votes
against - divided among five candidates,
yet for President jackson had but % Ad-
ans 81, Crawford A, Clay g. The House
then elected Adams OF the votes for
Vice President Is, contributed By four
different States, had been for Jackson
In the next election, however, while
Jackson got Us votes against J. q. Ad-
ans =. Calhoun only got IL against
Rnsh's -, Georgia giving her votes FIR
Vice Presiden; 70 Wm. Smith, Of South
Carolina
In 1875 an Electoral vote more Ike
those Of our own GAY was cast SIX States
gave their 40 votes to the ticket of Clay
and Sergeant. South Carolina gave ] TO
Floyd and Lee: Nerr gave 10 Writ and
ElimAker Jackson and Van BGrcn were
elected. but while the former had 2l9
votes, Pennsylvania 20 were diverted to
wilkins Of that State for Vice President,
80 that Van Buren got only ls9-
There was a general breaking up again
IN the next election. in which Van Buren,
got l70 votes for President Harrison. 73
White. 70; Webster, u: Mangum, Il
For Vice President, r. VI. johnson had
III Granger, - Tyler. A. wn. Smith,
3. Harrison turned the tables on Van
Buren with % to 90 in the mex. election
and Tyler also had 2s4 votes for Vice
President, with IS for Johnson, II for
Tax~ell, and for Polk
In iSi4 the vote was 40 for Polk
and Dallas. against JOS for Clay and
E-af;~<x,,.,,-...-, .ha-..-sl l<ax uo~,. ~ Lohs.