Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-01-15
iould have had third term but he De.

conEummate the exceptional honor, for
"a New Hampshire elector, with a bold
ness of discretion which in our days,
and especially upon close canvass,
would have condemned him to infamy,
threw away upon John Quincy Adams,
the vote which belonged, like those of
his colleagues, to Monroe. determined
so 1t is said that no later mortal should
stand in Washington's Shoes"
Monroe received but 231 electoral
votes where, according to the will of
the people, he should have had 232.
In 1900 the contest between jefferson
In 1900 the contest between Jefferson,
Burr and Adams was close and bitter
Jefferson and Burr each received 73
votes and the election was thrown in
ito the House for decision. That body
decided Jefferson elected president and
Burr vice president. In view of the
ambitious nature of Burr as afterward
developed, this election was a close
one for the young republic.
Up to Andrew Jackson's time con-
gress had been taking principal part
in selecting the candidates for presi-
dert and vice president. 1t was done
by congressional caucus. This was be-
fore the days of national conventions.
Alabama presented Jackson as a can
didate on ? resolution that congress
keep out of the nCmintion business
Nevertheless congress did put forward
a candidate in The version of w. H.
Crawford. Opposition to this brought
out Jclhn Quincy Adams and Henry
Clay. Jackson had 80 votes, Clay 81
and Ad1ms S4 Calhoun had all the
votes for vice president This threw
the election of the PRESIDENT into the
house where Clay was speaker. Though
his state. Kentucky, had directed him
to vote for Jackson. he cast it for
Adams and the latter was declared
elections Jackson was elected. The
last election is notable as being the
first in which the nominating conven-
ton was used.
Martin Van Buren, succeeded Jack
son in 1886 with 10 out of 2S6 elector-
al votes. He nolled more. electoral
votes than did R. NJ Johnson. the can
didate for vice president. who re-
ceived but 147. Next came the log
cabin and hard cider campaign of 1S4O.
in which Harrison polled the enormous
total of 234 votes and Van Buren, but
go. John Tyler took the vice preyi-
dents chair by the same number OF
votes as Harrison.
In 1874 Polk received 10 electoral
votes and Henry Clay 105. The sue
cessful candidate for vice president re-
celved the snme number of votes as
Polk. Four years later Taylor re-
ceivet 1863 votes and Cass 127. Nj.
lard Fillmore took the vice presidency
only to become president on the death
OF Taylor.
Pierce four wears later was fourth
of siose who have received the highest
number of electoral votes He re-
ceived % to AZ for Scott. Years after
ward Cle~o'ard received 277 and Gen
eral Grant received 2S6 (1S72), and in
1860 William Mckinley 292. Mr.. Nc
Kinleys is the highest total received
by any candidate for president.
When Grant was first elected in 1865
he received 214 votes. His second vote
has been noted. After that came the
disputed election of 1876. Thirty
eight s.ates voted. The total number
of electoral votes was 369 The Demo
Gratis claimed 203 votes and gave the
Republicans 166. The Republican,
claimed that they had carried the elec
toral vote of South Carolina. Florida
and Louisiana and that Hayes was
elected by one majority.
The result of the election was in &C
tual doubt. The result of this was the
electoral commission of 1877. which
consisted of eight Republicans and sew
en- Democrats. The commission has
always rested under the SUSPICION o.
partisanship and its Judgment in tht
end, while probably the best thing fol
the country at the time, has never beer
wholly approved by unbiased people.
The commission declared that Haye!
had received 1856 electoral votes ant
Tilden 1874. That occasion was tes
of the electoral system which few care
to have tried again, though it may oc
cur at any time. AS matter of fac
the proceedings of the electoral college
have been quiet since that time.
Never but once has a messenger
charged with transmitting the electora
vote of a state ever failed to deliver it
That was in 1889. In that year the
messenger to whom was entrusted th'
vote of the state of Florida to be de-