The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-09-03
Presidential Elections.

EDITOR GOLD LEAF:-Evcr since
The adoption of our constitution. some
OF our wisest statesmen have been dis
satisfied with the mode Of electing the
chief magistrate of the nation. The
direct vote of the people they think
preferable to the electoral system.
Whatever objections we may have to
the mode Of electiug our president, the
trainers Of the constitution have inter
posed barriers to amendments render
ing it almost impossible 10 change It.
1t requires twO-third vote OF both
houses Of congress to even propose an
amendment. and even if both houses
propose, it requires the concurrence OF
three fourths of the State legislatures
to ratify it. The question as to the
proper mode Of electiDg the chief exec
utive was ably discussed in the conven-
ton that framed the constitution III
1897. DR.. Franklin, that wise defender
Of the rights Of the people, thought
there should be no intermediate agency
between the sovereign people and the
candidate voted for-that the president
should be elected by direct vote OF
the people. Mr.. Benton says: THE
opinion provided in the convention,
that the mass Of the people would not
be sufficiently informed, discreet and
temperate to exercise with advantage
so great a privilege as that OF choosing
the chief magistrate Of a great repub-
lic." Hence the electoral college.
Had the views Of DR.. Franklin been
adopted in the convention much Of the
trouble growing out Of the present sys-
tenn would have been avoided. Flee
tors would not have thrown away the
vote Of their States as a compliment to
men not known in the contest. His
fraudulency,' r. i. Hayes, would not
have been placed i'll the presidential
chair while Samuel J. Tilden who re-
ceived majority Of over a quarter Of a
million of the popular vote, was occu-
plying a back seat. Our people would
not have been compelled to submit to
the preparation Of fraud upon the
nation TO prevent the disasters Of a
civil strife. During John q. Adams
administration "a man who could never
have been elected by the people, Mr..
Mason moved in the senate of the
United States = that select committee
be appointed to report upon the best
and most practicable mode of elccting
the president and vice president" His
motion was adopted ard nine distin-
gulshed senators were appointed a
committee to reason the matter and re-
port. In their report they recon-
mended that the electo al college sys-
tenn be stricken out and that the presi-
dent be elected by direct vote Of the
people. Failing to get the required
vote of two thirds in the senate it did
not pass. Andrew Jackson, who did
| much for his country. in his first mes
sc to congress recommended a change
| i'll the mode of electing the president.
He had been uniustly treated by the
| election of Mr.. Adams, minority man
above him. He wanted the people to
vote directly for the man of their
| choice, the man chosen by them to
| serve one term of six years, and not
| be eligible thereafter. He was a far
| seeing statesman who left the impress
| OF his wisdom on the nation. In tracing
the history of our country we see many
| things to convince us that the electoral
| college system should be abandoned in
selecting our chief magistrate. We
have seen the electors Of States sport
ing with the wishes of the people by
casting their 1oies for men not in the
co ltest merely to compliment them.
Virginia, Massachusetts, Georgia,
South Carolina and other States have
thrown their votes complimentary to
men not in the race. The trainers OF
our constitution no doubt thought they
| were adopting the wisest method OF
electing the president. Subsequent
workings OF the system have shown
hat they committed blunder in adopt
ing the electoral system. A distin-
gulshed statesman said: Everyreason
| for lnstituting electors and every con.
slderation of prudence requires them tc
be discontinued" We have had enough
minority presidents in the presidents
chair elected by party intrigue. Nc
man should reap the bonus of the office
who is not chosen by a majority of the
intelligent voters of the country. Lei
the people in their sovereign capacity
vote directly for the man of theil
choice without the intervention o.
electors to act for them. No man
should occupy the presidential chair
for whom the majority of the voters O.
the country do not by direct vote ex.
press their preference at the ballot box
Our government should be practically
as well as theoretically republican
The voice of the people, without any
intermediate age lcies, should be hearc
THROUGH the ballot box. "All power
is derived from the people," and lei
them a for the good Of the country
by direct vote in selecting their of:
| iicers. r. w. HARRIS.