ties, etc. In regard to the method of choosing the
president, Par. 2, Sec. 1, Art. 2, reads thus: "Each State shall
appoint in such manner as the legislature thereof may direct, a
number of electors, equal to the whole number of senators and
representatives to which the State may be entitled in the
congress." There is no other authority for the appointment of
presidential electors, either in the Constitution of the United
States, or in the constitution of any State. The constitution of
the State of New York is entirely silent upon the appointment of
presidential electors, for the reason that the constitution of
the United States declares that they _shall_ be appointed in such
manner as the legislature may direct. With the exception of South
Carolina, every State in the Union has adopted the plan of
choosing presidential electors by ballot, and it is in the power
of the legislature of each State to prescribe the qualifications
of those who shall be permitted to vote for such electors.

The authority to prescribe the qualifications of those persons in
the State of New York who shall be permitted to vote for electors
of President and Vice-President of the United States, therefore
lies alone in the legislature of this State. That body has power
in this respect superior to the State constitution; it rises
above the constitution; it is invested with its powers by the
Constitution of the United States; it is under national
authority, and need in no way be governed by any representative
clause which may exist in the State constitution. In prescribing
the qualifications of those persons who shall vote for electors,
the legislature has power to exclude all persons who cannot read
and write. It has power to say that no person unless possessing a
freehold estate of the value of two hundred and fifty dollars,
shall vote for such electors. It has power to declare that only
tax-payers shall vote for such electors, it is even vested with
authority to say that no one but church members shall be entitled
to vote for electors of President and Vice-President of the
United States. The legislature of this State at its next session
has even power to cut off the right of all white men to vote for
electors at the presidential election next fall. It matters not
what qu