The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-11-06
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, PAST AND
PRESENT,


There is no more signal illustration of
our national growth and development
than the change that has taken place in
our presidential elections. In consid-
cradle degree, also, they illustrate the
gradual evolution Of new constitutional
methods as result of popular ideas.
The presidential election which will
take place on Tuesday will be the
twenty-sixth in our national history,
and it will differ from the early cleo
tons as much as the great and power
full Republic of to-day does from the
struggling nationality of century ago.
In the first election for President, that
Of 17S9. only ten States participated;
now there are forty-sour. The States
of Rhode Island, New York anu North
Carolina did not participate in the cleo
ton of 1889. Vermont at that time was
an indepen dent State. outside of the
Union, and was not admitted until 1871.
being the first State admitted to the
Union under the Constitution. In tho
first election twelve persons were voted
for. and. singularly enough. the names
of Lincoln and Harrison appear in the
list. Benjamin Lincoln received one vote,
and Robert III. Harrison six. George
Washington and John Adams received
the highest and next highest number of
electoral votes, and were declared, re-
spectively, President and Vice-presi-
dent. In 1889. and again in 1893, Wash
ington was elected President unani-
mously, distinctive honor never nc
corded to any other person. The total
number of electoral votes cast in 1889
was go, and in 1893 it was 1872, he receiv-
ing every vote in each case. With his
retirement from Office the Electoral Col
lege began to divide and scatter.
Probably most persons have forgotten
how near Aaron Burr, who was after
wards tried for treason, camc to being
elected President of the United States.
In the election of 1901 Thomas Jeffe rson
and Burr each received 70 electoral
votes, and, there being no choice. the
matter was referred to the House of
Representatives for decision. Jefferson
and Burr were both Democrats, and in
the House, which had to decide the cleo
ton, the Federalists had q majority,
both of members and States. The DEM
ocrats in the House preferred Jefferson
to Burr, and, partly to balk them and
partly because it was thought that Burr
would be less dangerous to the CONNER
cial interests Of the country than Jeffer-
son, the Federalist caucus had deter
mined to vote for Burr. Had all the
Federalist members obeyed the caucus,
Burr would have been elected President
at once, but one Federalist member
from each of the States of Georgia,
Maryland and North Carolina voted for
Jefferson. thus giving him two of these
States solid and part of the electoral
vote of the third. jefferson now had
eight States, but 1T took nine to elect.
Burr had six States and two were
divided. The balloting continued for
week without any change in that sit
nation. On the seventh day and the
thirty-sixth ballot the deadlock was
broken and Jefferson received the cleo
toral votes of ten States out of sixteen
and was elected. Burr became Vice.
president.
In those times and for many years
later the election of President and
Vice-president was q matter the people
had very little to do with. The candi-
dates were named by congressional
caucuses, and members of the Electoral
College voted as they pleased. The in
PRODUCTION of nominating conventions
changed all that, and gradually the
Electoral College ceased to have any in
dependence and became a mere instru-
ment of recording party will. Follow
ing this came an entire change in the
manner of conducting presidential cam
paigns. both for nominations and cleo
tions, and by degrees the present
system was evolved. 1t was o
long departure from the close corpora
ton methods of the early part of
the century to the noisy popular
campaigns of to-day. Undoubtedly
the present system is much more in har-
mony with modern American ideas, and,
on the whole, much better. In spite of
obvious defects, it gives the people prac-
teal control of the nomination and cleo
ton of President and Vice president,
and enables them to have their way. AS
for the excitement that generally attends
presidential elections, it is better so than
that the people should be practically ex-
| cluded from participatiOn in such cleo
tions. Excitement is better than stag
nation.