Year: 1878

The Presl Election


The hill of Senator Edmunds provid-
ing that the Presidential election shall
be held on the first Tuesday OF October,
and that the electors shall meet In the
different States and cast their votes on
the second" Monday of the following
January, comes up in the U. 5. Sem
ate to day, for consideration. The bill
provides that before the vote shall be
cast all disputed points shall be settled
by the State Government, and that such
settlement shall be final and conclu-
sive.
Congress is to meet on the second
Monday of February to open the cleo
toral votes and count them, and the
bill provides that where there is but
one return from State it shall no be
rejected without the concurrence OF both
Houses, where there are two or more
returns only that one shall be counted
which is received by the concurrent
vote of both houses. That is to say,
both Houses concurring may reject the
vote of State, if objection is made for
cause to its reception where there IS
only one return, but if there IRE two
none can be received without the con-
curence of both Houses.


This bill retains the electoral college,
but there is a pressure in other quar-
ters of electing President by direct
vote of the people.


One of the most promising of the
schemes devised in this behalfwas pre-
pared in 1873 by Senate committee
composed of Senators Morton, Anthony,
Carpenter and Bayard. 1t provided
that each State shall he divided into as
many districts as the State is entitled to
Representatives in Congress, and that
the people shall vote directly for Presi'
dent. The person having the highest
number of votes for President, i! each
district, shall receive the vote OF the
district for President, which shall
count one Presidential vote. 1t is
agreed that each State shall have tU
Presidential votes at large, which shall
BE- counted for the person having the
highest number of votes in the whole
State, the person having the highest
number of such Presidential votes in
the United States shall be President
The Vice President is to be chosen in
the same manner, and Congress is &c
have the power TO provide for holding
and conducting the elections and to es
tablish tribunals for the decision o
contests as to vote in any district OF
State. This scheme brings the decision
down to the people, but makes the eles
ton wholly a matter of Congressional
control, and not of State control.


A special despatch from Washington
says, that Senator Edmunds will press
his bill to vote in the Senate anc
it has been decided that the Blaine
resolutions shall not be again taken W
until that bill is disposed Of. The in
dications are that Mr.. Edmunds' bill
will receive support from several Demo
cratic Senators, and that it will receive
the affirmative vote of the Senate, with
perhaps, some amendments. Senate
Bayard says he is earnestly in favor o
passing a bill upon this subject durin,
the present session, for the reason tha
il can BIZ considered with more delib
Grafton and with more freedom iron
partisan feeling than if either part,
were in control of both branches c
Congress. He believes a measure Of S
much impo, tance to the people shoul
not be considered in a partisan spirit
and should it be driven over to the mex
session-the next Congress s-when til
Democrats will be in a ma jority at bot
ends of the capitol, and when tn
country will be upon the eve Of
Presidential campaign, it would not r.
ceive that calm and patriotic conside
alton which j. deserves. With tt
political responsibility and power
the legislative branch Of the Govern
ment divided as it now is, Mr.. Bayar
believes bill can be passed whit
will correct the defects of existing Law
governing the choice Of President
Electors, and which will prove sat-
factory to the people. Mr. Bayard sa
he will offer some amendments to NJ
Edmunds' bill, and advocate the
adoption, but if he cannot succeed


inducing The Senate to adopt his view


he will vote ,or the bill as reported


Mr.. Edmunds.


Vindictiyeness.


We presume the thoughtful readt


if there are any, who read the Guzet