The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-11
An Ingenious Plan That Did Not Work
as satisfnct oriiy as the
"Fathcrs- Expected
MANY MEN WERE VOTED FOR
AND ELECTORS DID NOT ALWAYS
REGISTER THE PEOPLES WILL.
Candidates Not Nominated by Party
Caucuses Until Is0o-Features OF
Succeeding Elections.
pecial to the indianapolis Journal


any record of the popular vote at presiden-
tial elections down TO 1894. and the fact that
the recorded popular vote at that election
is deprived of value because in so many
States electors were chosen by legislatures.
make the first ten elections stand in class
by themselves. 1t was the formative pc
riod of our new government. The fathers
had provided a very ingenious and indirect
plan for the election of President and Vice
President. The people in the various States
were to choose so many electors. and these
electors were to choose the President and
Vice President. The theory was a fine one.
In practice IL soon came to mean that the
electors should simply register the will OF
the people OF the State that elected them.
Theory and practice. where human nature
is involved, frequently differ. A brief re-
view of the first ten elections will prove
interesting.
FIRST ELECTION.
1t was fortunate for the safety Of the new
government that there was no contest over
the presidency at the first election. Every
one turned instinctively to Washington.
Thirteen States. with ninety-one electors,
should have voted, but New York with
eight. North Carolina with seven and
Rhode Island with three failed to ratify the
Constitution in time to participate in the
first election. The ten States that did vote
were New Hampshire. with five electors.
Massachusetts, with ten. Connecticut with
seven. New Jersey with six, Pennsylvania
with ten, Delaware with three, Maryland
with eight, and Georgia with five. a toraR OF
seventy-three. Four electors. two in MARY
land and two in Virginia, did not appear
and vote. so that only sixty-nine votes were
actually cast. Under the Constitution as il
was then the electors voted for two persons
for President. the one having the highest
number, if majority, became President.
and the one having the next highest num-
Der became Vice President.
Washington received every vote east, and
John Adams the next highest number.
thirty-four, and so they became, respec-
lively. the first President and vice =. -
dent OF the United States. The thirty-in
votes Adams did not receive were divided
among ten men. all distinguished I'm their
day, but most OF whom, long since forgot
ten. lie embalmed in biographical diction-
aries. John Jay, OF New York. afterward
the first chief justice of the United States.
received nine votes. John Hancock, ot
Massachusetts,, whose bold signature 10 the
Declaration OF Independence has made his
name familiar TO every American, received
four votes. Maryland gave her six votes 10
one OF her favorite sons, Robert Hanson
Harrison. Virginia gave George Clinton,
afterward Vice President, three votes.
South Carolina gave her three TO one Of
her favorite sons. John Rutledge. after
ward the second chief justice OF the
United States. Georgia cast one vote for
Gen. Benjamin Lincoln. Of Massachusetts,.
who had commanded the Southern Depart
ment at one period OF the revolution. end
who was designated by Washington TO re-
ceive the sword OF CORVALLIS at the sur
render OF his army at Yorktown. Georgia
also honored three favorite sons, John
Milton, an active patriot during the revo-
luton, with two, and James Armstrong
and Edward Telfair, the latter twice Gov
crnor OF the State. with one each. At this
election electors were chosen by the Legis-
Iatures in Connecticut. Delaware, New
Jersey and South Carolina. and in the
other six States by popular vote.
SECOND ELECTION.
Washington and Adams were again
chosen President and Vice President at the
second election. Fifteen States voted, New
York. North Carolina and Rhode Island
having ratified the Constitution, and Ken
lucky and Vermont having been admitted
into the Union as States. These States
were entitled to lbs electors, the apportion-
ment under the census OF 1870 having in
creased the membership OF the House OF
Representatives. and. consequently, the
number Of electors. However. but 132 votes
were cast two Of Maryland's electors and
one OF Vermont's falling to appear and
vote. Washington received the whole Ia
cast and Adams II, thus succeeding them
selves. Party divisions first showed them
selves at this election. When the question
of ratifying the Constitution before
the people those favoring so doing were
styled Federalists: those opposed Anti-fed-
eralists. The majority OF the latter, with
some OF the former. united into a party
calling itself Observation-Disclosures While
IT supported Washington at this election IL
had favored George Clinton, OF New York.
for Vice President. He received fifty votes,
all Of those of New York. North Carolina,
Virginia and Georgia and one In Pennsyl-
vania. Kentucky gave its four 10 Thomas
jefferson. of Virginia. while South Carolina
gave one TO Aaron Burr. OF New York. II
Electors were chosen by the Legislaturestn
Connecticut. Delaware. Georgia. Kentucky.
New Jersey, New York. Rhode Island.
South Carolina and Vermont.
THIRD ELECTION.
Washington having declined a third term.
his party for he was Federalist. by pop
ular agreement settled on John Adams as
his successor. while the opposition centered
on Thomas jefferson This agreement was
intended TO include Thomas Pinckney. OF
South Carolina. as the Federalist candidate
for Vice President. and Aaron Burr that OF
the opposition. Nothing approaching party
discipline existed. that while Adams re-
ceived Il electoral votes Pinckney had but
So and. as Jefferson had s.. Adams became
President and Jefferson Vice President.
Burr received but %: the celebrated Samuel
Adams. Of Massachusetts. Is I'm Virginia;
Oliver Ellsworth. OF Connecticut the third
chief justice OF the United States. li--all
those OF New Hampshire and Rhode Island
and one in MASSACHUSETTS,; George Clinton
z. In Georgia and 8 I'm Virginia: John jay.
5 In Connecticut; James Iradeli. justice OF
60.