Our Presidents and how we make them

by Alexander K. McClure

Resolved, That the original basis of our whole political structure is a consent in every part thereof. The people of each State voluntarily created their State, and the States voluntarily formed the Union; and each State has provided, by its written Constitution, for everything a State should do for the protection of life, liberty, and property within it; and each State, jointly with the others, provided a Federal Union for foreign and inter-State relations.

Resolved, That all government powers, whether State or Federal, are trust powers coming from the people of each State; and that they are limited to the written letter of the Constitution and the laws passed in pursuance of it, which powers must be exercised in the utmost good faith, the Constitution itself providing in what manner they may be altered and amended.

Resolved, That the interests of labor and capital should not be permitted to conflict, but should be harmonized by judicious legislation. While such a conflict continues, labor, which is the parent of wealth, is entitled to paramount consideration.

Resolved, That we proclaim to the world that principle is to be preferred to power; that the Democratic party is held together by the cohesion of time-honored principles which they will never surrender in exchange for all the offices which presidents can confer. The pangs of the minorities are doubtless excruciating; but we welcome an eternal minority under the banner inscribed with our principles rather than an almighty and everlasting majority purchased by their abandonment.

Resolved, That, having been betrayed at Baltimore into a false creed and a false leadership by the convention, we repudiate both, and appeal to the people to approve our platform, and to rally to the polls and support the true platform, and the candidates who embody it.

Resolved, That we are opposed to giving public lands to corporations, and favor their disposal to actual settlers only.

Resolved, That we favor a judicious tariff for revenue purposes only, and that we are unalterably opposed to class legislation which enriches a few at the expense of the many under the plea of protection.

The campaign was a very earnest one, but after the Greeley tide had struck its ebb in the North Carolina election in August, the battle was a hopeless one for Greeley, and he was defeated by a very large majority. The following table gives the popular vote:

STATES.	Grant.	Greeley.	O’Conor.	Black.
Maine	61,422	29,087	——	——
New Hampshire	37,168	31,424	100	200
Vermont	41,481	10,927	593	——
Massachusetts	133,472	59,260	——	——
Rhode Island	13,665	5,329	——	——
Connecticut	50,638	45,880	204	206
New York	440,736	387,281	1,454	201
New Jersey	91,656	76,456	630	——
Pennsylvania	349,589	212,041	——	1,630
Delaware	11,115	10,206	487	——
Maryland	66,760	67,687	19	——
Virginia	93,468	91,654	42	——
West Virginia	32,315	29,451	600	——
North Carolina	94,769	70,094	——	——
South Carolina	72,290	22,703	187	——
Georgia	62,550	76,356	4,000	——
Florida	17,763	15,427	——	——
Alabama	90,272	79,444	——	——
Mississippi	82,175	47,288	——	——
Louisiana[22]	71,663	57,029	——	——
Louisiana[23]	59,975	66,467	——	——
Texas	47,468	66,546	2,580	——
Arkansas	41,373	37,927	——	——
Missouri	119,196	151,434	2,439	——
Tennessee	85,655	94,391	——	——
Kentucky	88,766	99,995	2,374	——
Ohio	281,852	244,321	1,163	2,100
Michigan	138,455	78,355	2,861	1,271
Indiana	186,147	163,632	1,417	——
Illinois	241,944	184,938	3,058	——
Wisconsin	104,997	86,477	834	——
Minnesota	55,117	34,423	——	——
Iowa	131,566	71,196	2,221	——
Nebraska	18,329	7,812	——	——
Kansas	67,048	32,970	596	——
Nevada	8,413	6,236	——	——
California	54,020	40,718	1,068	——
Oregon	11,819	7,730	572	——
Totals	3,597,132	2,834,125	29,489	5,608

I find that many tables of the popular vote are discordant, and I have accepted the table prepared by Mr. Stanwood as he presented it. The Louisiana dispute arose from two returning boards. Governor Warmouth, who was, by virtue of his office, the head of the returning board, had supported Greeley, and the dispute led to two returning boards, each of which made a different return of the official vote of the State, one giving it to Greeley and the other to Grant. Mr. Greeley died soon after the election and before the electoral colleges met, and the minority electors, who had been chosen for Greeley, were entirely at sea, as will be seen by the following table of the electoral vote as returned to Congress. There were many quibbles raised in the joint convention of the two houses in counting and declaring the vote. Mr. Hoar, of Massachusetts, objected to the Georgia votes cast for Greeley because he was dead at the time, and various other technical objections were made, but the table I give shows the vote as it was accepted: