The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-08-10
From The Charleston Mercury.
THE NATIONAL CONVENTION AGAIN
THE SOUTH CAROLINA ADDRESS

jections which may be urged against representa-
ton by congressional districts in the Democratic Ma
uonal Convention; and we propose now to notice
them But before doing SO, it might be proper briefly
to state the positions OF those who in favor of this
method OF representation.
They urge that there are but two forms Of repre-
sentation known under the Constitution Of the United
States and the Government it establishes: /, The
representation Of States and this is carried out in
the Senate of the United States where each State
being equal IN sovereignty, is equal III representation.
2, The representation of the people-and this is
red out in the popular branch of Congress-the
House OF Representatives generally by district
elections and district representation. Now choose
ye. Take one OF TIE other form Of representation
as the model for the National Convention. If the
former i, adopted we are content Then all the
States being equal, will give equal votes--as was
practiced under the old confederation aud in the
convention which framed The Constitution of the
United States, and the Constitution itself provides
shall take place, when the Presidential election is
thrown into the House of Representatives. Or if
the latter form, the representation of the people is
adopted-we are more than content. Then every
congressional district will send one representative );
and he, In the Convention, as in Congress will re-
present and carry out the opinions and wishes Of the
seventy thousand people the district contains. We
prefer the latter form OF representation, because
desire the will OF the people, and not the will Of the
States, to predominant in the Convention We put
1T any fair and candid mind-can any thing be fair
or than these Alternatives They rise up directly
from the face Of the Observation-Disclosures to the
people IN their daily practices under the Constitution
of the United States familiar to them in all their
practices n the several States. No State Legisa-
ture, no State Convention was ever organized but
on the principle of district representation. Why
should it not hold good for the organization of Ma
tiona Convention!
The answer is two fold. 1t is maintained first
that general system Of representation in Nation
al Convention ought to be attempted because it inter
feres with the independent action of the several
States, who have right to determine how they shall
there be represented: and secondhand each State
from an analogy to the Electoral Colleges, should
have the same weight in the Convention in deternin-
ing the nomination, they may practically exercise in
selecting the President
The first objection, is liable to that fallacy so com
mon with those who lack reasoning--of begging the
question. Has any State right to determine exclu-
sveiy Tor Itself the manner in which it comes into
National Conyention' III National Convention was
an affair of State only, then that State certainly
would have right TO prescribe how she shall be re-
presented, and vote and act in Convention A State
Convention for any purpose whatever is just such
Conventions when the will, wisdom, or folly, of
State, may run riot, and no other State would have
the right OF questioning or controlling her action.
But a National Convention is quite another thing 1t
is neither a New York Virginia Convention;
but Convention of the people of twenty-six States,
in which State acts not for onhersef alone but
ed, the other by the action of the other States
TO say that IN such an assembly, there should be
uniform system OF representation, by which the rela-
tive power of all should be fairly determined is to
outrage the most obvious of Justice for to
maintain that those who there TO be governed and
controlled have no right to question the power which
controls them, is to deny the first principle of our
system Of free Government that wherever there is
power, there must be responsibility to those on whom
II is exercised 1t is clear, unless justice and free
Government is farce, that in all assemblies OF
States individuals the right to question: assent to-
or resist any influences OF power which bears upon
them, unless previously conceded, is not only their
right but their bounden duty tits proposed to South
Carolina to go into voluntary Convention with "her
dear sister, Virginia but South Carolina is to have
right to question judge of the manner in which
Virginia comes into the Convention and arranges her
power to control her
Why-f South Carolina has right to question
the manner in which the power is produced by which
she is to be influenced governed in the Convention
what right has she to question it, in any other form
Of action. Why should not her dear sister Virginia
say, choose to have hundred votes to your nine
in the Conventions and shall therefore send one hum
dred Delegates, and how they were elected or whom
they represent, is exclusively my affair. / enter the
Convention as think proper, and you have no right
TO NEEDLE question it: and moreover look you
gentlemen, Virginia is not to be dictated to. We
reply, we have right 10 question all power, ,whe
Their in It's first organization or in its subsequent
action-which is to control govern us. The
very object of going into the Convention is to
govern and be governed, and thus obtain unanmi-
ty in the party. The People in many States, per-
haps in majority of them, composing the smaller
States, TO overruled and governed by the Con-
venon in the choice of their Chief Magistrate, and
10 vote according its decision, for for this high
and responsible office, whom they do not prefer
They are, therefore, in reality, much interested in
the mode of representation adopted in the large
States those States themselves, unless indeed
lreemen have smaller interest in being ruled, than
those who rule them Nor is it impertnence or die
tation for them to propose, that the power which
governs in the Convention, shall be the power of the
People, directly and author a,ely carrying out their
will. To preclude by any device whatever, from the
Convention, seventy thousand People, nhabting any
Congressional District in the Union, and not only to
preclude them, but to make Representation for
them, at State Conventions or anywhere else, who
may con,ravene their will and defeat their choice OF
their Chief Magistrate, may, by no means, be congo
NAL with their notions Of democracy and that respect
and Difference for the People, which is their due -
There IS nothing negative in such measures, as in
ligon, on which liberation operate. 1t is wrong
and the duty of toleratIng wrong smacks more OF
the despotism of the inquson than of the free spirit
of American Liberty. We maintain that any State
in the Union has perfect right consider and ques
ton the manner in which every other State in the
Union comes into the Convention. She has right
to insist that there shall be uniform system of Re-
presentation for all the States, and that that system
shall be equal, popular, and just.
The other objection to a District Representation
that each State from analogy to the Electoral Col
leges, should organize its Representation as to
have the same weight in the Convention in determD-
ing the nomination, that it may have practically, in
eIecting the observation-disclosures surrounded with
more mist, we think equally untenable. The States
vote for Presidential Electors by General Ticket or
by the State Observation-Disclosures method pro-
ducng the same result, ought to be adopted in
ynnizing the Conyentiontbis is the analogy and the
argument.
| Now in the first place. let it be remembered that
the method Of eecting Electors by General Ticket or
by State Legislatures, is not prescribed in the Con
Suton. Ii is entirely matter of State arrange
ment, separately adopted by each State accordn o
notions Of expediency and policy, and it may change
| the existing method whenever it thinks fit. The
Constitution has simply given to the State Begisa-
lures the power OF appointing the Electors, requiring
only HAT holl =, 4.