Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-09-27

W 1O4N AMI LNI AlNOIolN Nll
Republican and the house Demo
cratic, NO joint assembly could have
agreed on the count.
When the two houses meet, accord
ing to the present law the votes of
the states are read in alphabetical
order. In earlier times the roll of
the states was called geographically
New Hampshire being first. Two
tellers already have been appointed
by the senate and two by the house.
The president of the senate opens
the return from each state and
reads it. When it has been so read
it is open to objection in writing
signed by at least one senator and
one representative. If such obiec-
ton is made, no debate is in order,
but the senate retires to its own
chambmer. In each house two
hours are permitted for debate, each
member being limited to five min
utes.
If the two houses agree in their
determination respecting the dis
puted vote, the concurrent Judgment
shall stand and the votes be counted
accordingly. But if they disagree.
then the votes given by that set of
electors certified to by the governor
OF the state are to be counted.
| Old Disputes Settled
AS matter of fact, such disputes
! nave arisen and have yet to be set
tied. In 1857, 3he electors in Wis
| consln were prevented from meeting,
on the appointed day by a terrific
snow storm. They met the next
day. When the time came to count
the notes.-the Wisconsin men had
voted for Fremont and Dayton-ob-
lection was made. There was a
| Wrangle and the senate withdrew
debated the question two whole DAYS.
and never did go back to the Joint
session. But James Buchanan was
sworn in because the Wisconsin
vote, whether it was counted or not
did not affect the result.
In 1881 the electors in GEORGIA
made a mistake and met on the
wrong day. The Georgia vote, cast
tor hancock and English, made no
ulllefence IN the result. The total
was announced as being so MANY
Tor Hancock, if the Georgia vote
counted, and so many if the Georgia
vote be excluded, the making of a
precedent thus being avoided.
In 1873 the electoral vote of Arkan-
sas was rejected by congress be-.
cause the returned certificate bore
the seal Of the secretary of state in
stead of the great seal. the state
loC having secured one up to that
time. 'iie'
Ihere is a great deal of law on the
SUBJECT of the electors and their
votes, but there is not one word in
any law to bind the action of an cleo.
tor IN casting his ballot. He NAV
yote Tor Whomsoever he pIeases. The
FISK is his. In 1920, when if was
apparent that his action would NOT
affect the result, one Monroe cleo.
'o[ changed his vote for John Quincy
ADAMS so that George Washington
nllsht go down in history as being
me only president elected bv a
unanimous vote.
People Name Electors
Inc people are permitted to vote
4pr electors only by the grace of
t tii state legislatures. If, prior to
Tue last election, Governor Smith
nc'u seen lit to call an extra session
~ me New York Legislature, and if
en"I legislature had enacted a law
pIoFlalnS that New York's electors
Se appointed by the surrogate of
Scnoharle county, that law wouId
nave oeen binding. and the people
~ 'ne most populous state in the
union would have had no voice in
the election of President HARDING
- What would have happened IN
/ Governor Smith and the IerisIa+,,o
IS another question, not altogether
OF legal variety.
IN the early days of the renubIio
electors in most of the states wero
! appointed by the legislatures. This
! pan was unpopular from the first
"Ho state after state gave the reonle
/ lhe right TO choose their own eIac.
lors' until in 1928 the only state
cilnglng to this method of leeis1ative
appointment was South Caroline
1850. 'li''' pau until
Since the Civil war the onlv in.
stances in which legislatures an
/ pointed the electors We're FLORIDA in
1893 and Colorado in 1876.
1t IS interesting just now to recall
that in 1895 Legislature of Ten.
nfssee provided for the apDojnt.
ment of the three electors of that
state by naming in a statute a mum.
per OF persons of property who were
10 select the electors in their respec.
tive districts 80 that the election
might trouble the people as little as
POSSIBLE"
This is quite a contrast from the
election in this year of our Lord
There may be trouble in PLENTY for
people this November.
There are as many members of
the electoral college as there are
members of both houses of consress.
$50 plus 80. or 5S1. To be chosen
president of the United States q
candidate must receive a majority
OF the votes in the electoral college
which is 266.
Strength of La Toilette
Il is possible therefore. in tho
election this fall. that u, r--'...:.,