The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-08-10

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and denunciation however, does show what the real
questonis In spite of disclaimers or suberuges, is
issue beoeen The larger and the smaller Stdies The
larger States that IN the natural course OF
the Constitution, the election must be thrown IN
TO the House Of Representatives. They urge 1t
the grand purpose of National Conyentlon--to
prevent this result, in which New York and South
Carolina Ohio and Arkansas will be equal in their pow
er They are not content with the concessions OF the
smaller States this point but insist that the con
venton shall be so organized, as to enable them 10
crush the minority within their own limits, who may
be with the smaller States-to lift the nomination
above the people into the hands of ambitious politi-
clans interested oice-holders, that by consoda-
ton of their power, and by combinations amongst
few, the presidential purple may forever be at their
dctation. Ii this is not the design, is the elect OF
their policy We do not believe it will prevail
Such course is contrary the interests of the peo-
Ple-adverse to the design Of the consttulon--and
lata 10 The influence of the smaller States OF the con-
iederacy Once predominatng part of our sys-
'eui, ana Ealing into contact with the influence and
patronage Oh the General Government and we may
nave III our CHEF magistracy merely the forms of an
elective monarchy.
The Indiana State Committee has proposed as the
pest method OF settling the time when the Convention
shall meet, that each State in the Union should ex
press through the Globe and Richmond ENQUIRER their
| Judgment upon the question: and the Democratic
party should be bound by the majority The sug-
|
affecting the Convention be determined in the same
| manner' Let some State in the Union, by some call
authoritative that of the State Of Indiana, re-
quest each of the States to signify to those dstin-
guished papers, its opinion to the mode of electng
| the Delegates to the Convention, and the form of
| voting in the Convention. These points may thus
within two mOnths--long before the Convention
meets be amicably and rightly settled At all events,
the People in every Congressional District in the
Union, have it in their power, despite all arrange
I,po for to nd tIo;r Nal
venton. Let those ,oho in favor Of District Re-
presentation proclaim their design to send Delegate
islre their political associates to cooperate ach them,
and appeal If necessary to the ballot boz voluntarily
opened, 10 carry out fairly their design This
firmly but emperateIy pursued, will prevail amongst
| the People-and must be successful
One word more before draw this article to
close. The Richmond Enquirer, which affects al
ways to speak as one having authority and not
| the scribes has thought proper lately to put the
Charleston Mercury and Columbia Carolinian upon
the confessional to what this State means do in
case her views on how the National Convention
should be constituted and conducted be overrued by
majority Of the party. The putting such question
was at once improper and nugatory-improper be-
cause it implied suspicion and looked very like the
threat OF an alternative ugaory because the Enqui
rer itself well knows any other two persons as
able and as authorized to expound the language of
the people OF South Carolina for them, as the editors
Of these highly respectable journals We do not
mean TO express word of dissent to the answer re-
turned, the views of the Mercury and Carolinan
strike as in the MAN, sound but wish only to
remind our friends in Virginia most respectfully that
the South Carolina address speaks for itself And as it
| has become fashionable to put questions, shall we
not be pardoned for offering to the conscences of
the authorities at Richmond Will the Richmond
Enquirer tell us-whether, if the objections, which
the South Carolina Convention has taken to the plan
it opposes, be we'll founded, i. that such plan in
wolves principles, unknown to the Constitution and is
calculated to destroy the balance on which its COM
promises rested the Executive Department of the
Government, to eXtnguish the Just influence Of the
smaller States, and give political managers undue
troll over the voice of the people,-South Carolina,
and the other States holding the view, ought for the
sake OF party harmony, to yield them, and aid in
| tabshng a precedent open to such objections as
these,
In the meantime, without protesting to speak &c
| cathedra, but believing know almost as much of
| the designs OF the South Carolina Convention as
| some others, we undertake to say-that the whole
object of the Address thus put FORTH Gas clear
from every paragraph to assign the for maxi
ing the recommendations it did, both in respect to
the candidate nominated, and the time and cons titu-
ton of the National Convention. This it has DONE
in the most respectful manner, but with that candor
and explicitness which is always due from one por-
ton Of the party to another, in celebrating on
matter of common concernment-the way TO pre-
serve and give success TO its principles. Its object
to unite friendly and free discussion all the
points OF difference in order that the course to be
HnaIly taken, might De chosen with all the lights be-
fore the party, that could be shed upon its counsels.
The grounds brought forwcrd against the plan to
which II Objects are, if true, of deep import-they
go to the very vtals Of political system, and
touch on constitutional questions of the first mag
ntude That they are true, the Convention had not
itself doubt, and nothing has transpred since in the
slightest degree TO shake such conviction but il
reasonable and proper its final determination them
should be suspended, till they have been fully weighed
and dseussed-resolved South Carolina is to give
the candid consideration always to the reasons
of others that she might presume to expect to her
own. The Convention took this course, under the
belief that the republican party had solid basis of
union but truth justice and the Constitution and that
what these demanded could be ascerained only by
free, fair and fearless discussion. If this course be
Others concurrng in the Maryland plan the end will
be either that the opposite reasons shall overrule
ours and convince us of error that our argil-
ment will override their reasons and convince them
OF error or, IN any event, that such approx ina
| on of sentiment would be brought about as will
finally produce universal acquiescence in common
result But if in this reasonable expectation we
shall be disappointed; if instead Of free and fair
discussion there should be denunciaton and attack
and purposed suppression of the truth and no deci.
sion can be come to, not involving abandonment of
principlet will then be time enough for us TO de-
eide how far becomes patriotic people to give up
principles TO party, and in The eagerness for power
throw behind them all those rules of constitutional
obligation and public good faith, by which alone
power when obtained, be made available TO
an useful end SoUTH CAROLINA.
THE CHocE.--A Quaker residing at Paris was
waited on by four workmen, in order to make their
condiments and ask for their usual new yeor,s