Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-08-25
70 THE EDITORS OF TIE ENQUIRER.

,,nn ne princ ples which should govern IN the oi
ga nizalion of the National Convention has' ''nn
n this discussion II the question to be decided was,
~ .h,, manner the whole strength OF the hepuolcah
narty can be brought most powerfully 10 pear our
political opponents, then The arguments OF your
pao,, ,,ouId he unanswerable. One would inter from
pis communication that he was arguing against the
WHO'S and not against portion OF MS own pohtica
that he seeking to find reasons 10 oVerwheim
them rather than se the voices OF those Republicans
IN V,ro,nia and the Union, who happen 10 prefer Tor
tho ne II Presidency gentleman who is not has iavor-
~, RI, this is not the issue. The friends of MIR.
Calhoun are not attempting to prove to the American
oeople that Convention, organised upon the pr'nc
ole of Stale sovereignty as It exists IN The Senate OF
The IT, S upon the ratio OF numbers, as EXISTING IN
The House of Representatives, would better eoncen-
,.te The votes Of the Republican party against those
hostile 10 its principles We divided not as to inca
.ures but me and the questions, who among the va
rous distinguished gentlemen named for the PresIden'
sl Office can most certainly unite the party who IS
tha choice OF a majority Of the people, and who can
h,o the aroest addition numbers, from the vic
iorons m:,r,y Of 1910, of the deepest import to
eyery Republican. Upon their correct and dispassIon
ale decision depends not the elevation OF any particular
individual or the qualification oil the ambition oil any man
They haY consequences of for higher character, the
maintenance of the great doctrines Of constitutional
Liberty and perhaps the existence Of the Union Itself
The National Convention is not 10 be assembly oil
political enemies, but Of friends called together from
the various sections of the Union and representing
truly the will of the Republican party in the selection
Of a candidate for the Presidency. In order that this
mos, desirable result may be attained, 1t ndlsPensa
Bile that the whole party should be heard as nearly Us
il can be heard through the medium OF representation
Il is necessary the harmony of the party, that this
bod should speak the will Of the people, and not that
of politicians and political managers, claiming to speak
in THEIR name. Your correspondent seems to be in
dinnanl at the idea of minority controlling ma GRITTY,
and enters into elaborate argument to prove, what
in general no denies, that the majority must 90
vern He up of straw, as Tor the purpose
of demonstrating his ingenuity in overturnlns the
ipmenls of his own Imagination Hs says, ne doc
rIne which argues the possible existence oil minority
IN State as body distinct from the MAJOR part,
with lust claim as such political rights does pre-
se Mt itself in the humble estimation OF him who now
addresses you, as a startling, but not a novel or un
precedented heresy" | ask your correspondent, VINO
has commended for such doctrine? Do the friends OF
MIR Calhoun, by expressing desire TO be hsafo IN Tue
National Convention, subject themselves 10 the charse
Are they body distinct from the major part, and Us
such claiming political rights and privileges, which II
would be hcrcsy TO grant, No, he WI! not say It
They are portion and most powerful portion, OF the
Republican party They identified with 1t IN ieel-
ing aud principle They have the right and they
ought 10 be heard III Convention OF Republicans
This no one will deny How then shall they be heard;
By establishing the principle, that though they may
be in majority IN seven districts IN virginia, put IN
minority eight, that the voice OF the seven IS 10 he
smothersd by the eight That majority of one IN the
dele cation is not only the vote of the districts
from which they are elected favor Of their fayarits
but 10 force the to vote for him also, when he IS
NOT their choice. Shall the friends either OF MIR. Cal
houn or Mr.. Van Buren,, though IN majority IN some
districts in State not DO represented because Inc
one or The other may happen to have small majority
in the whole State? Can we arrive at the Will oil the
neone by saving 10 the friends Of either gentleman you
sboil moi be heard in Convention: Certainly not.
suppose that no one will deny, that the choice OF Eec
tors by districts The nearest approach that can De maze
10 periec representation The fact, of the Congress
Of the IT, S. being almost entirely elected in this man
ner is proof that il regulated. There must be
minorties and it 10 better that they should be IN DIS
rcts the minority in one, the majority IN another
and thus, that discomfort and violence IS prevented
which apt TO be the attendant oil an Absolute ma
ority of the whole.
That the general ticket system, though now &C
ouiesced in in the election Of President is in accord
ance with the anaogiss of the Constitution nave
never believed. We know the causes which lea 10 us
adoption II sprang from the contest between WI 'ei
ferson and Mr. Adams.
Massachu,e,s adopted frs for the avowed purpose
e calling her whole electoral vote for Mr. Adams, and
Virginia did the same, IN order 10 cast her 10, ~.
Jefferson But strong at that time were the oouots
entertained by the Republicans OF Virginia, win re-
n,ctto it's cons,itutionay that in Legislature con-
,a;n;no a arre majority in favor Of Mr. Jefferson 1t
was only carried, think, by majority % Jour 'oles
Mr. Madison admitted in debate, that IT was against
fi8 y9hpGg H 81" the ss1fs.eoS a a"y wncn e1
efforts of few of the Republicans, among whom was
the illustrous and powerful Taylor of Caroline could
have carried it through. Gen. Washington elect
ed twice under the district system, Mr.. Adams once,
and thus seems be the system contemplated by the
trainers of the Constitution or it would not have been
adopted at the first gong oil of the Government But
still with this strong authority staring hm IN the lace,
your spondent thinks that smacks OF consoida
ton He thinks that mere nomination, the blend
ing of a majority in one State with minority in
ther has consolidating tendency II this IS conso
dation is not the blending of majortes in different
States equally SO? The States are still kept separate
and distinct. His argument will apply with equal
force TO the organization of the House Of Representa-
lives Here the States represented by districts and
few by general ticket. Each member casts the vote
Of his lmmed constituents, and thus happens upon
almost every question: that the delegations from the
different States are divided. Would your corrsspon-
dent argue, that every member Of Congress should
VOTE not his immediate district requires, but as
minority of the people of the State may desire?
consider that portion Of his argument as mere ad
eaptandum appeal to the fears OF Republicans, which
needs no refutation
Your correspondent reiteraes the question put
times since in the Enquirer "Suppose, says he, "hai
nine dstrics Virginia, should elect delegates favor
able 10 the nomination Of A, by bare msorlties, and
eight districts by large majorities should elect dele
gates in favor of the nomination OF b. The large ma
oritiss in the eight, united with the mInores in the
nine, compose a large majority Of the people OF the
State, yet A, with helpless minority is to receive the
vote of majority of the delegation
Let US answer this by supposng another case
Suppose that the maorties the eight districts, uni
ted with the minori,ies in the nine, composed an ag
gregae majsty of 100 votes in favor OF a. does your
Core spondent contend that the whole IL should be
given 10 A in the nomina.on,-or if A had districts
containing majority of the whole party in Virginia,
will he say that the shall force the other II TO vote
for A, If he would not, then where IS this idea Of
msor,es, with which he seems so much enamored?
Would he have the elected, as he supposes, by mi
norly of the aggregate vote rule The elected by
majority, Yes thu. is his principle. He advocates
the choice of delegates by dissrcs'-bu' thinks that,
majority though chosen by minority of the people,
should govern the minority, though chosen by majority
of the people He is no, fact in favor Of The ma
ority Of the people, but the majority of the delegation
If he get that 10 favor of his fa'ore, how soon
will he preums tina, they reflect the popular will, and
the unfortunate minority, though backed by the real
popular majority, told that they shall net be heard
and if they complain, are branded as isc!ion. 1t
10 my mind, only necessary to state such Propo
stions in order 10 refue them, in the estimation Of