Electing A President

Senator Morton prints in the North American Review for July-August s second paper on the subject of that pari of the American constitution which relates to the elecüon of a President. The paper contains hut litfcle that is new. In 1875 Mr. Morton reported to the Senate, from a committee of which he was Chairman, a resolntion pröposiag an amendment to the constitution, substituting for the present plan of elccting President and Vice President another plan. ïliis prciposedplan ftbolisheq the whole mnelrinery of Presidential electora. It required that each State should be divided irto as many districts as there may bc Representativos in Congress from each State; that the votéis shall vote directly for President and Vice President, and the person having the high est number of votes in eaeh State shall have the two votes at large for President. The object Of thils amendment was to avoid all the dangers and possible complications which threaton the peace of the country, and of which we had an example last year. The f act tbat the Electoral College has long since ceased to accornplish the original purposes for which it was instituted. and that it has become au obstacle in the way of a fair election, and a possible cover for frand, has been freely discussed, and has been generally admitted. The only diflioulty in the way of abolishing the Electoral College is that of finding sonie other plan better lated to secure an houest election, and as near nn approach to the popular will as can bo liad under our systein of voting by States, instead of voting as a whole people. Mr. Morton givos the figures showing the wkle differenoe between the voice of the people as represented in the popular vote and in the vote of the Electoral College. Thus in - Ver cent. Per t'i'nt. papular Eli'vtuïa' vote. vote. 1R72. Grant roceivod 55 81 1868. Grant rcccivcd S2 73 18G4. Lincoln received 55 1 1851!. Buchanan received 45 59 1852. Pierco received BI 8ï 18)8. Taylor received 46 fia 1844. Polk rea-ived 60 62 The particular point presented in the present paper of Mr. Morton is to protest against the alternative plan provided by the'constitution for Üie election of President by the House of Representatives. At snob. an election each State has but one vote. New York and Nevada have one vote each, though New York has 114 time the population of Nevada. He sfcates as a fact that, though the Honse of Bepresentatives bas 293 members, it is possible for forty-six members to eleet a President. Delaware, Nebraska, Oregon, Nevada and Colorado huye 1 member eash, who together would give 5 votes; Khode Island and Florida have 2 members each, and the 4 members would give 2 votes; Minnesota, New Hampshire, West Virginia, Vermunt and Kansas, five States, have each 3 members, 2 of whom from each State would cast the vote of that State, so that 10 members would give 5 votes; Arkansas, California and Connecticut have 4 inernbers each, 3 of each, or 9 in all, would cast the vote of these States ; Maine and South Carolina have 5 members each, 6 of whom would give the vote of the, two States; Maryland, Mississippi and Texas have 6 members each, and i votes from each State, or 12 in all, would give the votes of these three States. Here, then, 4G members, representing twenty States, would give 20 votes for and elect the President, notwithstanding the 247 other members all voted the other way. Mr. Morton points out the dangers of corruption where tlio choice of a President may be reduced to the vote of one nieinber from one or more States. Presidenta have been chosen twice in that inanner. In 1801, after several days' balloting, a member, who was the sole representative -of a State, stated to a friend of Mr. Jefferson: ''If Mr. Jefferson will give asstirance that lic will retain the Collector of the Port of Wilmington, in Delaware, and ut Philadelphia, and will give two bilis (which were named) his approval, I will ohange my vote to-morrow, and know of two other members from two different States who will change their votes. The effect of it will be to change the votes of those States and give to Mr. Jefterson three additional votes, which will ffltect him," Mr. Jefferson gave the proniise, the votes were ohaaged, and JeJïcrson was elected. In this instance, three ineu controlled the votes of three States, and, by a pe sonal agreoment, elected the President. In 1825, the support givcn to Mr. Adams by Mr. Clay, and by whioh Adums was efêcfed over Jaokson, was the foundation i'or a charge of bargain añd sale whioh followed Mr. tla,y throngh life. Mr. Morton strongly denounces this provisión of the present constitution, becanse of its gross injustice, and its complete denial to the people of all voice in the election of President.