Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-08-29

In
naa md il is possible that this result may De ion
- a. one of the best Instruments OF 'heir success
Their suppnscd adVersares may oe 'eiiP'eu NV A. ,bs
c,etion Of language and conduct ana pe'""p ha.L
49, Mn, iSey affect SO much TO depreca'e-o'sr
=. ."e Thcir candidate may then, amidst shou.s u
d.;,oo and patriotic rage, free OF co"'fu , 80:
~ ,emoes, into the Presidency. Ano all '.'''
,os,dions and unjust policy IS pursued WIN wv .nonc
anal cry of "pcace, peace ne rove u WI f,rr,v
-. t,oy ,efuse TO trust the HARMONY OF the Pa'y'
whom n.y nocv destroys the triumph of It's primer,
. h;ch they entirely disregard, are all ,hey 80
a. And wha, have the advocates TOT an '
mod;.,a ,opular representation tor Inc iot"u' " 80
National Convention, done, 10 ara" u1 J p,nnossd
- fr;sndlv and reckless policy! IL is pf"Po''o..
-, Convention shall be held for the NOMINATION ~
III ;dr;dual to be the candidate OF me Democia''.
at, =, The next Presidential election. lney assn
=, IA nroposi,ion, but they propose, IN 'he JFS'
-, ,hs,e shall be uniform system adopted w az W,
So Gu. fair and lust 10 ALL by which the 'cih % i"s
80 sb, be directly and automatically coi'scleu
ron bem-and secondly, as the best methoo Q. eo
lao,,,c and carrying out their will-that the oo"'e
lion shall be organized on the principles 0, t"e
| or Representatives in Congress-one deiega,e 0o's
80, rrom each Congressional District IN the On,o", -
the will Of the people of each Distrct-'h'S o
;ng The usual aud only way, the people day curry
,bs, will in the daily operations OF the GENERA W
| nment Is there any thing reasonable 10 the PeoPe
'. 'so Democratic party, or breathing injustice or
urong 10 any Of the candidates for the PRESIDENCY, "
s;,bsr Of these proposiiions' Permit me 10 examine
them little further than have already done.
yousay in your commentaries on my communicate" y.
ums anree that any State has right 10 see ."a' -"
Delegates Of the other States be not frauduien.iy ee
| "a "a The Convention; but we cannot coinc'ue VIZ"
,Sonb Carolina when be says, that any 'S'"'e "1 =
rch, TO insist that there shall be unJorM system y
vrnrescntation for all the States 1hs PRINCIPE "ouu
no attended with the consequences 10 auemp.
IN rpl anu State TO this procrusleau measure, wouo
produce utter confusion in ranks, and suTrena u"
Democratic party into the hands OF the enemy. Nom
let it be remembered that the matter on whcn ihss
that there shall be uniform system OF representation
in all the S,ates-"ihis procrustean measure Is no
thing more less, than the making OF the Cnei va
gistrate of the IT, S. Every body knows That Tue oon
yention is not be advisory or consultative
is practically to make the President Hence the ea'ne
ness with which pledges are required oeiore "a"u ~,
abide nv md mort at all hazards its nomination. ne
Electoral Colleges will do nothing more at'ot Tue NUM-
ton by the Convention than carry It's nomination. o
effect. IN fact, they will be mere fecorn'hg omees'
Of the mandates Of the Convention fonf p"s','on'
then is this that the "prineiPte Of UNIFORM rule 10
tho choce of The Chief Magistrates of the U. States
.w III be attended with the worst consequences, anu
will produce, attempting TO carry It Out amongst 'e
States "uter confusion in our ranks ana suF'e"ue
of the Democratic party into the hands OF the enemy
Now with deferenco most profound, WIZ you a'''"
me 10 ask you, to point me TO single CONSTITUTION ~
the world IN which the principle OF uniform RUE
for the election OF its Chief Magistrate IS not prescr
bed Even in the venerable Monarchies OF Europe, ny
Sale and the Law oil frImO9enliure,
fixed settled method of determining who shall weia 'he
kInqly power What SAYS The Constitution OF VIZ
sinia what say the Constitutions oil all the otates
W hat says the Constitution Of the United States Are
all then, bare of provsonsprescr'hng uniform rules
| for king their Chief Magistrates Is 1t the e1pe-
renee Of past apes and of Free Governments, that
is of no consequence, who, in the capacity OF then
| Chief Magistrate, wieds the tremendous power OF
stopping all legislation, and OF executing ana OF ad-
minsterng the law-and, therefore, IN se'ec.ng nun
1 A.. of Torrn les
true Of the Executive Department of Government
ALWAYS the feared because supposed TO be always
the most prone to abuse,) why should it not be true Of
the other Deparments-the Legislative and judicial :
Why should there be in Government any system OF
rules whalever-any safe guards or checks on power
by which the people may be protected and their ber
| ties he preserved Rules-unforIn, settled rules
carefully and most deliberately wrought out, with The
solemn sanction OF oahs to God 10 preserve them-pui
up into written Constitutious-are the hope-the very
life blood of American systems OF Free Govern
ment, and is i. possible that al this day, in The Demo
cratic party Old ViTglnia-renowned and venerated
for her achievements IN all contests for hberty-we
have the doctrine promuged that the principle OF
uniform system applicable all the States-for the
creation of the President and Vice President of the
United States twill be attended with the worst con-
sequences, and will be fatal TO the Democratic party
What could the worst enemies of party say Of IT,
worse than this? Is not virtually declaring, that in
.:eL -...r-so important 10 the rights and welfare
OF the people-they are incapable of forming any nx'
ed rules for restraining wrong and enforcing right
of adherng TO them, when proposed or made? that
they will stand neither by the rules established BY the
Constitution, by any other rules of government;
but only live in the rude riot Of lawless cen
tiousness, hostile TO every principle of stable free
Government Nor is THIS all. There is system
there rules carefully prescribed in the Con
sttuton for the selection Of the individuals who shall
be the President and Vice President Of the u States
They propose TO these aside and whilst protesting
gravely to fashion their policy the model oil
the Constitution, they will put other system IN their
stead; but the contrary denounce those who insist
other system, requiring absurdit'es or i'm
possibilities and striking at the integrity and welfare
of the Democratic party Thus the Constitution is
superseded and at the same time the great principle
on which it exists al a-on which all free Consti,u-
tons exist-of systematic and well defined rules IN
the bes,o and limitation of all power,
ced and repudlated Pardon me, Sir, for differing from
you; but have thought and still think, despite your
high authority, that in maintaining that there should
be uniform system of representations uniform rule
applicable to all The S,aes in the formation oil the
National Convention, by which the President and Vice
President of the United States is to he made, have
advocated no s'principle" which "be attended with
the worst eooseGuences-p ''procrusean measure
which would "produce utter confusion in our ranks
and surrender the Democratic party into the hands OF
their eDemies. | could retort by charging you
with lhrusts; you will find ii hard parrya reck lss
of princpiea fatal disregard of the party and the
Constitution in your policy; but forbenr fall back
TO the defensive.
fit is proper that there should be uniform system
regulating he power, by which in Convention, the
President and Vice President Of the United States is
made-the next question Is, what shall that system
be! Whatever system is adopted controlling or super
sedng the Constitution, you will agree with me, that
it ought, at least carry out its purposes and conform
with its spirit
You are right, when you maintain that the principle
Of State Sovereignty ought not to rule IN the Conven
ton. This leads to STATE equality; and Virginia and
Rhode Island ought rot, in the first instance, 10 be put
on an equality OF power. The Constitution has pro-
| vded that If the Presidential election fails in the
Electoral Colleges-that theo in the House of Repre-
senatives, the principle Of State Sovereignty shall
come into operation. | take this to be negative
pregnant and the inference TO be, that the oher great
principle which the Constitution rests the popular
principle, shall first prevail in the Electoral Colleges
The Constitution has eftt TO the States direct how
the Presidential Electors shall be appointed but ii has
put one most important qualification md Limitation
The Electoral Colleges each Eiector shall cote sepa-
raiely Now 1t appears 10 me, that when The Con
sttution ordains, that to each vote there shalt be
eiector, and each elector shall vote separately, i'm