Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-05-10
Add one State having

las
2 Add one State having
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+ Here then are six out OF the twen,y.siX State
e which, under the general ticket system, have elea
majority Of the whole House OF Representative
aud by combining could control the entire lesisla
: ton of Congress. This they could do in tul
o House. But there would I've frequent OCCASION
z when n smaller number could exercise this control
This House is rarely fu-a majority OF the Hous'
, constitutes quorum To do busness-a quorum
; then would be I5i and majority Of this number
, would be -. The representation OF New Y orb
and Pennsylvania combined would OF themselves
be 70 On very many occasions, New York
Pennsylvania and Ohio. would be sufficiently strong
10 control the House. After the next census, should
Indiana and Illinois continue To increase in the same
ratio, that they have exhibited in the last ten years
it will only be necessary add them TO the three
great States lust before mentioned, TO form ma =
iority Of the whole House. These remarks hold
good whatever ratio may DC adopted. Tor that ope-
rates alike on all the States, with the exception oil
the necessary inequality of fractions.
With this view of the subject, can any Southern
man. who admits the CONSTITUTIONAL power, hesitate
50 to exercise It. as TO prevent the oppressive ard
destructive results which might follow such possib c
| com binations7 I do not say that the States would
so combine-G am speaking of the powers winch
/ particular system would Give, and not the use OF
| the powerful that We know nothing. The only
rule Of safety is, no; TO yield the means OF injury
/ It Trey DC Withheld.
L. may be said thst put extreme cases, and that
these mis;h!ss in all probability will never occur.
I II ia always fair TO test principles Ivy examining
their legitimate TesuIts-by looking as well TO The
ends TO which they can conduct Us, as To inferno
diate points ~h, re their action may be stopped.
Again: have always thought that IN the a6mi-
uistraton. as well as the construction of govern
ment, regard should be rad to the rights Of mirori'
ties. What is the greatest good which well re-
gusted Government brstovs on those upon whom
1t operat,s7 IL is that secures the rights of the
weak against the power OF the strong
With the system Of general elections adopted
throu. hout the Union, have seen that the small
SAFES are in the power OF ih- large ard that the
weak portions ofthe Republic can he made trbu
tarv 10 the strong, IN much greater degree, than
nv the o.her moJo at eoouon. How will It be
within the State itselil
\ Congressional election is at hand-the people
of the State are divided into two great parties
they entitled, Oy election at large to select
~ Representatives, TOR will take my own State
10 serve Ps the iustrauOn.l Each party has its
ticket OF 81 candidates all OF whom to &c voted
Tor by such portion Of the people Throughout The
State as agree, politically with the respective
/ tickets. The batch of candidates having the ma.
iority of the entire vote IS elected, ard constitutes
the representation Of the whole people Of the State
! in this House. Now maioity Of one vote Just IS
eifectua,ly elects the candidates the one ticket,
and determines the character Of the entire deiesa
! ton, as 4 majority Of ten thousand. The whole
of Virginia. in the Presidential election of 1870
was S6.lsS-a majority Of this vote would I've 45,
O92. Had this been congressional election this
number would have elected one set Of candidates,
supposed to sgree in opinion with the voters, ,eav
ing minority OF IS 09l, without n single member
from she Stae agreeing with them in opinion, or
representing what that minority night consider their
interests and the true interests OF the State.
Again; Take large State, Virginia for exam
pic, with territory stretching from the ocean 10 the
Ohio river, embracing every class OF Interests, CONF
mercla agricultural and manufacturing, and pos
sessing, as verify believe she does, her SOIL her
ores. her water power, her noble rivers her bepih-
cent climate and happy position, the sources OF more
wealth, enterprise, and prosperity, than any State
of this Union-and apply the action ol this general
ticket system 10 her interests, so far as they may
be connected with The le islaton OF Congress Mem
bers would longer lie elected with reference 10
these-locai interests would be absorbed IN conside-
ratIons Of party qualification, and the avaia biitv
OF the candidates, in the heavy voting portions OF
the State.
candidates, from personal know edge OF their worth
and qualifications. The good old republican fash
ION of candidates looming out on their own hook
and submitting their respective claims 10 the judg-
ment Of their fellOw-cizens OF the district 10y whom
they known. and will be duly estimated, will
be siiil more improbable. who shall be the can
ddates, will have TO be decided by State conven
tons and caucus machinery. The people will have
10 vote for persons wholly unknown 20 them whose
faces they never saw, whose names even they never
heard before and of whose fitness they cannot
Judge by personal association and interchange OF
opinion.
THIS, 10 n greater or less extent, must necessari.
ly he the case, IN Pres dental election. This Is
an Office further removed from the people-it is
filled Ly one individual. Ii i impossible that he
can he personally known 20 the great body OF the
people Il IS not necessary that he should be. The
relation between him and the people does not re-
qur %, as between them ard their immediate Re-
personalities N the popular branch of the national
legislature. No man should be President Of the
United States who has not, 10y his services and his
qualifications made tot himself name co extensive
with the limits Of the Republic. The esscntsl lea |
ture, however, Of Representalive Democracy is
that the representative shall reflect the viii and
know the wants Of his constituents lie should /
live among them. be familiar with their condition /
and hold with them a common political interest
These ends can only be secured by providing for /
representative electors m districts suited 10 the
situation and convenience Of the people. am op-
posed 10 every anti republican measure which may
have tendency 10 take power and influence from
the people, rs people, and confer u upon Govern
meet, whether Strife Federal. The idea that
the general ticket system, ty concentrating md
combining the whole representative strength Of o
State, gives dignity and power to the States shall
not reconcile me TO adopt that system. | am not
willing 10 enhsnco the power and dignity Of my
State as Government, dear as her honor and glory
is 10 me- by a sacrifice Of the rsh;s and interests
OF her People.
BE ieving, as DO most soemn'y, that those rights
and Interests con only be preserved, 10y continuance
OF the district system Of election and that this sys-
tenn should be adopted 10 all the States and the
manner Of holding the elections be made uniform
throughout the Union, shall most cheerfu.ly vote
for the amendment now under consideration.
HANOVER AGRICULTURAL FAIR.
10 Tho Annual Meeting and Fair II the Hanover
Agricultural Society will take place st Tayorsve N the
Third Thursday May the lgih Instant and will continue
from a. fr lfI.r l.,t. ftU..