The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-08-24

houses meet in the same room. The
President of the Senate presides. The
certlfcates from al the states are
taken out, and the votes counted. The
lists are separated into sets, viz: those
for: |. President; 2. Vice-Presi-
dent
The person having a majority of
all the electoral votes for President
is declared elected. The one having
majority of all the electoral votes
for Vice-President is declared elected.
Election by the House.
If no person have a majority Of all
the votes of the electors, the House
Of Representatives chooses the Presi-
dent The House is given this prvi-
lege because it directly represents the
people, and its choice would likely be
more satisfactory than the choice of
the Senate.
If there are five men voted for as
President, only the three highest can
two are not considered. The voting is
by States, each State having one vote.
The vote of each State is determined
by it's own Representatives. Penn
sylvania has thirty-two Representa-
tives. who are entitled to one vote.
How shall this be cast? According to
how the majority direct. If of the
thirty-two twenty are Republicans,
the vote would therefore be cast for
The Republican candidate for Presi-
dent. If there should be sixteen on
each side, it is likely that the vote
would be divided, each side getting
one-half G-2) of vote.
1t requires two-thirds of all States
to be represented in order to have
quorum so that President may be
elected. A majority of all the States
is necessary to elect.
Failure of the House to Elect.
Should the House fail to elect a.
President before the 4th Of March
the President, if elected, becomes
President in the same manner as IL
| the President had resigned or died.
Inaugural Date.
March 4, 1889, was selected as the
| day when the new government was
| to begin. 1t was not until April 6,
1889. that a sufficient number Of
members of Congress had arrived in
New York to form a quorum to count
the electoral vote. Until this was ac-
complished the President could not
be inaugurated. After the votes were
counted. Washington was notified,
and he came to New York, where he
took the oath Of office on the thirtieth
day Of April. 1888 Since then every
President has been inaugurated on
March 4. excepting when such date
has fallen on Sunday. This occurred
three times,-namely, in 1921, 1S49,
and 1877. When March 4 occurs on
Sunday the inauguration Of the Presi-
dent is postponed until the following
day.
Presidents Elected by the House.
In 1900 Thomas jefferson was elect
ed by the House over Aaron Burr. In
1924 John Quincy Adams was elected
by the House over Andrew Jackson.
The Electoral Commission.
The election Of 1876 was very close
being choice between Hayes and
Tilden. South Carolina, Florida, and
Louisiana each transmitted two sets
OF certificates to Washington When
congress met ii could not decide which
of the two certificates to accent. The
election did not go to the House be-
cause one Of the two candidates had
a majority. After much disputing. il
was decided to leave the matter in
the hands of an Electoral Commission
composed of five Senators, five Repre-
sentatlves. and five judges of the Uni
yea SldteS supreme Court.
The Commission was composed of
an odd number G5) to avoid a tie
vote. This Commission decided on
March 2, 1877, that Hayes was elect
ed. Had the Commission held out
TWO days longer. the country would
nave been without President until
some method 10 elect one had been
provided.
Election of Vice President.
lnasmucb as the Vice President un.
DER certain conditions may become
President, Il is necessary that he be
| elected in the same manner as the
overwhelmingly by majority Of