Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-09-01

sd, u" ohsolutely necessary TO the system ihef
must form leading pr'nep'e 10 Tue mos
fet' ,be ,ciH Of the STATE GOVERNMENTS FOR ITS
g" N,cisTRATE and its Senate
Can ,hs Convention Of Massachusetts, MT. Jonn
.rd: "1hs President and Senate arc 70 90 eno-
Ad'm n, STATE Legislatures
ga Fs" Congress of 80. on the bill regulating the
ID w. Departments, Mr.. Gerry said ut has been
E"V sr some gentlemen, that the President VIII DC
usa " n the People and their particular represents
'n Now, how uan this warrant me s'ions .e'ns :"
;9e asserted when the President IS to De elect
saea Electors appointed by the State Leglsaturess
81 ~ I s.me debate, Mr.. Baldwin said, "The Pres
III. he appointed by Electors, chosen by the pso
dIn' - :, appointed by the State Legislatures
Pr, Two additional authnr'ties, ana snaii nsVe
oae VI ,h,s branch Of the discussion. "Ihe MODES,
Done "' M, ,oriterl of choosing both the President
'sss 90 eo;ocide also ,cih the opinion that the Con
frd oe"A nsder.d the Union the act Of bodies po
dHH'o'' states and not as the act Of consolidated
xatGn - p;da,t ;s made RESPONSIBLE 10 the
1s"'" ,hs mode of his election and trial, as secu
siaes STATE R,ch,s, against his geographical propen-
~" Ths ;,conrruty Of annexing National Prest
sizes. rdral Congress, would almost have been
sa, 10 tina, of assoc'aung federai congress win
sa'i Court |. would have been highly Objection
Aauoua. tnose President by National, and try him
see - ,rnciple A loyalty to Federal interests
R;,h,s we're the two great objects designed 10
IN the structure of our Federal Government
y. and Executive Departments were con-
..ucied upon fsdera'' ahu H0s '"'''""' P''"''p'''
,h tina, intention.
WI" ooa;a-"A National mode of electing the Pre-
i.o, would destroy the State or Federal influence,
.ss, Federal Executive power.
" , tendency towards aristocracy of States, a
x,o,,, Government, or a monarchy, was guarded
.,,s, nv our Federal system, in various modes-one
= witch was 10 subject the geographical paral't'es oil
LEGISLATIVE majority 10 the control OF fcdorat Ere
annr, BIZ converting Federal into National Pre-
tn, he would be influenced by National majority,
-. creat security against consolidated Government
a"a Inns be defeated" the Electors of the Presi
Am, are to be appointed, the Legislature of each
Sale shall Direct for the purpose of mpressing upon
HIM Federal loyalty, and creating check,
Cd from consolidating inhuence in the House OF he
n,,sen,a,yes arising from different mode OF election
f.Accordnp to the Constitution, the number of Eleo
mr.. Is fixed by ratio, compounded OF the number OF
States and the number Of people IN each State-count-
mo portion Of the slaves, and excluding the idea OF
an American nation-but their character IS made fede
al Lu the mode of election Perhaps no better prnci-
Mo could have been contrved for uniting States and
Individuals IN one interest Numbers chiefly re-
carded IN fixing each State quota OF Eecors-6ut the
small States are reimbursed and the large ones secured
by the power reserved to the States, OF MAINTAINING
their Federal rights, Federal influence oOer me RE-
sideat.
Do YOU ask. Messrs Editors, The author Of these
extracts answer, John Taylor Of CaJoiine-a man,
TO whom the States more Indebted tor Just expo
sition of the fundamental principles OF our Govern.
ment than 10 any who has lived; and whose long
life guided by wisdom, virtue, and integrity, was dc.
voted 10 his country His name and authority, South
Carolina, as we'll as Virginia, will long delight TO
cherish and honor
Ist then 10 be questioned, that the Constitu' ion in
tended that each State should act in the Electoral
College separately and denitively? Each TO have that
influence IN the election which her interests and
tho majority OF her people, fairly expressed, might
cure and that il farther intended 10 give TO the
States through their Legislatures, wise and sauary
check upon the President instead of making HIM re-
soonsble TO the people as one consolidated mass? 1t
So can it be expected that the large States will ever
consent to surrender this power suffer themselves
10 be broken into fragments, and the vitality Of their
political influence impaired, if not destroyed, on the
principles assumed by South Carolina, or indeed upon
any other than those secured them by the Consttu
tom
Il deny them the doctrines assumed by South Caro-
Ina | deny that she, or any other State, has the
righ, question the manner IN which any
Of her sister States shall be represented in National
Convention. i deny, moreover, that any State has
the right insist that there shall be any uniform sys
ten of representation for any Of The other States in
the Convention, or that any such system could be
equal popular, Just. So far from II, that should
regard it contrary to all the safeguards which the
Constitution provided for the security of the rights OF
the States
Bu, i, is argued that there is analogy between
the manner of constituting National Convention, for
nominating Presidential candidate, and the College
Of Electors provided by the Constitution Now, il be-
comes important 10 examine this argument, and see TO
wha, consequences it would lead u.s. i think am
authorised in assuming, that the nomination of any
candidate py a National Convention representing The
Democracy Of the Union and the final election itself,
NAY be regarded az amounting pretty much TO The
same thing Indeed decided is the majority OF the
Democratic party in the Union, that if they remain
united there is rational hope Of defeating the nom'
nee The nomination may, therefore, be regarded as
securing his success Now, it this be SO, is it fair
lus that an individual who might succeed IN obtain :
ing the nomination Of the Convention upon the pm
cpss of The Electoral Colleges leach State represent
ed IN such Convention giving its vote according to its
number of Eiectors should be defeated in the nomina
ton and consequently in his election, by constituting
the Convention upon any other principles than mo Sc
By which the election is finally to be made under the
provisions of the Constitution? With the provisions
and principles Of the Constitution, the Convention
have nothing to do. Their duty will be to select and
yresen, 10 the country the individual who has the
greatest strength, with majority OF the Democracy OF
the Union, aud obtain the largest portion OF the
Electoral votes. They have power of changing
,he cons,,tut onal provisions on this subject What,
them real objection of South Carolina, and those
who think with HIM, to gong into National Con.
venon, and voting upon the principles OF the Elec
Oral Colleges? Is It not, that diminishing the pros
pee, of election by the people, the chances OF an
election by the House OF Representatives are increased
where State oOutd be equal, and where Deiaeare
and Rhode Island, would give the same vote, with New
York and Pennsy lvana. The Two former with popu
aon oIsss three hundred thousand and the Others
with that of some three four millions If this be so
then The argument Of "South Carolina" becomes sui
cda both character and tendency. II is, in the
first place, directly at with The favorte doctrine
ofthe vii of the majority prevailing in the election
and the next defeats the great object for which the
Convention to be held, to w.t. preventing the erat o
election by the House Of Representatives. and secur
ing TO the people the States, where the Constilu
ton has placed It.
Is it not, then, both just and fair, that the Nationa
Convention, to select the candidate to be voted for
should be constituted upon the principles on which The
final election is to be made' Unless this ls done, viii
The respective States consent to any scheme which shall
take from them the weight which they have in the
Electoral College, and surrender the political rights
and influence secured by the compact That they
will not, and ought not, cannot for one moment be
doubted.
Each State must, therefore, decide for itself in ,cha
IGy, lis delegates shall be elected for the Convention
and each have the and influence in the nomination
and selection Of candidate, that it would have in TIT
Electoral College
So much FOR the argument upon the principles of thu
Constitution.
no,o proceed to notice rery briefly, as matter Q