Milford High School - Oak Lily and Ivy Yearbook (Milford, MA)

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VoL. I. MILFORD, MASS., NOVEMBER, 1884. No. 1. mLY,x lYY.-l THE OAK. “Then here’s to the Oak, the brave old Oak Who stands in his pride alone; And still flourish he, a hale green tree, When a hundred years are gone.” THE LILY. “Te Likies, bathed in morning dew Of purity and innocence renew Each lovely thought.” THE IVY. “Oh! a dainty plant is the Tvv green. That creepeth o’er ruins old! Of right choice food are his meals, I ween. In his cell so lone and cold. Fast he stealeth on, though he wears no wings, And a staunch old heart has he; How closely he twineth, how tight he clings. To his friend, the huge Oak tree!” How Is a President Elected? The numerous gatherings, the sound of martial music, the glare of torch¬ lights, the excitement throughout the length and breadth of our land are noAV matters of the past and we need not remind you that we have just passed through the excitement of a Presidential election. Jhit in this free country, how many voters think you can tell us how a Presi lent is elected ? That the scholars of the high school may be able to do so is the purpose of this article. At the national conventions of the several political parties, their national committees are chosen for the ensuing four years. At the ))roper time, in the Presidential year, they meet and apj oint the lay and ])lace for their national conventions. These conven¬ tions are generally held during the summer months. Their next step is to notify all of the state central com¬ mittees of their decision who in their turn inform the town committees. The state central committees call state conventions at which each state chooses four delegates to the national convention. The town committees call caucuses to choose delegates to their congressional district conven¬ tions, where two delegates are chosen to attend the national conventions. These delegates convene at the proper time and place determined by the na¬ tional committee and nominate a can¬ didate for President. Having been notified of his noniintion, the nominee replies by a letter of acceptance or declination. All this time there has been consid¬ erable excitement, but now the work begins in earnest. The shrewdest politicians are consulted. In the doubtful states the work is laid out. The best political orators are secured and men of wealth are invited to con¬ tribute for their compensation, which in some cases, is three hundi’ed dollars a night. The ])olitical paj)ers take sides; vituperation, vilification, down¬ right lying and forgery are not uiifre- quently resorted to. The illustrated j)aper8 employ the talent of their ar¬ tists to caricature the ])ersonal pecul¬ iarities of the candidates and to exaggerate their speeches and acts. In the meantime, the legal machin¬ ery of the election is moving on. The state central committees have called state conventions, at which two elect¬ ors at large are nominated. The town committees have called caucuses of the voters of the respective j artics to choose delegates to the congressional conventions, all of which nominate one elector. All of these electors form the state electoral ticket and are voted for on one ballot, the Tuesdav following the first Monday in No¬ vember. On the first Wednesday in Decem¬ ber, after their election, they meet at their state capitols and forward one copy of their votes, by mail, to the President of the United States Senate and choose a messenger from their number to deliver another copy in person, while a third copy is deposited with the judge of the United States court for the district in whic h the electors meet. In February following, the two houses of Congress meet in joint convention. The votes are counted and the person having a num¬ ber of votes equal to a majority of the whole number of electors appoint¬ ed, is declared elected. But if no person has such a majority, then the House of Representatives proceed im- rnedi.ately to choose a President. Two-thirds of the states must be rep¬ resented. The voting is by ballot and by states, each state having one vote and a majority of the states is requir¬ ed for election. The choice of the house must be from the three ])ersons having the highest numbers of electoral votes. This may continue until the fourth of March ensuing, when the Vice- j)resident assumes the duties of Presi¬ dent, if there has Ijeen no choice. At noon on the fourth of Alarch, the chief justice of the supreme court of the United States administers to the l resident-elect the oath of office re¬ quired by the Constitution: “I do soletnnly swear th.at I will faithfully execute the office of Ifi-esident of the Unite 1 States, aiid Avill to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and de¬ fend the Constitution of the United States.” This ceremony is the inau¬ guration of the President, g. i .