Year: 1877

Senator Morton delivered bis new
lecture in advocacy Of The abolition
of the Electoral College, 10 Iodiauapo-
lis on Saturday evening for the frst
time 1t is mainly an elaboration Of
the views be expressed in the North
AmerieaH Reuie,e. He recounted bis
efforts to get the proposed amend
men, befJr the Senate, and said be
opposed the late Electoral Commis-
sion because il was unconstitutional.
The Commission decided il was not
competent for any tribunal to go be-
hind the returns made 5y State Of
fcers, and in violating that law COu-
gress would be simply q grand Re.
turning Board. and assume u iuris.
diction not contemplated by the Con-
stilutiou. The power OF State 10
appoiLt Electors is conferred by the
Constitution of the United States,
add not by the Constitution Of the
State; and the exercise OF it eanuot
be controlled by the State Constitu-
tiou. The Legislature may repeal q.
any time law tha, ha- been pass
ed providing for the election OF
Electors by the people There il
no provision made in the Constitution
by which the election Of Electors can
be contested. There is no State save
Louisiana which makes any provis-
ios for eontesting the election Of
Electors. This is clearly one Of the
great Imperfections Of the present
Electoral system in framing the
Constitution. Our fathers were not
infalible, and when they came 10
frame that instrument they adopted
the notion that a democracy was tick-
le aud ehangeable, and therefore they
sought TO put this Government as far
from the people as was possible Up
to the first election IN iTss. ali the
Electors we've chosen by the State
Legislatures. The idea Of electing
them by the people made slow prog
ress, and in 1861 South Carolina con-
tinued to choose her Electors by the
State Legislature.


While this was the theory Of our
fathers. it has been completely over
thrown in practice. and our safety
consists in having it completely over
thrown. While the theory and
purpose of the Electoral College has
been overthrown and destroyed, still
it is left full Of danger. True demoera-
ey consists in a Government for the
people and by the people, in which
every man shall be allowed to vote
for the Candidate that meets his appro-
bation, and this is our safety. The
great body of the American people
cannot be corrupted. No amendment
can be made to the Constitution ex-
eept after an absolute demonstration
of the necessity of it. Those who are
fond of change in this country are not
the body of the people, but thoss who
assume to be above the people. The
amendment proposed is to abolish the
Electoral College, and bring the elec-
tion of the President right home to
the people. Our present form OF elec-
tion denies our nationality. II is
vote by the State, and not by the peo-
| pie. When parties are nearly evenly
divided, successful fraud settles the
result. Fraud in large cities is one Of
the great dangers OF the country.
The Electoral College has never
represented the sentiment and choice
of the people. 1t has never come
within 10 per cent. of it, / would
prefer TO elect the President by one
great vote of the people, instead of
being separated by State lines,
and the man getting the most
votes in the United States should be
President.


The present Electoral system is a
complex one, the minority often con-
trolling the majority. The nearer
we bring our Government to the peo-
pie the stronger and safer it is. |
have not much hope in regard to the
accomplishment of the desired change
in the Constitution but | think it is
my duty to present the matter to the
American people, and | intend to do
it whether it succeeds or not