The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-09-29

4 CONSTITUTIONAL ANNlVxkSA1Y.
Next Sunday will be the Tooth Ami
versary Of the adoption Of the Twelfth
Constitutional Amendment, the last one
adopted before the War Amendments.
This amendment changed the manner Of
electing a President and vice-President Of
the United States, and reads as follows:
"The Electors shall meet in their re-
spective States, and vote by ballot for
President and Vice-President. one of whom,
at least. shall not be an inhabitant Of the
same State with themselves; they shall
name in their ballots the person voted for
az President, and in distinct ballots the
person voted for as Vice-President, and
they shall make distinct lists of all per-
sons voted for as President, and of all
persons voted for as Vice-President, and of
the number of votes for each, which lists
sealed to the seat of the Government of
the United States, directed to the Presi-
dent of the Senate. The President of the
Senate shall, in presence of the Senate and
House of Representatives, open all the
certificates, and the votes shall then be
counted. The person having the greatest
number of votes for President shall be the
of the whole number of Electors APP
pointed: and If no person have such ma
jOrity. then from the persons having the
highest numbers not exceeding three on
the list Of those voted for as President,
the House of Representatives shall choose
Immediately. by ballot the President. But
in choosing the President. the votes shall
be taken by States. the representation from
each State having one vote: quorum for
this purpose shall consist of a member or
members from two-thirds of the States.
and a majority of all the States shall be
necessary to a choice. And if the House
of Representatives shall not choose a Pres
ident whenever the right OF choice shall
devolve upon them before the fourth day
Of March next following, then the Vice
President shall act as President, AS in the
case of the death or other constitutional
disability of the President. The person
having the greatest number of votes as
Vice-President, shall be the Vice-President,
if such number be q majority Of the whole
number. of Electors appointed. and if no
person have majority. then from the two
highest numbers on the list. the Senate
shall choose the Vice-President: a quorum
for the purpose shall consist Of two-thirds
OF the whole number Of Senators. and
majority Of the whole number shall be
necessary to q choice. But no person con-
additionally ineligible to the Office Of Pres
lucHI SHdI De eligible 10 tnaL Oh VICE
President OF the United States"
Prior to that time all Electors had voted
for two persons, the one receiving the
highest number of votes being President
and the next Vice-President. This led to
the famous struggle between Jefferson and
Burr. both Of whom received the same num-
Der of votes. 1t was the first victory Of
the young Republican party, which had
then defeated the Federal party Of Wash
ington and Adams. The Federalists sup
ported Adams and Pinckney. Burr and
Jefferson each received 73 votes, to IS for
John Adams, and "a for G. G. Pinckney.
After many weeks OF bitter struggles in
the House Of Representatives, Jefferson re-
ceived the votes Of 10 States, and Burr of
four, with Delaware and South Carolina
not voting. This was in the Spring of
1901. Dec II. 1903, Congress proposed
to the Legislatures the above amendment,
and Sept. %. 1904. the Secretary of State
announced in q proclamation that the
amendment having been ratified by the
Legislatures Of three-fourths Of the States,
now was the law.
No more amendments were added to the
Constitution until 1855, when the Thir-
tenth was passed forever abolishing slav-
cry I'm the United States and all places
subject to their jurisdiction"