The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-11-04
MAKING A PRESIDENT.
METHODS EMPLOYED UNDER THE
AMERICAN ELECTORAL SYSTEM.

Presidential electors are appointed
not elected, although their names are
on the ballots when deposited by the
sovereigns. The Act authorizing the
operation of the electoral system, and
defining the powers of tho:e chosen,
treats them as appointees, and so like
wise does the law under which they
become the agents of the people to ex
press by ballot the popular will.
When it is remembered that the peo
pie do not vote directly for the Presi
Dental candidates. but, in the general
belief, do decide between two or more
sets of electors, the act of appoint:
ments seems, at first blush, to bs OF
somewhat vague and uncertain au,
thority.
Ballots in considerable numbers
were once thrown out in the State OF
New York for no other reason than
that the last letter of the longest name
among those of the electors was cut
off when the ballots were separated by
the printer. It is believed by many to
this day that the choice of a President
that year was decided by the rejection
of those votes, and that had they been
counted, as they were intended to be,
in the interest of Mr.. Bline, he would
have become the Chief Magistrate, and
his days would haYe been increased.
The expression of the ballot, how.
ever. is the will of the people, the ma
iority of whom decide who shall be
appointed to do the real voting. And
those appointed in each State "shall
meet and give their votes" on the Sec
ond Monday in January next follow
ing the election in November. They
shall meet at such place in each State
as the Legislature of such State shall
direct.
Imperative is the command to as
semble on that particular date in Jan
uary, with no proviso of 'high waters
alone preventing" Failure to obey
this mandate in any one State might
change the election result, and in one
instance, well remembered, when
there was but one majority in the elec,
toral vote for the winner, it would GER
tainly have done so.
That was in 1876, just twenty years
ago. With the law strictly'obeyed, il
required the creation of the extraordi.
nary electoral commission, composed
of five Senators, five representatives,
and five members of the Supreme
Court, to settle the contest. That year
also witnessed remarkable campaign
in the State of Illinois, in which as
has been frequently intimated, Gen.
John A. Logan relinquished his fight
for the United States Senate, and aid
ed in throwing the Republican vote to
David Davis, then a member of the
Supreme Court. The Legislature was
close, and one independent member,
who preferred Davis, was able to elect
him.
This was done to save the Presidency
to the Republicans, 1t was alleged, by
keeping Judge Davis off the high
Joint commission. Under the method
of choosing, he would certainly have
been appointed. AS Senator he was
out of the way, and Republican
Judge was named in his stead. fad
he been a member of the commission
he would have voted for Tilden, but
the board as afterwards constituted
stood eight Republicans to seven Dem
ocrats.
The commission sat from day to
day, until the I'd of March, two days
before the date of inauguration, before
finally deciding the matter. However
its majority may have been schemed
for by botn parties, it was the opinion
of eminent jurists and statesmen, re
gardless of politics, that the action oi
the commission confirmed beyond le
gal doubt or quibble the title of Mr.
Hayes to the Presidency.
Both houses of that body Shall" bt
in joint session on the second Wednes
day in February succeeding the meet
ing of the electors. If the results ir
the States has been close there is much
interest and no little excitement unit
after the second Wednesday in Feb
ruary, or until such time as the choice
is determined.
Should an elector die before the
date fixed for casting his vote the
candidate in whose interest he was
appointed will be the losser. Hac
one died succeeding the election oi
1876, there would have been til
vote in the electoral college. Hat
two died, Tilden would have been
President.
The Senate meets with the Repre-
sentatives in the hall of the House al
the hour of 1 o'clock in the afternoon
of the second Wednesday in Februa
ry. The President of the Senate pre-
sides and opens the sealed packages
containing the electoral certificates.
Tellers, two from each house, receive
these certificates and all other papers
purporting to be such, the votes being
counted in the alphabetical order o.
the States, beginning with the letter
A. The announcement of the result by
the President of the Senate shall bt
accepted as sufficient declaration ot
the persons, if any, elected President
and Vice President.
Objections may be received to the
declaration of the vote of any State
but they must be made in writing, anC
be concise and clear in statement. i
must be signed by at least two per
sons, Senator and member, ant
when all objections shall be received
the houses separate when a vote i:
taken by each. A majority of one
body is not sufficient to reject the vote
of State, but the two houses concur
rently may reject it, when they agree
that such vote or votes have moi
been regularly given by qualified
electors.