The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1892-07-14
SUPPOSE THERE BE NO ELECTION.

Ii tue 1HITO CarLy Sn0ulQ carry
enough states, the next Presidential
election might be thrown into the
House.
1t is, therefore, matter of timely
interest to review the procedure
prescribed for such an emergency by
the constitution.
That instrument provides that the
person who receives the greatest
number of electoral votes for presi-
dent shall be president, if such mum
Der be majority of all the electors.
If no one have such majority, "then
from the person having the highest
number, not exceeding three on the
list of those voted for as president,
the house of representatives shall
choose Immediately by ballot the
president"
The electoral college now consists
Of IA votes. A maJority necessary
to elect is 223. IF both Mr.. Clevc-
land and Mr.. Harrison fail to get
that number, and assuming that the
third party candidate will not get it,
there will be no election by the peo-
pie, and it will devolve upon the
house to choose a president from
these three candidates. The voting
in the house will be by states and
not by members. The representa-
ton of each state will have one vote.
The one representative of Idaho will
have a voice equal to the thirty.tour
representatives of New York. A
majority of the states, twenty-three
CT the forty four, is necessary to a
choice.
AS the democrats control the rep
resentation of a majority of states,
Mr.. Cleveland would be the choice
of the house.
If the election OF president should
be thrown into the house, the choice
of vice president would by the cons
stitution go to the senate-that is,
assuming that no candidate got a
majority of the electoral votes.
While the house is directed to
choose president from the three
highest candidates, the senate is re[
quired to select vice president from
the two highest. While the vote is
by states in the house, it is by sena-
tors in the senate. A majority of
all the senators elects.
Should the contingency We have
been considering arise, very re-
markable situation and very i'm
portant question would be presented.
The house, as we have seen, being
democratic, would elect Mr.. Cleve-
land the senate, being republican,
would naturally choose Mr.. Reid.
But would MIR. Reid be constitu>
tionally eligible to the vice presi-
dency with Mr.. Cleveland as presi
dent? That is, could a president
and vice president be chosen from
the same state?
On this point the meaning of the
constitution is open to debate. Its
words are:
"The electors shall meet in their
respective states and vote by ballot
for president and vice president, one
of whom at least shall not be an in
habitant Of the same state with
themselves"
This is an express limitation on
the electors. 1t is not an express
limitation on congress.
On the one hand it may be said
that the purpose Of the constitution
is to prevent in any case the cleo
ton of two persons from the same
state to the highest offices of the
government. On the other it may be
argued that as the senate and house
are not expressly enjoined, the pro-
hibition does not extend to them,
and hence they are free to choose
both president and vice president
from the same state
1t is an interesting question that
must give rise to vital discussion
whenever the occasion comes.-New
York Herald.
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