Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1839-05-04

the thing is right in principle, and tina, it is one
Of the political acts of the country which is ex-
pedient and proper, and that it desirable that it
should be encouraged by all possible means. II
Sir, principles make PRACTICES; and till more
fully true is il, that practice makes principles.
Because this thing has been done, the idea Of i,
first becomes familiar, though abhorred then i,
is seen to be necessary for the support of party;
and now they rise up and declare that these
practices, which have heretofore been denounced I
with epithets freezing the blood, are founded on
correct principles. t.
Mr. WALL. The gentleman has assumed things
which not in the report, which utterly deny
and which not true.
Mr.. Preston. will show the gentleman that
he denies what is true, and that these prnci- |
pies abound both in the argument OF Senators
and in the formal report If it not so, l
might not regard it with the same seriousness
might think it the temporary effervesceuce of a
heated itnag inaton on the part of the gentlemen
concerned, which, when sober, they would not
sanction. But thu doctrines Of the report struck
the appreciation of the gentlemen at once, as If
by electric movement, and they forthwith sent
them abroad in thousands of copies rs the foun-
dation which the party purpose to place
these great questions. Sir, l confess that had
then made up no judgment in regard to this bill.
But when this report heard, and its princi-
Piles suddenly and instantly received the nppro-
ba ton and applause of the gentlemen the
one of those gentlemen, by voting to print TO-
900 copies, Of that report, has made it his own,
and given it the sanction OF his name.
And, now. if the gentleman will allow me,
will proceed to show that the principles Of the re-
port are such as have described, and that it
embraces every principle to which have aIu-
ded. Well NAV he be terrified at such a spec
tire, and at the boiling and bubbng camors of
the decoction ontrived by his inge nuity.-
But has he not said that the principle of the bill,
which is to restrict the interference Of office
holders in elections, is wrong in terms; and has
not the total rejection of the bill involved ncces-
sarly the re ection of that principle? Has he
not denied the existence of any such interfer-
ence, and denounced every part and portion of
the bill? But will not make a nero statement
of the contents of the report, l will give its
words, ipsissirna rerba, its very propositions.
One Of its propositions is, that the elective
right OF the United States is universal, and not
: confined to any parts or portions OF the People,
and therefore it concludes that, ice-holders
are all people and citizens of the United States
, this circumstance guarantees to them the right
, to BIO active in the elections, which cannot be in
+ frinoed. The report says. page 2:
The elective right belongs
tina, rgh under our the right Of eleens tn
members of the General and State Governments"
3 Here. said Mr.. Preston he maintains the prop
: osition that the elective right is universal, no
:, yer
: nature of free government. He then place
: Federal officers special grounds in referenc
y to the mass of the people, putting them abov,
S and over them.
'The value and the advantages of this right,
respects the Public, depend the knowledge of public
and of the qualifications of candidates for publ
and consequently, upon the equal and
freedom of discussing their comparative merits dement,
The citizen who, by the choice of his feows,s distinguish
cd by being selected perform official duties and trusts,
reby elevated above them degraded below then
He parts with rights of citizenship, but equ
among equals still connected with them by the strong
enduring gaments Ut mnsabity of rights and privileges
e Under Constitution the People, the Governmen
possess the sovereignty aud the doors Of office op
ed only by the powerful charm Of the public voice, and
degrading sacrifice of of the privileges of ctizensh
separation from the community of rights, feeling
l. and interests, watch bind the People 10 the Government,
ut required
E. Here, sir, (said MIR. P.) the honorable chairma
Oh alludes to supposed grounds of peculiar claims
lg the electoral right arising from the distinction
nj serving the Public, and OF having been seectt
Sc from the general mass; and, on the high grouI
~ of having been thus selected, is placed the rig
OF Of interfering, Of pcrsuadng and dissuading,
IS the popular elections. But the honorable cha
~ man proceeds:
sThe objec, of the Constitution is the protection
20 equal rights and privileges of a-she few well
u.s. The spirit of desposm widely diferent
he the destruction OF the rights of its obe,
or protect the few agans, the Hence the policy
separating its officers from all sympathy OF feeling and
with the many, by attaching Office attractive
ne ncon and seductive privileges, which disI
and elevate. them above the by DEGRADE
,.e mulations, below fellow men,
them become fit instruments of arbitrary power
Despos who surround their thrones wi tn eunuchs and
we the latter principle, and mpeed by the
TOR unnatural and
what is unjusty acquired. Happily ntsi;utio
III resting upon just foundation of popular rights,
" demand will admit the muation Of the
hc privileges Of Citizenship as prerequisite for Office
If Now, sir, (said Mr.. P.) it is somewhat dific
~ to perceive the course of reasoning of the hons
80. able chairman. Here Mr. P. made some
,ha marks not well heard by the Reporter, in viii
~. be was understood to argue some Inconsistency
- the report in reation to protecting the few
To- as the many, and to insist that the object and
,sA tual effect of the English election laws was
-. protect the many against the few, and that 4
On. was precisely what was now proposed by the
~, He thought the argument Of the report on 1
ss point greatly confused, even if it was no,
h., Of sophistry.l
a,d But, says the honorable chairman, fprocee,
en-, Mr.. P) s,he object Of the bill is to render VI
al lawful and praiseworthy. and in strict confol
lev y both with the letter and spirit of our nsti
ed. tons, for all citizens, criminal in a particu
.;c, class who have been honored by the confide,