The Constitution further provides that no Senator or Representative,
or person holding an office of trust or profit under the United
States, shall be appointed an elector. It was undoubtedly
the chief object of this last provision to prevent the perpetuation
of power in the same hands, or under the same influences,
by removing the choice of President wholly from the control
of persons wielding National authority. In a considerable
measure this purpose has been defeated. The elector, in practice,
is a mere agent or scribe. He records and executes the will
of the nominating convention of the party to which he belongs,
in which the real power of selection is in fact lodged. In
these conventions members of Congress, and holders of National
office, take frequently an active and influential share. It
is remarkable, however, how often the nominating conventions
have discarded the candidates who were favored by the holders
of executive office or the two Houses of Congress. And where
such candidates have been nominated by the convention of either
party, they have often been defeated at the polls.
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