The North-Carolina standard., 1843-11-01

a
allthe States large well as small and its adapt
alton to the development of the general will,
comfasnd it 10 xthe people Of the United States
With s3orce and power which must be irresista-
bic and ensure its adoption if it be properly un-
defstood and Its Importance to the preservation
Of liberty and equal rights be duly appreciated
Those whNseontend for the maintenance of the
State influence in the appointment of delegates to
the Conventinn and make appeals tothe pride of
the large States of Virginia and New York; to
induce them to keep their influence undimnsh-
ed by division, lose sight ofthe true object of Ma
tonal Convention, and act if they were marshal
ing their forces against adversaries who are to be
beaten out of the field, and crushed, instead of COM
ing into consultation with friends for the common
good, and to promote the general harmony, where
the least privilege that can be allowed 10 minori-
ties-a privilege indeed which cannot, without the
grossest injustice and oppression, be denied-is to
give fair opportunity for the independent express
sion of opinion, coming from whatever state OF part
of state it may, and to promote the success OF Its
wishes by fair and free argument Il is thus, and
thus only that fninorities, which, from the necess
ty of common action, must IN the end yield, can be
reconciledto cooperate zealously IN support efthe
decision of the majority against their wishes, and
thus secure the attainment Of the opfy legt-
mate object of National Convention, concert Of
action whatever sacrifice Of personal preferences
as to the general who is to command 10 the battle
when the conflict wth1he common enemy al last
comes on.
Those who advocate state representation by gen.
eral ticket do not deny that district representation
is perfectly fair and just to thelarger states and
truly Republican in its character, as bringing
home the selection of casddates q the direct agen
cy of the people. While, on the other hand, the
friends ofthe district SYSTEM and per capita VotIng
consider the general ticket as unjust and unequal,
destructive of the rights of the smauer states, and
calculated to excite ealousies and disadvantages
anti Democratic, because it wthdrawsthe election
of delegates fromthe people and tends to pocelt IN
the hands of intriguing and selfish politicians BY
agreeing, then, to the district SYSTEM aRd per cap
ita voting, in compliance with the anxious desire Of
the other states Virginia, and eleadng politicians
of New York are called on to make no sacrifice
Of their just rights while the other states consd-
er themselves when told by the politicians of Vlr
ginia and New Y ofk that they have right to a.
dopt what mode they please to appoint their dele
gates, and intend to take the general ticket system,
as menace with refusal ofjustice, an intoler-
oble oppression, and deprivation oftheir dearest
rights Does not this view of the feelings of the
parties make strong appeal to the large states to
surrender their preference for the general ticket,
if they are truly desirous of harmony and con-
cert with the other states2
1t is well known that one of the greatest diff
culties in forming the Constitution arose from the
necessity of reconciling the claims of the smaller
statcs-which, regarded as sovereign communi-
ties, are, under all codes ofuaional law, consider
ed equal-to have an equal influence with the
large states in appointing the chief magistrate
The large states, on the other hand, claimed to
have influence proportioned to their population.
The matter was finally compromised by, giving
electors to all the states in proportion to federal
numbers, with the addition Of two to each state,
without regard to their population, IN acknowl-
edgement of their equal sovereignty accompanied,
however, with the provision that the mode of vot-
ing in the electoral college should be per capita
hat is, that each elector should give an indepen-
3ent single vote-an impossibility under the gen.
eral ticket system-which, by exposing the infu-
ence of the large states to be diminished by divis
ion, took from them the pnwer 10 crush the small
er states, and gave voice to minorities ia the
states, which the general ticket system entirely ST.
ences.
1t was, moreover, provided, in the compromise
in favour of the smaller states that in case of no E.
ection by the electoral college, chosen by the peo
pie, the choice of President should devolve the
House of Representatives, where the equality OF
sovereign states was acknowledged, and the ma
orty Of the representatives Of each gave one, and
put one vote, to that one Of the three candidates
who had received the highest number of votes in
he electoral college
Such was the compromise between the large
md small States by which the contested question |
Is to their relative influence in the mode of elect
ng the President and Vice President was sell
led
We have seen, in the course of these remarks,
low, in the conflicts of party, the voting per capt.
a has been virtually nullifed by the adoption of
he general ticket system of appointing electors.
3ut there is manifestly reason why, in the con-
titution of convention of political friends, as
embled to preserve harmony and secure concert
If action for the common good, the generafticket
ystem of voting should be adopted by which, in
he selection of candidates for the PEesi lency not
'nly the smaller States are crushed by the large,
,ut by which is silenced the voice of a large por
ion of our common political friends in each State
Who, on every principle of Justice, equity, and
in political principles, have an equal
light with all others to be heard; though, after
IL have been beard, and voted their individual /
nd unbiased sentiments, they must finally submit
nd surrender their preferences, if still found in
he minority of the whole. And this they will
10 cheerfulEy after a fair hearing, but not be-
ore
On the contrary, the very fact that the desire of
ctorysby one party over the other has, through /
he adoption of the general ticket in choosingE
lectors, annihlated the advantage intended by the
Constitution TO be secured to the smaller States by
he vote per capita, affords the strongest reason
or restoring it to the smaller States in the forma-