Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-10-15
Election Of i'resiacnt.

Most people are impressed with the idea
that there is no other way Of electing
President of the United States than the
one now used. The Constitution provides
that the President shall be chosen by elee-
tors who shalp be chosen by the people,
and provides for the number Of electors.
Beyond that it leaves nearly everything 70
the option OF the people. There are three
leading things we wish to notice in con
nection with the choice Of our Chief Ex-
ecutive. LIST, the changes that have taken
place in the manner of choosing electors.
End. the intentions OF the founders of the
Republic in regard to the position Of cleo
tors. 3rd, the machinery now in use by
means OF which few politicians regulate
and control the whole affair.
/. The first two presidents were not
nominated. The electors acted of their
own free will, but they acted in accord
ance with what they knew to be popular
sentiment. AT the third election there had
commenced a division of sentiment. At
the fourth there was less unanimity and
the party leaders held caucuses to recon-
mend men. AT the next election the eau
cuses had grown more formal. Then Con-
gress in 1905, 1872, 1916, undertook the
work of nomination. This way of doing
business soon passed into disfavor on ac-
count OF strong party interests. For
time there did not seem to be any we'll
settled plan. In 1928 the Legislature OF
Tennessee recommended jackson. In 1881
and 1882 assemblies were held by two
great parties, the anti-masons and the ma
tional republicans, corresponding TO the
present democratic party, which nominate
ed candidates. In 1886 the Jacksonian
democrats held a convention. These all
seem to have been mass conventions. In
1910 the wings and democrats held regu-
lar delegate conventions, and this prece-
dent has since been followed. As Bryce
states it, sfrom 1889 till 1900 there were no
formal nominations; from 1890 to 1924 the
nominations were made by Congressional
caucusses; from 1924 to 1S40 nominations
irrecularly made by State legislatures and
popular meetings were gradually ripening
towards the method of special gathering
of delegates from the whole country. -
And this is the present plan. The choice
OF electors was not determined by any
hard and fast rules. The manner of choice
is left the legislatures of the several states.
In the early part of the century they were
chosen BY districts. In some states, in
cluding New York the legislature chose
the electors. South Carolina followed this
plan tin 1860. After 1882 all the states, ex-
cent South Carolina adopted the present
plan. Now it appears that Michigan has
departed from it and proposes to elect by
districts as she has perfect right to do.
?. 1t was the intention of the founders
of the Republic that the choice of Presi-
dent should be left entirely to the elect
ors. uncontrolled by the action of any
nominating conventions. The electors
were to be the president makers. It was
not intended that they should be chosen
to register the will Of the people. They
were given their own wills in the matter
They were supposed to be the people con-
densed into a small compass This right
or freedom is theirs to enjoy now It
makes no difference by what party an elec-
tor is chosen he has the right under the