, 1892-10-27
PREsIDENTIAL ELECTORS.

The manner of electing president of the
United States,i is more orless misunderstood
by the average voter, but it is made par
ticularly clear by Edward Wright Brady,
in the Washington Post. Mr.. Brady re-
calls the fact that the trainers of the con-
stitution after anxious consideration Of
the difficult question, decided upon inter
posing body of special electors between
the general electors, the people, and the
great Office of president They believed the
chief danger which would threaten the gov
ernment from within would arise over a
disputed election and they sought to reduce
the danger to a minimum.
Before the law steps in to regulate every
move in the election Of the president, the
people have already practically named the
man. Custom, in this case having all the
force and effect of law, provides for the
naming Of candidates for president and
vice president by bodies known as national
conventions. The convention system is a
growth, not a creation. 1t came into vogue
sixty years ago through the initiative OF
the evanescent anti-Masonic party, and
since that time every president has been
the nominee of one or the other of the two
great parties. State or congressional con-
ventions of each party also name candi-
dates for presidential electors, and the is
sues are joined.
The electors having been chosen, they
meet in the respective states on the second
Monday in January following, at such place
in each state as the legislature thereof
shall direct. They meet at the various
state capitals, though the legislature could
appoint any other place within the state for
their meeting.
When the electoral college meets in each
state the members organize and proceed
to vote by ballot for president and vice
president, one Of whom shall not be an in
habitant of the same state with themselves,
the votes being cast for president and vice
president separately. The balloting CON
cluded, two lists in triplicate are made,
one of all persons voted for as president,
the other of all persons voted for as vice
president They are then signed and certi-
lied by the electors. One of the guberna-
tOrial certificates above explained is then
annexed to each list so certified, and the
whole sealed and transmitted one to the
president of the senate at the seat of gov
ernment Washington by a special mes
senger selected by the electors, usually one
of their own number, who is paid 25 cents
a mile if he performs his duty and is fined
$1,000 if he doesn't, another by mail to the
president ofthe senate and the third is de-
posted with the United States judge ofthe
district in which the electors meet. In
the event Of the miscarriage of the two
others this one is to be sent for.
The electors having acted, the law pro-
vides that congress shall be in session on
the second Wednesday in February, fol-
lowing, and the two houses meet in joint
session in the hall of the house of repre-
sentatives at O'Clock p. m. The president
of the senate presides, the returns are
counted and objections received. If the
result of the count should be to show that
no one bad received a majority of all the
votes cast for president in the electoral
colleges, ''the house ofrepresentatives shall
choose Immediately by ballot the presi-
dent" from the three candidates having the
highest number of electoral votes. In that
event the vote is taken by states each state
having one vote. If the house fails to !