Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1843-03-18

the country IL seems 10 he al variance with
the spirit OF this arrangement, that the Repre-
sentative should be elected by the entire vote pf
the State, instead Of subdivisions Of the people.
| NO member here has ever entertained the wild
! project OF eectlng the members of this hall by
general ticket. Yet popular representation was
never intended 10 he more complete in this body
than in the House OF Representatives in Con
gress. Upon the subject coming properly within
It's sphere OF action no proposition is more sus
cepube Of demonstration than this Then, sir,
carry out the parallel, and suppose gentleman
Use here in his place, and propose that in future
The members OF this house shall be elected by
general ticket, the whole State constituting but
one district, all would at once pronounce that the
~ ember was better suited TO be the inmate Of an
asylum Tor the unfortunate, than the member OF
an enlightened legislative assembly.
| hold that popular represention is more com.
pIeLe in the Blush House Of Commons, than in
an American Congress elected by general ticket;
for, sir, under the British system, towns, coun
ties, parishes, and boroughs have each repre-.
sentative in Parliament, whilst here it takes
whole State to elect member to c. ngress
State, too containing larger number OF square
miles than the British isle, with six hundred mem
bers in Parliament.
Then, MI. Speaker, we are gully If the folly
oil establishing system Of representation Ie IS
complete, less free, less liberal, less popular in
lis character than the system OF our ancestors,
from which we separated after one OF the fercest
struggles in mod ,rn times. The very idea Of
popular representation implies that the represen.
tave is to be elected not by entire States or
large communities, but by Districts or bdvi.
sons OF the people. Hence, we find in the rep.
resentave assemblies Of all free nations. as we'll
in tha MAJ horS
sing those bodies have been elected by single dis.
tficts, departments, or small divisions OF the peo.
ple The district system insures that personal
acquaintance which is so necessary between con.
stituent and representative, and is the very gst OF
true representation. 1t makes political advance.
ment depend as much upon good conduct and
vrtuous action, as upon powers Of mind or great
Requirements. Under the opposite system, the
responsibility Of the voter being more extended
or divided, indifference and apathy are the result
aud tickets are made up without due regard to
private character aud without consulting the
great constituent body, the people. Suppose
sir, State is entitled to FIVE members in Con.
gless. and the election is conducted under the
general ticket system: il will frequently happen
that TWO good men ale put upon ticket with
three mean men thus the good men pack the
bad men into Congress on their backs, the PEG.
pie having OF necessity 10 vote for the bad in
o, der 10 avail themselves OF the services OF the
Two good men who may happen TO be on the tick.
ct. Ii may be laid down as proposition, which
cannot br controverted, that where this system
prevails, it transfers Of necessity into the hands
Of few who give direction TO the entire vote Of
the State 1t is nearly allied to the caucus sys.
TEN III It's most odious and revolving form, and
enables few political juggers and party hacks
To dictate TO a whole State who shall he taken
and VINO cast of. A few political aspiranls u.
nIte together and decide for the whole people
vino shall be presented to them as candidates for
Congress, aud thus the honest yeomanry Of the
country are compelled to vote for men with
wnon they are personally uacquainted, never
having them, and probably never having
heard Of them before. In fact they are called
on 10 vote by faith, and be mere willing and pas
sve machines in The hands Of political leaders.
TINS part OF the glores of the general ticket
system: from all such | hope to be forever de
irvered 1t compeIs US 10 go it blind, unac
qtnted tn the person, talents or merit OF those
VINO seek our suffIase. Sir, the people o! ou
country wall repudIdte TINS system sooner or la.
ter. The idlnrrS OF this country want 10 know
the men who seek 10 represent them. They de
sue 10 Judge Cor themselves, and not through
Others, as 10 the fitness OF certain men for public
stations. The district system offers this Oppor.
lunIty 10 every individual who may wish it. 1t
is the only plan by which the candidate for
political favor must stand or fall upon his own
merits. The general ticket system may be. and
has been used TO the advantage Of one class OF
CITIZENS over another. The history OF our own
State proves the assertion 10 be true. In Mis-
souri, the seats in Congress have always been a
monopoly in lavor oil Two oil the learned profrs
sons--law aud medicine. Although Missouri
has been in the Union over twenty years no in
d,vidua, with one solitary exception, out Of
these professions has reached the halls OF Con.
gress. Although ours is an agricultural State,
and we an agricultural people, having but lille
commerce, and scarce any manufactures-al.
though this has been our case for nearly quarter
oil century, yet not single farmer from Mis-
souri, has heard his own voice in the capacity OF
represent alive within the wall OF the capitol at
the seal oil The General Government. Yes, sir,
The general ticket system in this State has been a
foul monopoly, an exclusive privilege OF the most
otlous character. do not object to the gentle
men Of the learned professions getting to Con,
gress, but am opposed TO perpetuating a system
which conleis upon them an exclusive right 10
the seats in that body. would place them on a
fair equality with other citizens-upon that plat.
form where the constitution intended TO put them,
and then lei merit determine the question OF con.
flctng claims. Two years hence, If this bill
passes, and do not doubt it, you will have five
lawyers on your ticket for Congress. could
name the gentlemen. but dislike TO do so. | am
requested by several around me 10 mention names,
but must decline, as do not wish to betray con-
fdence suffice it TO say that the ticket will
main pretty much as al present. with this excep
lion that the doctors lately elected will be knock