The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-11-12
Early Elections.

The first election for the choice of presi-
dental electors, says the St. Louis Globe
Democrat, took place on January I, and
not on the Tuesday next following the
first Monday in November The consti-
tiutional convention of 1887, which closed
its labors on the 18th day of September of
that year, fixed the length of the terms of
president ice-president and of both
branches of congress, but the work of set
ting apart the day on which these terms
should begin was left to the congress of
tine confederation, which was to continue
in control of affairs until the government
under the constitution should start into
operation.
On Sept Is, 1888, congress, by resoIu-
ton, provided that electors of president
and vice president be chosen on the first
Wednesday in January, 1889; that they
should meet in their respective states on
the first Wednesday in February and give
in their votes, and that the government
should 90 into operation on the first We'd
nesday in March. The first Wednesday
in the january of 1899 CHANGED to fall on
the 9TH day of that month, and the first
Wednesday in March on the fourth.
Therefore the terms of president and vice
president and of both branches of congress
have always begun on March ! ever since.
THE FIRST ELECTION.
There was very little excitement in that
first election for president. Each elector
then voted for two persons, the person hav
ing the highest number of votes, if ma
jority, to be president and the person
standing second to be made vice-president.
The choice of the country for president
was Washington, and each elector voted
for him, but in the disposition of their
second vote there were wide Emergencies
among the electors. John Adams, how
ever, stood second, receiving "a votes, and
was made vice-president.
THE SECOND ELECTION.
For the second election for president
the date of choosing electors was fixed by
Congress at a time ''within 81 days pre-
ceeding the first Wednesday in December,
1892" The elections from this time on
ward took place at different dates in differ
ent States, the requirement, however, of
the interval between the election and the
day of meeting of the electors being OBJ
served. In 1914 an act of congress set
apart the Tuesday next after the first
Monday in November as the day of cleo
ton, and this law has prevailed ever since.
THE THIRD ELECTION.
In the third election, that of 1896, IL
States voted, Tennessee having been ad-
mitted to the sisterhood since the proceed
ing election In the canvass of 1896
party lines were for the first time drawn
with some approach to defniteness and
rigidity. By sort of popular impulse
Adams was selected to represent one party
and Jefferson the other Adams secured
II electoral votes Jefferson, 69; Pink
ney, 50, and Burr, 80, while smaller
number were given to various other per-
sons. Thus Adams was made president,
while Jefferson became president.
THE FOURTH ELECTION.
The election of 1900 was far more ex-
citing than any of those that preceded it.
Adams was still the biggest man in active
service in the federal party, and he sought
reelection, but an old quarrel between
him and Alexander Hamilton broke out
anew and seriously weakened him in the
canvass. In New York, Hamilton's State,
the Hamilton feud bore fruit in the cleo
ton of Republican legislature. Thus
that State, which had supported Adams
in 1876, now went against him, and this
virtually turned the tide in favor of the
other party. In the voting by electors it
was found that Jefferson and Burr were
tied with u votes each, while Adams had
65 votes and Pinkney Ga. The election
going to the house on the tie. Jefferson
was chosen on the thirty-sixth ballot.
Burr became vice president.
THE TWELFTH AMENDMENT.
Before the election of 1904 the consti-
tuition, by the adoption of the twelfth
amendment, was altered so that electors
should vote for president and vice-presi-
dent separately, which regulation has re-
manned in vogue ever since.
SUBSEQUENT ELECTIONS.
The subsequent elections of president
along to 1921 are not of especial histori-
cal interest. The Jeffersonian party, the
Republicans, which came into power in
1900, dominated the country for quar-
ter of century In every election the
Federalists were beaten by overwhelming
maiorities. The contests from 1924 to
1860 and so on down to 1892 are familiar
to most readers.
CHANGES IN VOTING METHODS.
The number of States voting steadily in
creased, and alterations were made in the
system of choosing electors, a gradual
change to the methods now generally in
vogue, that of choosing them in bulk by
the aggregate vote of the State, being
made The district system, however.
something like the Michigan plan of
today, prevailed in 1924 in Maine, Mary
land, kentucky, Tennessee and few other
States. and some stuck to the scheme sew
eral years longer. South Carolina chung
to the system of choice of electors BY the
legislature until the war
INCREASE IN THE VOTE.
Ten States, having SO electors, voted for
president in 1889; "A States, with 28S
electors, in 1892 33 States, with BOB
electors, in 1860, and 30 States, with 401
electors, in 1885, In 1892, A States
voted with IA electors.