The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1843-04-28
20 O ltttrgI.
DEsIUCRATIC NATIONAL COVyEN-
ZION.

Baltimore appears to have been generally Fixed
upon as the proper place for holding the next Ma
liGna Convention Of the Democratic party II seems
to be equally well agreed, tia, the relative weight
Of the several States in the Convention, shall be
in proportion 10 the number Of Their Electoral
votes.
In regard 10 The time of holding the Convention,
lhee is some diversity Of sentiment The weight
Of opinion is however so strongly in favor of May,
1911, that there can be no doubt, That that time
'.h 10 Gscd upon. Eight States have already de-
cared IN FAVOR Of 1t: VIZ: Maryland, Michigan,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Ne" Iiuuni,-h",, N,ns>dchu.
sets, Alabama and Mississippi November is pre-
fcrred by Virginia, hu, that patriotic State will
cheerlully Yield 10 the general voice The latter
day bcng desired by the Giends Of N'r Calhoun,
and Mr. Van IluTcn's immediate friends having de
clAred their uscut ~ 1t ti"""sh ,hn Albany Argus
/, may be set down as certain, that the convention
will assemble in My, lsii.
In reference to the manner Of elcciing delegates
TO the Convention, and the mode in which they
shall VOTE there are more serious differences Of
opinion, involving very serious consequences, and
affecting very nearly, as Is supposed, the rcla-
live chances Of the candidates. Mr. Culhoun's
friends prefer the District system in the election Of
delegates. and vote per- cIWii in the convention.
Mr. Van Buren's fsnds ,on the Other hand contend
that each State shall regulate its own mode of @ .
lec,nr is delegates and determine for Itself whelh.
or thew shall vote siugIy, or uuitcdy.
As 10 the manner of cleClng delegates, we hard.
Is see that there is any authority which can pre-
scribe IN uniform mode. The democratic mem
hers Of Congress might do it, but Congress will
not be in session until the election efdelegates has
been 50 Ear progressed with, rs TO put any COM
pulso,y uniformity on, Of the question. 1t Is prob.
able. however, tia, the mode Of election viii be
in fact, the same in nearly all the States Virgin.
ia, although fayoring n vote hy States IN Convcn-
ion i in favor Of the District system in the cleo
tion of delegates. Massachusetts, South Carroll
ma, and, we believe, other States have declared
in favor of the new system. II viii Of coussc, he
imprnc,irnle in those few States which elect mem
beis of Congress by general Ticket. In mos, Of
the other States, i, will probably be adopted MS
tending TO bring the election of delegates nra.er to
the people We ARE quite sure that u u the sys
TEN preferred by the democracy Of Maine. ~
I: the same time, in the absence Of any authority
: competent 10 prescribe an uniform rule, we do moi
see how the right Of each State 10 fix lis own mode
|, of clecling delegates can be fairly deneJ nor dc
wc anticipate any real difficulty from discrsit!
: Of practice in this particular.
The manner in which the delegates shall rofc, l.
Of vastly more consequence than the manner IL
which they shall be elected; and there are undoub
cdly difficulties in determining in what way, ant
# bv villa, authority the mode Of voting shall be re
5, n,rded II may turn out, however, upon clos
b. examination, that the matter in controversy is no
SO important as it might seem 10 be al frs, view
In our Judgment, the Virginia doctrine, that eacl
, state shall regulate the mode in which It's dcIega
h lion shall vote, whether per capita, or ~ whole
il clearly inadnssabc. The National Convention
being an assemhlnge Of representatives, OF The de
moo racv met ogeihcriOr the purpose OF ascertain
ing the opinions Of the democracy Of the couGtr
upon particular point, has an inherent and ne
cesslry inh 10 settle the order Of its own proceed
4 nrs and 10 determine IN what way 1t can mos
safely and Justly effect the object for which 1t
created. It's decisions will bind the entire DE
tnocrncy Of the Union, and the entire Democra
CIV of The Union ID represented IN u, mus
settle the mode in which those decisions shall b'
made II is not u case where each state cln IN
L sist upon its own mode. The general sense o
the whole must govern, because all are Affected b.
y the result lin the opinion Of the Democracy q
the Union, their collective will can be only asccr
tanned. or best asceriaincd, by vote per capita
they will doubtless insist on such vote, as essen
iia TO the VALIDITY Of the doings Of the convention
The fundamental theory upon which such con
yenii,r, rests for ils authority. would clearly lnsii
f. them in doing so. The democracy are houn'
hy It's nominations. only upon the suppoSilIon tina
they accord with the sense Of the majority, nn'
cannot he bound uncs. n mode Gf voting he adop
[ ted which shall, in the opinion Of the Democracy
truly developc and express the sense 81 the nnJpT
IN i,y All this seems 10 us very pain, the h'sh au
ST ,hori,y Of Vignin 10 the contrary Notwithstanding
We contend then, that the National Con'eniic
will have the power 10 override the states Is 10 IN