Great history but why did they not come up with a solution when it might happen? That is our problem today.
Recall the electoral college. States get to determine how their electors are chosen, and IIRC most states used their legislatures to elect, via chosen electors, George Washington.
The Constitution of 1787 wasn't as Federal as the Articles of Confederation, but the states still had the power to run the show.
Only the House of Reps was designed to be out of state legislature influence. If the states were still in the senate, there wouldn't be a chance that presidents would bother to nominate anti-10th Amendment federal judges. Now, it is assumed that every rat appointee will be hostile to the 9th and 10th amendments.
The 17th must go.