Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-03-21
THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE.

"Our civil government class OF the Y.
NJ. NJ. I. \. would like some explanation
Of the pas, and present rule or custom Of
the Electoral College In the election ~
the Prcsldentof the United States.
"wha, has caused the change In their
way u voting In early times each
oioclor voiedI Now II seem. that tho
State votes and takes away the right Of
tho minority 10 ,heIr vote.
"An explanation through the DEsERi.r
News would help our class aud perhaps
others.n
The rule or custom Of the Electoral
College Is established by the Conetltu.
tlon and Ia set forth In the Twelfth
amendment, which we here produce
ior the benefit Of persons In remote
places who have not the document Mt
hand:
"rho electors shall NEE, In their ros-
poo,lye States and vote by ballot for
President aud Vico.prcsidont. one OF
whom, ai least, shall no. be- an lnhabllant
Of tho same state with themselves; they
shall nnmc In their ballots the person
voted for as President. and In distinct
ballots tho person voted for rs Wee.
President, aud they shall make distinct
lists ofall persons voted for as President,
and OF all persons voted for A. Nico.
President. and Of the number Of votes for
each, which lists they shall Sign aud
certify, and transmit sealed TO the scat Of
the government Of the United States, dir
president OF tho Senate shall, In the
presence Of the Senate and House oi
Representatives, open all the certificates,
and tho votes shall then be countedi the
person having tho greatest number Of
votes for president shall DO the President,
IL such number be u majority OF the whole
number Of electors appointed' and II mo-
person have such majority, then from the
persons having the highest numbers, not
exceeding three on the list Of those voted
for a. President, the Housoof Roprcson-
tativcs shall choose Immediately, by bal
lot, tho President. But In choosing the
| President tho votes shall be taken by
States, the representation from each state
having one vote; quorum Tor this pur-
pose shall consist Of "a member or mcin-
bcts from two-ihlrds OF the States, aud a
majority OF all tho States shall be neces.
sary 10 choice. Aud II the House OF
Representatives shall not choose Presi.
dent whenever tho right Of choice shall
doyolvo upon them, before tho fourth
day Of March next following, then the
Vico President shall act ns President, Ms
In the case Of the death or other constltu-
iional disability OF tho President The
| person having tho greatest number Of
votes as Nioo President shall DO the Vice
President, II such number bO majority
Of the whole number OF electors appoint
ed; aud limo person have majority then
from the two highest numbers on the list
the Senate shall choose the Vice Prosi-
dent, quorum for this purpose shall
consist u two,thlrds Of the whole number
Of senators, aud majority u the whole
number shall BIO necessary to choice.
Bat no person con-timuonally inoligiblo
to the unicc " President shall be eligible
to that OF Vicc President of the United
Statos.n
President Harrison In his message
last December to the present Congress
said:
"The method Of appointment by the
States of electors OF President and Vice.
| President has recently attracted renewed
interest by reason Of departure by "a,
State Of Michigan from the method which
had hecumo uniform In all the States
Prior to 1852 various methods had beer
used by the different States aud even bS
the Same State. la some the choice wa
made By tho LEGISLATURE in others elect
orr were chosen by districts, but NOR,
generally by the voters OF tho who'll
state upon general ticket. The move
moul toward the adoption of the last
named method had an carly beginnin,
aud went steadily forward Among thU
Staos, until 1882 there remained hut
single state, South Carolina, that had no
adopted d. 1ha, state, until tho clyi
war, continued 10 choose It's electors by
vote Of the Legislature, but after tho wa
changed iis method and conlormed 4
tho practice Of the other States, Fo
nearly IN years all the State, savo,on
have appointed thoir electors by popu
lar vote upon III" Ronoiol lirkot, aud To-
nearly 800 years This method was uni
versul,"
In article | OF the Consultation a