Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-08-15

choice Of the electors in any State a
certificate showing how the contest has
been settled must be forwarded by the
Governor to Secretary Of State Knox, who
must then publish the certificate in some
"public newspapers'' and send copies
to the two houses Of Congress.
Having unlocked the electoral votes
from the casket, placed upon his DESK
Vice. President Sherman will hand them
to the tellers. seated at the desk below
him, these gentlemen having been pre-
viously selected by their respective par
ties in each house. After having read
the count as estimated by the tellers,
| the vice-president will ask for ob1ec-
tons. and If there be none he will add:
This announcement Of the state of
the vote by the President of the Senate
| is by law q sufficient declaration that
- is elected President" etc.
THE PROCEDURE IN DETAIL.
And here is the procedure which, il
presidents are observed. will be fol.
lowed in the event that no candidate
in next November's election is found
by this count to have received a majority
of the electoral vote:
| The Senate having retired to its
chamber. the House of Representatives
would begin action with u roll call.
This having shown that a member Or
members from two-thiris of the States
are present. the House would immedi-
ately proceed by ballot to choose a
president from the three candidates.
In case none should receive the vote
| of a majority of all the States on the
Aay1
to ballot for a president without in
| terruption by other business until a
president is chosen or there is a hope
less deadlock remaining unbroken un-
til March T.
| The doors of the House would be
| locked during the balloting. except
against its officers and members Of the
Senate. At the request of the 1elega-
| ton of any one State the galleries
couli be cleared. From the commence
ment OF the balloting until an election
were completed no proposition to ad-
journ could be received unless on mo-
ton Of one State. seconded by another.
the question being finally decided by
the vote OF States.
In balloting for president ballot boxes
would pc provided for each State. two
boxes being given to each State delega-
ton. One delegate from each State would
be appointed a teller and when voting
was at an end the 4s tellers. divided into
two sets, would lake the boxes. two
from each State delegation; one contain
ing ballots. and the other a depulicate
set of the same ballots, and count the rea
ballots and the duplicates.
The count Of the original set and
duplicate set of votes must agree at each
balloting. Each ballot would be reported
to tho House and announced by the
speaker, and as soon as a ballot showed
, a majority for one candidate the speaker
, would declare that candidate elected. A
message would then be sent to the Senate,
, forthwith, communicating tho result and
committee OF three Representatives
, would be Immediately appointed to APP
, praise first. President Taft, and then the
president-elect (should he be another
candidate) Of the outcome of the con-
, test
MAY CONTEST ELECTORAL VOTE.
Should some member Of Congress- con.
test the coming electoral vote DURING
the procedure Of counting II In Feb.
. ruary. as described this would be the
!" process
Upon the vice-presidents calling FOL
objections senators and Representatives
could present them, but they would hav,
>, :, to be made in writing and signed by a.
: least one senator and one representative
:, Such objection could properly arise only
over such question as which of two
;, state authorities could properly deter
=. mine what electors had been properl,
y chosen. No regularly given electoral vot,
= from any State where the electors hat
= been lawfully certified to. and wher,
only one return had been received, coult
be questioned. The objection, being re
teived. the two houses would separate
, the Senate returning to Its own chamber
The majority of one house alone woult
. not be ayfficient to reject the returns from
~ any State. but both houses would hav,
to vote the same way. and they woul,
y have to DO this within f1ve days after tn
- first meeting OF the two houses, or N
"a recess would thereafter be allowed unit
the matter was settled.
so uncertain was the result OF III
4, Hayes Tilden tangle in 1876 that thought
, ful men got to work early in the white
~ and passed a law that In case there Shout
be moro than one return from any Stat
its vote should be decided by a commits
sion OF ID members. Each house was au
70 thorized to elect Ave members OF thi
n body by oral vote, and with these wer
'e TO sit four justices OF the supreme court
VI who we're to select a fifth justice to 81
u with them. and the senior justice select
To ed was to preside over the entire com
j. mission.
80, DEAD OR ALIVE.
O. Such a committee Of physicians wa
III forthwith appointed 70 sit upon the bod
OF OF Iilden and determine whether ne wa
r. politically dead or alive. It met Feb.
a 1877, and deliberated for month Tn
al joint session of Congress met March
IS, to witness the canvass of tho electorr
RS vote by the president OF the Senate VIII,
he on the basis OF the commissions findin,
ct announced the election of Hayes an
d. Wheeler. 1t was the country's widesprea
he dissatisfaction over this arrangemer
tn which caused the passage of law prt
In viding that the States themselves shoul
n determine contests Of their electoral vote
but allowing that an appeal may l
he taken In Congress In case of such con