Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-11-24


that Annapolis ought to be defended. "CeIainly, said
the Duke, Annapoiis must be deferded-wc will send
ileet out TO defend Annapolis -7sherc IS .7nropOGs
We shall stick up for the compromises Of the ConstI
tuition. Only tell us how what the compromises.
If we understand the word, compromise means
concession ofequvalens between two parties not other
wise concurring; it is middle ground between two
contested points, where the parties, abandoning their
extreme Antagonist position agree to meet and unite
regard to the Presidential election the final equal
" OF The States in the House of Representatives,
gwen to The small Stses as a fixed constitutional
right, in compensation for the liberty retained by the
large Saiss TO concentrate their votes in the FIRST in
stance The large States did not require constiiu
tional provision establishing the concentrated vote
for their benefit, but retained their discretion 10 d
rect for themselves the manner Of voting at the popu
lsr election In The exercise Of this discTeoa, ali the
States have passed laws by which, III The Presidential
election, their whole vote is cast together. Every
State, but South Carolina, votes for President by ge
neral ticket, and South Carolina besows her vose by
Tho Legislature, although one of her most distinguish
ed statesmen, Cdr. AlcDulie,) has named that mode
OF appointuc n plain ''usu patton
This constitutional compromise is therefore, in full
force, and operating with uniformity in its two-lod
character. The States have their relative power as
States, in the primary election; they have each one
vote in the resulting alternative What is pro-
posed under the name Of maintaining the compromise?
LIST us examine that materand first, let look into
what has been the mode oftreating il heretofore. We
have had efforts to change the Constitution in this
spect. Let us what were the doctrines OF those
who have from time to time attempted new settle
me mt OF this question.
The advocates of the district system of party nom.
nations have referred very often debates and reports
in Congress the subject of the establishment by
amendment Of the Constitution BY uniform system Of
electoral DISTRICTS and many very nble men, sound De-
mocrats and upright statesmen have favored the pro-
position, but they have always coupled that system with
resignation by the States of their final equality in
Congress Whit they recommended, was mutual SUR
render of their respective rights under The Constitution,
and the creation Of new system entirely We speak
particularly Of MIR. Benton report in 1926 and the de-
bates thereon in the U. S Senate, and Mr.. McDuiies
resolutions and the debate the sub ect in the
House ct the time
MIR. Benton 8 report thorough and able exami-
nation of The advantages of the district SYSTEM part
of constitutional compromise. 1t has beer cited
naked testimony to the superior value of district
representation. Ii really in favor Of thai system
Of the provisions of compromise. He
or giving The small States The bene, OF Districts
provided they would yield up their advantage in lLeir
vote by The House Of Representatives. He says:
"Ths contingent vote for President in the House oi
Representatives, the cherished form OF lost sub
!" stance among the email States; and although now
!" reduced to nothing but idea they may he I'M
!" willing to give it up without receiving the benefit
6 Of some concessions from the larger ones. Here,
them is room for compromise for one of those mu-
tualy advantageous ad justuents by help of which
Z" the Constitution made, and without which It
g cannot be amended The large States overwhelm
the small ones by The consolidated Of the gene
raj ticket the small balance the great with
the single representative in the House of Represen
&C tatives"
"Here there is grievance each side"
And Mr.. Benton's remedy not the district sys
tenn by ITSELF but mutual surrender on each side
The commonly made of this report is to JUSTLY an
extra constitutional combination 10 break do"n the
power of the large States, and still keep the contin'
gent control in Congress for the small ones.
1t may not be without TO add, tina! ii was
Robert Y. Hayne, Of South Carolina, who proposed
the constitutional amendment in the Senate take the
power Of election from Congress- as the consideration
for which the district system should be adopted and
that The proposition made in the House, and
most ably argued as q compromise, by Mr. McDufhe,
also Senator from Sonh Carolina.
Mr. Van Buren, was a member of the Sen1;e at the
time and expressed the true character of The compo
mise, and the proper terms upon which the district
system could be introduced into the Constitution IN the
following terms:
which the people of the United States
perfectly united than npon the propriety not to
the indispensable necessity of taking the election Of
President from the House Of Representatives"
"Allhough i; could, he thought, be satisfactorily
shown, that tie small States would If nothing further
F." were done, be better off than they under the
Constitution, as it stands, still all experience shows
that they do not think There is reason TO
suppose, they will ever give up the power they
have without equivalent without a resort TO the
principle upon which the Constitution founded
that of compromise The equivalent with which
they will be satisfied, with which they ought 10 be
" satisfied, is the breaking up of the consolidated
/" strength of the large States by the district system"
Coming from the largest State in the Union, these
sentiments of Mr. Van Buren,, considered so just
and liberal, that Mr.. Branch OF North Carolina
"Rose for the purpose Of returning his thanks TO
the gentleman from New York, for the magnanimy
he bad displayed on The present occasion, he had
done on all others He said, his magnanimity for
having expressed to the Senate his willingness TO
yield up the present system, if he could get the
g amendment he had proposed"
And he called upon Virginia to follow the example
10 the House Of Representatives, the same view of
the reciprocal character Of these constitutional equvn-
Tents, was avowed by every speaker, and by
strongly than The mover of the amendment, Mr. (now
Senator) McDufiie. n IS resolution rends thus:
"ReSoloed That for the purpose of electng the Pre-
" siden and Vice President of the u States, the Con
Z" stituton ought 10 be so amended that uniform sys
6 tenn of voting by districts shall be established in all
the Slates and That the Constitution ought be fur
Their amended, in such manner as will prevent the
" election OF the aforesaid officers from devoving
" the res pectve Houses Of Congress
The first part OF this resolution maintained by
him with The customary objections 10 the General Ticket
system, some of which forcible and others merely
fanciful but it considered secondary in mpo-
lance to the last The removal Of the rower of election
from Congress, was his primary object and the district
system defended for obtaining that object.
He said:
'''rhe concluding argument which shall urge in
favoro the District system, is this: The small States
will never consent 10 give up their eventual equality
in voting for President in this House. unicss the large
States will c0nscnt TO break their power of combine
ton and concentration by The establishment of the
" District system"
And in the next paragraph he calls this mutual con
sent indispensable compromise" and repeats the
opinion, that the surrender by the small States of their
equality, is "ineOmparobiy the most important branch
Of the amendment"
Arguing with his customary vehemence, MIR. Nc
Dufie proceeded to set forth election by Congress
as the inevitable Of weakness TO The Consiiu
tion-of venaty, corruption, defiance of popular OPT
MON, and Executive influence. He goes SO far as to
call upon the people to form combinations and hold po
pular conventions, in order preventa congressional
election of President
81 maintain (said hey that on the score of policy,
merely, the small States ought 10 be anxious 10 sur
render this contingent equality, the terms pYoci
ded by the amendment. What will be the conse-
"quence, if they refuse Will the people of the u
States, having the power of preventing it, patiently
i" submit to be governed by small minority Will
New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, submit to