The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-03
ELECTING A PRESIDENT.
THE SYSTEM THAT HAS LASTED ron
ONE HUNDRED YEARH

Only One Change Since the Adoption OF he
Comstit utson-One state VIII Return -
the District System-Thc Federal Pria-
eipIe ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Electors.
CpyrtohL 1891 ny s. s. keCyre.
The idea that written laws or constitutions
OF Government are unchanging and unchange.
ablc is At least very old. The laws OF the Modes
and the Pcrsians have become. indeed. a pro.
verbal expression for immutability. This
notion undoubtedly came from the time when
men were largely governed by unwritten Gus.
toms, and thus came to look upon laws cut upon
stone or traced upon parchment as possessing
a quality OF permanency unknown before
This ancient theory as to the fixed character
OF written constitutions has had fresh lcaso
OF life in modern times and among English.
speaking people because the British Constitu.
ton as such has never been reduced to the
form OF q charter or code. Yet the theory. al.
though old. Is In reality only superncially true
Constitutional development under written
constitution. wholly apart from the regularly
provided method OF amendment, Is as possible
and as far-reaching as the growth OF an entire
system OF law from the Interpretation OF .
single act OF Parliament like tho statute Of
frauds or the statute Of limitations.
The written constitution is developed by
Interpretation and by facts lust like the un.
written constitution. This Is well illustrated
by the history OF the Constitution Of the United
States. 1t has been the chief merit Of that In
strument that 1t has proved capable OF devel.
opment, while at the same time It has held
fast the. fundamental principles on which It
was based. Direct amendment OF the Const.
tuition by its own machinery is now almost
impossible. and yet. while it ever retains its
vast and invaluable conservative influence. its
wholesome development is always In progress.
1t has expanded here and restrained there.
and thus far. as a whole. has worked admir-.
ably and fulfilled it's purposes with success
little dreamed OF at the outset. Indeed. If the
trainers Of the Constitution could examine
their work to-day. they would probably lie
amazed at the manner in which 1t has met the
needs Of a great people By slowly broadening
from precedent to precedent under the inter.
pretations OF courts and gradually conforms.
ing. without distortion. to the logic OF facts
In some directions the Constitution has do.
veloped. il others 1t has remained Unchanged:
while In others still It has ceased to be pract.
cally operative because. although the form re.
manned. tho substance has been found to be
unfit for existing conditions. 1t is OF q provis.
ion of the last class. one Of those clauses much
valued by the trainers, but long since aban.
doned except in name. that l wish to speak.
The two great opposing forces In the Con
one one SIDE and the separatst or State Rights
on tho other. The compromises between
two nt in the main Ss1 the
| currents Of opinion in the Convention which
did not run at all on the same lines , as fhs
the na result One these was the deep.
eeutive power in ali the colonies had rerre.
sented England; Hence executive and out.
American mind and consequently, were sub;
lects Of s9spclon, and distrust and api ireI
| appfimapf i'm the Convention anrinQnQ from
against aga S Unchecked action anywhere. The new
s n ne the ruling
theory Of checks and balances ought to be
other direction. The viii Of the people was to
be supreme. but it was t. be expressed in
and to avoid ali rsts Of A1 rash Of
hasty decisions.
the ths d ae
Wee President. The best method Of making
this choice was the subject Of long and anxious
reierrns the ehoies 81 the chsl Magistrate to
direct vote Of the people. Only one state: in
State voted that tho President Shout b
elected by Congress. which Governor Norris
fosd To and
This plan was finally adopted. however. and
Still it was not quite satisfactory. and for it
was substituted the plan OF electoral COLLEGES.
S tho and rad
ward by the States This new plan OF electors
was certainly ingenious: and it also solved tho
the same time tie evils Of Choice By Con.
State in numbe:s equal to the REPRESENTATIVES,
and Senators, Of the, state in Congress-. On
States We're tomeet in college in each state
and vote for President and Vice. President. Tho
eeeses Of al
| 70 be Presid mt and the person having the next
and best men in each State. that they would
meet In their several colleges and then. after
they We're from the heats of popular and party
conflict. would choose the first citizen OF tho
scheme Was beautiful and perfect one. There
was only one difficulty about II. It would not
dency. and human nature is so constituted
| that men could not cease to be partisans be-
sy y we're os
The electors simply registered the public will.
gard to VicePresiaent AID and chose JOHN Adams
Al he next election the eisetnrs asHin regis
ton for resident. hut in regard to yics-Tr"s.
dent the failure of the electoral system even
s% s sH1y %as Tes Stu r1F sn 9S
! The Icdcralist electors voted for Adams and
t.e fGr Clinton Th ,s ro o
The equal vote for Jefferson and Burr in
| 1900. ard the struggle threatening civil war
which followed. led TO an nmepdnsnt doing
T. the person having the highest ,numtcr. Of
c!ectora votes and the Presidency to "a.
person having the next highest. The twelfth
amendment 10 the Constitution provides that
/ the electors shall name In their ballots tho
person voted for as President and the person
voted for as Vice President. This change made
a repetition nf the dnnger,o f 1901 impossible
This has hcrn the only const itutional change.
however. in IN" method OF choosing irosi.
h,.nf sflb isl hal l.y Ina 81 n In
State wey",e every fonI[,years tor electngs to
| select II President and Vice-Presidcnt These
electors can hc chosen in any manner tho
Legislature Of the state may direct, either 1T
large. IS districts, or In the Legislature Itself.
All m"tfols have been used. but the country
tr. of choosing the electors at large for
each state; Lately Michigan has returned
! to IN" district system i'll order that u gerry
mnnder to secure Congressman, unduly
might also secure electors for the party
doubted. ,lh"weytr. II this return 70 an old
orally accepted, as the good sense Of the c"un;
| sal IN