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Story
January 21, 1875
The Kenosha Telegraph
Kenosha, Kenosha County, Wisconsin
What is this article about?
Critique of U.S. presidential election methods, citing historical disputes in 1856, 1868, and 1872 elections, warns of potential close contests in 1876, and endorses Senator Morton's proposal for district-based direct popular vote to ensure fairer results.
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Full Text
ELECTION OF PRESIDENT
It is becoming more evident every day that the present method of electing the President and Vice President is defective and that some better and safer method should be adopted. Thus far there has never been a contested Presidential election but it might happen that there would be, if the election in 1872 had been so close that Louisiana had held the balance and the vote of that State had determined the election there might have been. Both parties claimed then and claim now to have carried the State. In 1872 the electoral vote of that State could not effect the result either way, but might in 1876, or the vote of some other State in dispute might be necessary to determine the result.
In 1856 the members of the Wisconsin electoral college were prevented from meeting on time by a snow storm, but dated their meeting back so as to conform to the requirements of the law, and Congress decided to count the votes, as it could make no difference. The vote of Georgia in 1868 was declared to be illegal, but allowed to be counted on the ground that it could make no difference. And the votes of Louisiana and Arkansas in 1872 were thrown out for illegality and that they could make no difference.
On these three occasions, counting or not counting the votes, could not change the result of the election. But a close election is sometime coming and may come in 1876.
Senator Morton, Chairman of the Senate Committee on elections and privileges, proposes to elect the President and Vice President by a direct vote of the people as follows:
Each State shall be divided into districts equal in number to the number of Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress, to be composed of contiguous territory, and to be as nearly equal in population as may be; and the person having the highest number of votes in each district for President shall receive the vote of that district, which shall count one Presidential vote.
The candidates for President and Vice President having the highest number of votes in a State shall receive two Presidential votes from the State at large, and those having the highest number of Presidential votes in the United States shall be President and Vice President. In the event of a tie the following provision is made:
If two persons have the same number of votes in any State, it being the highest number, they shall receive each one Presidential vote from the State at large; and if more than two persons shall have each the same number of votes in any State, it being the highest number, no Presidential vote shall be counted from the State at large. If more persons than one shall have the same number of votes, it being the highest number in any district, no Presidential vote shall be counted in that district.
The same provision applies to Vice Presidential candidates. To complete the safeguards against the emergency of a contested Presidential election it is provided that Congress shall have power to provide for holding and conducting the elections of President and Vice President, and to establish tribunal for the decision of such elections as may be contested.
Morton's plan seems to be just, safe and certain, and it is time that the constitution should be so amended as to obviate difficulties which are liable to occur at any close Presidential election.
It is becoming more evident every day that the present method of electing the President and Vice President is defective and that some better and safer method should be adopted. Thus far there has never been a contested Presidential election but it might happen that there would be, if the election in 1872 had been so close that Louisiana had held the balance and the vote of that State had determined the election there might have been. Both parties claimed then and claim now to have carried the State. In 1872 the electoral vote of that State could not effect the result either way, but might in 1876, or the vote of some other State in dispute might be necessary to determine the result.
In 1856 the members of the Wisconsin electoral college were prevented from meeting on time by a snow storm, but dated their meeting back so as to conform to the requirements of the law, and Congress decided to count the votes, as it could make no difference. The vote of Georgia in 1868 was declared to be illegal, but allowed to be counted on the ground that it could make no difference. And the votes of Louisiana and Arkansas in 1872 were thrown out for illegality and that they could make no difference.
On these three occasions, counting or not counting the votes, could not change the result of the election. But a close election is sometime coming and may come in 1876.
Senator Morton, Chairman of the Senate Committee on elections and privileges, proposes to elect the President and Vice President by a direct vote of the people as follows:
Each State shall be divided into districts equal in number to the number of Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress, to be composed of contiguous territory, and to be as nearly equal in population as may be; and the person having the highest number of votes in each district for President shall receive the vote of that district, which shall count one Presidential vote.
The candidates for President and Vice President having the highest number of votes in a State shall receive two Presidential votes from the State at large, and those having the highest number of Presidential votes in the United States shall be President and Vice President. In the event of a tie the following provision is made:
If two persons have the same number of votes in any State, it being the highest number, they shall receive each one Presidential vote from the State at large; and if more than two persons shall have each the same number of votes in any State, it being the highest number, no Presidential vote shall be counted from the State at large. If more persons than one shall have the same number of votes, it being the highest number in any district, no Presidential vote shall be counted in that district.
The same provision applies to Vice Presidential candidates. To complete the safeguards against the emergency of a contested Presidential election it is provided that Congress shall have power to provide for holding and conducting the elections of President and Vice President, and to establish tribunal for the decision of such elections as may be contested.
Morton's plan seems to be just, safe and certain, and it is time that the constitution should be so amended as to obviate difficulties which are liable to occur at any close Presidential election.
What sub-type of article is it?
Electoral Reform
Political Proposal
What themes does it cover?
Justice
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
Presidential Election
Electoral Reform
Senator Morton
Direct Vote
1876 Election
Louisiana Dispute
Wisconsin Snowstorm
What entities or persons were involved?
Senator Morton
Where did it happen?
United States
Story Details
Key Persons
Senator Morton
Location
United States
Event Date
1876
Story Details
The article argues the current presidential election system is flawed, references past disputed elections in 1856, 1868, and 1872 that did not affect outcomes but could in a close 1876 race, and details Senator Morton's plan for direct district voting plus state at-large votes, with tie provisions and congressional oversight to prevent contests.