The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-02-02
JOINT RESOLUTION.

introduced he following JOINT reSOIu-
ton:
Providing for election of President and
Vice-President by a direct vote of
the people:
Resolved by the Senate and House of
the United States Of America IN Con
sTeSS assembled (ttUO- thirds Of each
House cO~ncurring tbereGn):
That the following amendment to the
Constitution of the United States be
proposed to the legislatures of the
several States, which, when ratified by
three fOurths of said legislatures, shall
become and be a part Of the COnstitu-
ton, namely:
ARTICLE XVI.
The second and third divisions Of
article second shall be struck out.
All that part of the twelfth amend
ment of the Constitution from the be
ginning down to and including the
words 8 if such number be a majority
of the whole number of electors ap-
pointed" to be struck out, and the fol
lowing substituted:
Hereafter the President and Vice
President of the United States shall be
chosen by the respective States in the
following manner:
THE citizens of each State who shall
be qualified to vote for members of
Congress shall, on the Tuesday after
the first Monday in November, in TIE
year eighteen hundred and eighty four,
ard on the same day in every four
years thereafter, cast their votes by
ballot for candidates for President and
Vice-PTGSident, one OF whom at least
shall not be an inhabitant of the State
with himself; and proper returns of
the votes so cast shall be made under,
seal, within ten days, to the chief jus
tice or the presiding judge of the
highest judicial tribunal In the State.
THE right of fixing the places in the
State where the election shall be held.
and the manner of holding the same
and of canvassing the votes and Certi
flying the returns to the said chief JUS
tice or presiding judge, is reserved
exclusively to the Legislatures of tire
States.
THE highest judicial tribunal of
each State shall meet and be in session
on the second Tuesday next following
said election, and the presiding Judge
of said tribunal shall publicly open
said returns in the presence of the
members Of the said tribunal, and the
votes shall then be counted by the said
tribunal. 1t shall be the duty of the
members of said tribunal to cause three
certificates of the numbeH of votes 30
east In the said State for President and
Vice President to be made and certified
by a majority of the members Of said
tribunal and attested by the seal of
said tribunal.
THE certificates Of the members Of
said tribunal shall be disposed of by
them in the following manner:
First. They shall, by writing, under
the hands of a majority Of them, mp
point a person to take charge Of and
deliver to the President of the Senate,
at the seat of Government, before The
first Monday in December next aver
their meeting. one Of the certii ates
Second. They shall forth with for
ward, by the pOstofFce. 20 the Preai
dent of the Senate, at the seat of Gov
eminent. one otherOf the certificates.
Third. They shall forthwith cause
the other of the certificates TO be de
livered to the judge of that district in
which the tribunal shall assemble.
Whenever d certificate Cf votes
from II State shall not be received by
the President of the Senate on or be
fore the day indicated in the preceding
section. he shall forthwith notify the
said presiding judge, who shall send n
special messenger to the district III
whose custody one certificate of the
votes from that State has been lodged,
and such Judge shall forthwith trans
NIT that certificate to the eat of Gov
eminent.
Congress shall he in session on the
second Monday in December succeed
ing every election of President.
1.-THE Senate and House of Repre-
s~entatives shall meet III the Hall of the
House of Representatives at one O'Clock
post meridian on that day; tine Presl-
dent of the Senate shall be their pre-,
siding officer.
Two teilers she'll be previously AZ
pointed on the part of the Senate and
two GA the part Of the House OF Repre-
sentatives.
THE President Of the Senate shall
then open ali the certificates, and
paper purpOrting to be certificates, OF
the electoral votes; the votes shall thcT
be counted by the two Houses Of Con,
gre=s in the alphabetical order Of the
States.
THE person having the creates
number If votes cast in all the States
for President shall e President, if sucf
number be equal to a majority Of the
whole vote given; but it no person
have such a majority, tiel q seconC
election shall be held on the secoEC
Tuesday after the first Monday IL the
month Of January then ensuing he
tween the persons having the tw,
highest numbers for the Office Of Presi
dent, which second election shall bt
conducted, the result certified, and thC
votes counted in the same a>
in the first; and the person having the
greatest number of votes for President
shall be President. But if two or more
persons shall have received the creates
and equal number Of votes al the
second election, the House of Repre-