Year: 1873

The agitation of the third term question end
the nascent Cnsarism involved will tend to
draw attention to another important one rela-
tive to the Presidency, of which little, COM
paratively, has been said. We refer TO the
proposition of Senator Morton to abolish the
present plan of voting for President and Vice
President by the Electoral College and to make
the election be by the direct vote of the people.
Last Winter the Senator submitted resolution
to the Senate for instructing the Committee on
Privileges and Elections to inquire into the
defects of the present electoral system and
the best means for remedying them. On Janu-
ary II he called up this resolution and made
an able speech on the subject. In an editorial
article the following day we commended the
object, though not prepared to endorse all
the views of MIR. Morton Subsequently
the Senate passed the resolution. The Sena-
tor, as chairman of the committee, has
been, it appears, at work industr1ousiy
since the adjournment of Congress, making
the necessary Investigations short time
since our correspondent at Washington in
formed us that Mr.. Morton had arrived in that
city for the purpose Of availing himself OF the
facilities of the Congressional library ana GER
tain imprinted records in order to prepare
renort 70 Congress. 1t was said at the same
time that. in view of the inertness of Congress
on questions in which it is proposed to restore
to the body of the people their privileges, he
intended to prepare and submit for the adoption
of his committee such a report as will go ring
ing through the country and arouse the press
and people to demand constitutional amend
ment. He expects to carry his committee
unanimously in favor of the reform contem-
plated, and to advance considerably measure
for that purpose in Congress during the next
session. Two or three days ago we were
informed again from Washington of the labors
of the Senator there. 1t is evident, therefore,
that he is intently earnest in the work, and
that really he means to make q report that
''will go ringing through the country" He
seems to have received fresh inspiration from
the recent third term and C@sarism discussion.


Although Senator Morton is on ardent and
able supporter of General Grants administra-
tion-its Ajax, in fact, in the Senate and on
the stump and though he is almost rs much
of political consoidationist and advocate OF
strong central government as an imperialist
might be. it is but fair to give him credit for
the best and most patriotic motives. We be-
lieve he is not following up SO vigorously tho
movement he commenced as foil to throw
the people off their guard and to draw their
attention from the third term question, but,
on the contrary, that, rising above party or
personal favoritism, he is patriotically endeav-
oring to bring about change in the mode of
electing the President before the Presidential
election of 1876. He has said frankly what
his own views are with regard to electinS the
President "He would prefer that the Presi-
dent should be elected by the people as one
community, giving the election to the man
who received the highest number Of votes,
without regard to State lines or municipal
divisions, so that the national character
should be fully represented in one depart
ment of the government" But he assumes
that the smaller States, without which
an amendment to the constitution could
not be carried, would not consent to such an
obliteration of State lines and, therefore, he
proposes that the direct vote for President
shall be by districts, each State being divided
| into as many districts as it has members and
Senators in Congress OF course the majority
in each district would decide how the one
vote in that district should be cast for Presi-
dent and each district vote would be given
independent of the votes of other districts in
the same State. This would do away with
electors electoral colleges and the voting Of
States as States.


We suppose Mr.. Morton will 60 into the
history of the debate on this subject of choosing
President when the government was formed
| and quote the eminent statesmen of that
period, both on the strong government side
and on the side of States rights and the
federative principle; and this might be very
interesting as we'll as instructive but,
in reality the question is, not what was or
might have been adapted to this country at
that time, but what is suitable now under the
changed condition of things. The electoral
college system, happily has not produced any
mischief directly though indirectly it has
fostered the arbitrary rule of oancnses and
conventions; but accidental circumstances
might at any time have plunged the country
into trouble. We are never sure that the
electors will cast the vote of State as the


majority of the people wish or have decided,
or that rival sets of electors may not claim to
cast the vote Of State, and thus, perhaps,
leave it to o party majority in Congress to
defeat the will of the people. Mr. Morton
properly remarks on this subject THE
proposition that Congress has power to sit as
q canvassing board upon the electoral votes Of
the States, admitting or rejecting them for
reasons Of its own, subverts the whole
theory by which its appointment was con-
ferred upon the States; makes Congress the
President and Vice President, and by the