El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-10-12

WH when the Constitutional con.
ventiOn of 1887 committed it.
self to the task of framing a plan for
choosing the nations chief magistrate
1t made something of a record for the
number of times it changed its mind
ana also for the number OF plans that
were brought forward and considered
Inc one thing that seemed foremost i'm
the minds of the majority of the mem
bcrs of the convention was the Daccs-
SHY OF keeping the choice out of the
ndHdS or congress or the one hand and
oII OF the hands Of the people on the
Mason, OF Virginia, said that il would
De as pad folly to trust the people to
choose the president as it would be 10
teL : DIlhd man match cOlOrs. Madison
uSCidIeu tudI ne IelJ that to let con-
SresS make the choice would be to
maze tne president a creature of its
wiz dIu3 therefore, absolutely lacking
someone proposed that the choice be
IeLI 70 congress and the eligibility of
a president limited to one term. To
this governor Morris REPLIED that If
the road to civil glory be sbIIf the
president might feel himself compelled
10 seek renOwn by the sword
Feared Cincinnati Society.
Inc main reason why the choice bv
the people was opposed was that the in
Iluence OF the Society of the Cincinnati
was feared One member asserted that
PIE the dominating influence of the
members of this organization in every
immunity would line I'D the voters Is
me shepherd herds his flock, and that
me country would degenerate into a
Cincinnati bOssed institution. This ar
Sunent seemed to carry conviction with
the majority Of the members. for after
IL was made the convention seemed
unWlulnB TO trust anything in the
Eands OF the people themselves
one nemDer proposed that the presi-
uenL should be chosen by a small body
or men composed Of three members
from each large state, two members
from each medium sized state and
one member from each small state
W men nenCers proposed that the choice
SuOuLu pc repOSed IN congress. Madison
opposed 1t, saying it was highly i'm
FOTlanI to keep the president free from
leSlslaIye acknowledgements. He said
Indt WhlIe ne regarded the people as
the uUtest source Of presidential power
II proper safeguards could be thrown
around their choice, he saw but little
chance to provide such safeguards, and
that therefore he favored the choice by
electors. Gerry wanted a president
CHOSEN by electors, but he thought the
electors IN turn, should be chosen by
the governors OF the states. When the
question finally came up whether the
choice should be by electors, North
carolina. South Carolina and Georgia
all voted against it.
Unique Suggestion Made.
There was much fear on the mart OF
some members of the convention that
electors would not measure I'd to the
pest standards Of citizenship. One
OF them announced his belief that they
would not be first, or even second rate
citizens, and that consequently no one
need expect wise choices to be made
under such circumstances Elbrfdge
gerry proposed that as electors seemed
TO be Objectionable, the legislatures of
the several states should ballot on the
OF who should be the next
nEnEnnanF ha -
leadlng candidates thus disclosed the
United States senate should make the
cholce OF the next chief executive. Stir
another memb Der proposed that I D mem
bers OF the senate should be chosen by
lot and that they should immediately
withdraw and make their selection Of
a president
Madison admitted that the real rea-
son why the south could not be brought
to the point Of favOring popular
cnolce OF president was that the slaves
Oh the south could not be allowed to
vote, and that, based on the white
population, the south would have a com
DaratlFely small say in the choice of a
president he stated that speaking for
1lmselt alone be would be willing to
give up whatever advantage the south {
would have to fOregO if that could
make possible the election of the presi-
lent by the people directly.
Dickinson of Delaware proposed that
'ach state should select its best man
ma put him forward as its candidate /
or the presidency, and that then the /
,hOlce from this hist should be made
~ some other body, either by congress I
IT by electors appointed by congress. /
mink what a happy time we would 1
ave eIectlnE a president today of the I
JlchlnSOn plan hau gone through We /
would have had IS states each chOos- /
ne presidential candidate and then
meeting and ballOting to de- {
ermlne which should be elected
Convention Changes Its Mind.
w men the convention got down to 4 j
consideration of the question it would /
-dopt one plan. 4 little later some one 4
you'd suggest new objection to that /
ian and move a reconsideration This ]
notion would prevail. and then another
Ian would be adopted. Again Obiec- [
ions would be forthcoming and again !
he question reOpened. On June ? by Z
vote Of eight to two states, &c was ]
eclded that congress should exercise
he power of choice. That action was
eatflrmed on July II. but two davs I
ater the convention seemed to lose-l
aith in this method of election be-
ause 1t resCinded the former action |
no decided that the choice should be !
lade by the legislature. Five DAYS |
lter it switched back to an election I
y congress again. About a month
lter another switch was made, and this
me Jhe eIectlon was to be made by
DOqy OIL electors to be chosen by the
eople Of the several states. but this
as lOSI on the next motion, by /
'aJority Of one Finally, the whole
l. and IN few days that committee
5porJed a plan which, with a few
publications, was finally accepted.
1t provided that each state should
Dpolnt in any manner the legislature /
hereof should direct. a number of Z
cctors equal to the whole number OF
snatOrs and representatives the state I
lght have in congress. These electors. /
oWeVer, appointed, were to meet in |
leir respective states and vote by ball
u for two persons for president one
{ whom at least should not be an in
abitant Of the same state as them
lives.
The lists of all these ballots were
be sent to the president of the SEN
-e, to be opened by him in the pres ]
ace of both houses of congress The
7rson having the greatest number of /
0tes, being a majority. should be /
resident, and the person having the !
ext greatest number of votes being =
majority, should be vice president. !
/ the event of no one having a ma /
rity. the house Of representatives was
Immediately to choose one of the per
ms voted for for president. and. if |
D one then had a majority, the house / Z
lOuld make the choice from the five |
CHEST on the list, the vote being / .
ken by states. In every case after
lie choice of the president, the person / :
lVlng the greatest number of votes of [ ]
lie electors was to be vice president, !
1T in case of a tie the senate was to I ]
lOose by ballot between the two men / 7
ed. This plan remained in force un- lie
Loo