Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 March 1885 — OUR CHIEF EXECUTIVES. [ARTICLE]

OUR CHIEF EXECUTIVES.

An Interesting and Instructive Compilation of Presidential Statistics. The Popular and Electorial Votes from George Washington to Grover Cleveland. To speak of minority Presidents in a country where it is said the majority rule may be to some persons mysterious; yet such is the fact, and their inauguration frequently occurs. This is the result of choosing that officer by the electoral vote, which is, perhaps, the best system that could have been devised. By it each State has an equal number—two electoral votes as the Senatorial representation, and one electoral vote for each Representative the State is entitled to in the lower house of Congress; to be chosen in such manner as the Legislature of the State may direct. Though not controlling, this system has an equalizing tendency to the election of President. The same wise provision is provided in the legislative department of our Government. It is one of the great principles of State-rights, without which it is believed this Union of States could not have been formed, unless the small colonies (States) were forced in by the hand of oppression. Soon after the revolutionary war the Continental Congress provided for a convention of delegates from each colony to form a constitution and a union of States. Twelve of the colonies responded—viz., Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia. In this convention were many of the best men in the country. A constitution containing the above provisions was formed. It provided for its ratification and adoption by each State, two-thirds being necessary to form a union. Nine of them having adopted the Constitution, the election of a President became necessary. The Constitution thus formed provided that the electors shall meet in their respective States and vote by ballot for two persons, residents of different States. The person receiving the greatest number of votes, that being a majority of all the votes cast, shall be the President; but should two persons having such majority be equal, then the House of Representatives shall cjjoose one of them for President. If no one has a majority, then from the five highest on the list the House shall choose the President, each State having but one vote. Two-thirds of the States to constitute a quorum for business, but a majority to make the choice. In like manner, the second highest of the persons voted for by the electors to become the Vico President. If not chosen by the electors, then by the Senate. By tho Constitution the twelve States were ontit’ed to 91 electoral votes. When the first e ection was he'd, New York having 8 votes, had not completed her electoral system. North Carolina with 7, and Rhode Island with 3 votes, had not adopted the Cons'itution. There were four vacancies—two in Maryland and two in Virginia—leaving the electoral vote but 69. When counted, George Wallington had received the 69 votes, and was inaugurated President April 30, 1789. The census of 1790 increased the electoral vote to 132. In 1792 Washington was again unanimously chosen President. In 1796 the electoral vote was 139. Of this number John Adams, Federal, received 71, and Thomas Jefferson, Democrat, 68 votes. As some of the States chose their electors by the islatures, and the count being close, we are unable to give correctly the popular expression. It is believed to have been in favor of Jefferson. Be that as it may, Adams was constitutionally elected. South Carolina continued to choose her electors by the Legislature until 1860. In 1800 the electoral vote was 139. Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr, both Democrats, received an equal number—73 electo-al votes. There being no choice by the people, the election went to the House of Representatives. On the thirty-sixth ballot Jeffers was chosen President by the following States, each having one vote: Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, and Virginia—ten States. That being a majority of all the States, Jefferson was constitutionally elected President. After the tie vote of Jefferson and Burr, it became evident that the like might often occur, and immediate measures were taken to amend this part of the Constitution. By 1804 the twelfth amendment was consummated. It provides that the electoral vote shall be given separately for President and Vice President. No one receiving a majority of that vote, the election to be by the House, as above stated, but to be chosen from the three persons having the highest electoral vote. In 1804 the electoral vote was 176. Thomas Jefferson received 162, and Charles C. Pinckney, Federal, 14 electoral votes. In 1808 the electoral vote was 17G. James Madison, Democrat, received 122; Charles C. Pinckney, Federal, 47; George Clinton, Democrat, 6 electoral votes. In 1812 the electoral vote was 218. Of this number James Madison received 128; DeWitt Clinton, Federal, 89 votes; one seat vacant. I In 1816 the electoral vote 'was 221. James Monroe, Democrat, received 183; Rufus King, Federal, 34 electoral votes; four seats vacant. In 1820 the electoral vote was 235. James Monroe received all but one, that being given to John Q. Adams; three electoral seats vacant. In 1824 the electoral vote was 261. Of this number Andrew Jackson, Democrat, received 99; John Q. Adams, Federalist, 84; William H. Crawford, Democrat, 41; and Henry Clay, Democrat 37. No one receiving a majority of the electoral vote, the contest was again decided by the House of Representatives. The number of States then in the Union was 24. Of this number 18—Connecticut, Illinois, Kentucky,

Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont—voted for John Q. Adams. The popular vote was: Jackson, 155,872; Adams, 105,351; Crawford, 44,282; Clay, 46,587. Though largely in the minority, Mr. Adams was constitutionally elected. The choice was not satisfactory to the people, and party lines became more closely drawn. In 1828 the electoral vote remained unchanged—26l. Of this number, Andrew Jackson, Democrat, received 178; John Q. Adams, Federalist, 83. The popular vote stood: Jackson, 647,231; Adams, 509,097. In 1832 the electoral vote was 228, and was divided as follows: Andrew Jackson, 219; Henry Clay, Whig, 49; John Floyd, Whig, 11; William Wirt, anti-Mason, 7. The popular vote was: Jackson, 687,502; Clay, 530,189; Floyd and Wirt combined, 23,108. In 1836 the electoral vote was 29k Martin Van Buren, Democrat, received 170; William H. Harrison, Whig, 73; Hugh L. White, Whig, 26; Daniel Webster, Whig, 1; and W. P. Mangum, Whig, 1. Popular vote: Van Buren, 761,549; all others combined, 736,656. In 1840 the electoral vote was 294. Of this number William H. Harrison, Whig, received 234; Martin Van Buren, 60. The popular vote was: Harrison, I, Van Buren, 1,128,702; and J. G. Birney, Abolition, 7,059. In 1844 the electoral vote was decreased to 275. James K. Polk, Democrat, received. 170, and Henry Clay, Whig, 105. The popular vote was: Polk, 1,337,243; Clay, 1,299,068; and Birney, 62,300. In 1848 the electoral vote was 290. Zachary Taylor, Whig, received 163; Lewis Cass, Democrat, 127. The popular vote was: Taylor, 1,360,101; Cass, 1,220,545; aud Martin Van Buren, Free Soil, 291,263. In 1852 the electoral vote was 296. Of this number Franklin Pierce, Democrat, received 254; Scott, Whig, 42. The popular vote was: Pierce, 1,601,474; Scott, 1,386,572; and John P. Hale, Free Soil, 156,149. In 1856 the electoral vote was 296. James Buchanan, Democrat, received 174; John C. Fremont, Republican, 114; and Millard Fillmore, American, 8. The popular vote was: Buchanan, 1,838,169; Fremont, 1,341,261; and Fillmore, 874,534. In 1860 the electoral vote was 303. Of these Abraham Lincoln, Republican, received 180; John C. Breckinridge, Democrat, 172; John Bell, American, 39; and Stephen A. Douglas, Democrat, 12. The popular vote was: Lincoln, 1,866,352; Douglas, 1,375,157; Breckenridge, 845,763; and Bell, 589,591. In 1864 the electoral vote was 314." Eleven States, having 81 electoral votes, did not take part in the election, reducing the electoral vote to 233. Of this number, Abraham Lincoln, Republican, received 212, and George B. McClellan, Democrat, 21. The popu, lar vote stood: Lincoln, 2,216,067; McClellan, 1,808,725. In 1868 the electoral vote was 317. Three States, havi g 23 votes, did not participate in the election, reducing the electoral vote to 294. Of these Ulysses S. Grant, Republican, received 214, and Horatio Seymour, Democrat, 80. The popular vote was: Grant, 3,015,071; Seymour, 2,709.613. In 1872 the electoral vote was 366. Of this number U. S. Grant, Republican, received 286. Votes not counted, 17; the remainder, 63, were cast for T. A. Hendricks, B. G. Brown, C. J. Jenkins, and David Davis, neither of whom was a candidate. The popular vote was: Grant, 3,597,070, and for Greeley, O’Conor, and Brown, Democrats and Liberal Republicans, 2,869,0 95. In 1876 the electoral vote was 369. Of this number 185 were cast for Rutherford B. Hayes, Republican, and 184 for Samuel J. Tilden, Democrat. The popular vote was: Tilden, 4,284,885; Hayes, 4,033,950; Peter Cooper, Greenback, 81,740; and G. C. Smith, Prohibitionist, and scattering, 12,158. In 1880 the electoral vote was 369. James A. Garfield, Republican, received 214, and Winfield S. Hancock, Democrat, 155. The popular vote was: Garfield, 4,449,053; Hancock, 4,442,035; James B. Greenback, and scattering, 319,882. In 1884 the electoral vote was 401. Of this number Grover Cleveland, Democrat, received 219, and James G. Blaine, Republican, 182. The popular vote was: Cleveland, 4,910,975; Blaine, 4,845,022; St. John, Prohibitionist, 151,443; B. F. Butler, Greenback, 133,428.