Evening star., 1944-11-05

Frelinghuysen; Representatives James
A. Garfield and George r. Hoar, and
Justices Samuel f. Miller, w. Strong
and Joseph F. Bradley.
Most Famous Election Case
Being desirous Of knowing the opinion
of The Star on the outcome Of this, the
most notable of all election cases, the
writer again turned to the files of this
paper and there he found under the date
of March 2, 1877, the following editorial:
THE long agony is over and Gov.
Hayes Is to be peacefully inaugurated
President of the United States for four
years from March T. This result, it must
be conceded, has been attained virtually
through the good faith and patriotic
spirit of the Democratic party in carry
ing out the terms of compact, under
great temptation to repudiate it. After
this grand act of magnanimity and con-
cession in behalf Of the public peace, by
a great party having the supremacy in
the popular vote, we may safely dismiss
all fears of the country falling into
anarchy and revolution through the
contests of selfish men and selfish fac
tions for supremacy. = ."
When District Residents Voted
But the Hayes and Tilden campaign
is still within the personal knowledge
Of many of our Washington residents
and an earlier election, known only his
torically, is worthy Of particular men,
ton, since it is the only occasion when
the people of the District voted for the
candidates for President and Vice Presi-
dent
This was the campaign of 1900 when
the Federal territory was still being op-
Grated under the laws of Maryland and
the running at this time, namely:
Thomas jefferson, John Adams, Aaron
Burr, Charles c. Pinckney and John Jay.
Here was condition not expected.
j
dency but for the vice presidency and
everybody understood this to be the case
and yet, according to the Constitution
at that time, it became the duty OF the
House of Representatives to "chuse by
ballot one of them for President. and II
the five highest on the list the said
House shall in like manner chuse the
President But in chusing the President
the votes shall be taken by States, the
representation from each State having
one vote =" >. In every case, after the
ing the greatest number of votes Of the
electors shall be the Vice President"
And the choosing of President at this
time was one of the hardest problems
Congress ever had to solve. The bal
loting began on Wednesday, February
IL, and jefferson was not chosen until
February II, and not then until after
the 36th ballot had been taken.
No Majority
Again, in 1924, a similar condition oc-
Cured when there was no candidate
with a majority of votes. Andrew Jack
son had 90, John Quincy Adams, "a:
Henry Clay, 81; william H. Crawford, Al.
And the House OF Representatives seated
Mr.. Adams, or "Old Man Eloquent" as
ne was affectionately called. The junior
Adams had been a resident Of Wash
ington for some years before he became
President and after leaving that office
he continued to reside in his F street
home in this city until his death In the
Capitol, February 23. 1848.
In the presidential election Of 1886
quite unique case occurred when the
candidates for Vice President were
Richard M. johnson of Kentucky. Fran
els Granger of New York, John Tyler
of Virginia and William Smith of Ala
bama The total number OF electoral
votes that year was 294. johnson re-
ceived lat, Granger II, Tyler Al and
Smith %, total of 294 votes, and as
johnson was one vote short of a major
ity of all votes cast 1t was up to the
Senate to select the Vice President and
johnson was chosen.
It was Senator johnson who on April
Is, 1920, introduced q bill in the Senate
to incorporate Columbian College (now
George Washington University, and the
charter was passed and signed the fol-
lowing year by President Monroe. In
it Congress gave university powers to
the trustees and faculty, allowing the
organization academic and professional
schools and the granting of certificates
Of attainment and diplomas of gradua-
ton in the several departments.
The Lincoln Surprise
Abraham Lincolns election in 1860
was more or less Of surprise, and yet
he received $50 electoral votes, John G.
Breckenridge, one Of his three oppo-
nents, receiving 70.
Breckenridge, it will be recalled, was
the retiring Vice President at the time
and during the war that ensued between
the States was found, on July IL and
u, 1854, accompanying Gen. Jubal Early
In his attempt to capture Washington
In the second Lincoln electioM 1864,
the President for while, during the
early part Of the campaign, thought
that he might be defeated by Gen.
George B. Mcclellan. his Democratic
opponent, and On the 23d Of August even