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

forming duty, which Inc CONSTITUTION impose -
Tonsrsss to perform bat far the plan of Repre-
san,son il concerned, it is right. A fair nterP'ea'
ION of the Constitution giving effect to all its Prov
.ons requires The District system OF hepresenta''o
and rlec,ion both for members OF congress and Ffes
dental Electors
Com Tho nractee of the States, by the General Ticker
system IN the Electoral Colleges US model Tor Tue
oTgs niza,on of National Contention, and The nppor
tionment of its powers, falls 10 Inc ground Inc We
neral Ticket System IS nssy an aouse' and ,here'o
an ,fFord no lust argument for imitation in the fornA
lion of The Convention. But il does afford good tue
hest argument for Convention, formed from ConsItS
s;onal Districts The Constitution Is perverted by lhe
General Ticket System OF appointing lns ffesoen" =
Electors The District System Of appointing then Is
Tho nroper one-and voluntary Convection, in uhicA
his systcn preras, may thus more thoroughly carry
nm, the purposes of the Constitution tnal the exstne
| regulations by the States 10 snpport the Consulu
ton in n particular in which il has iaed-not 10 co"-
t,ol or prevent it in its Legitimate acon-wi be the
object of such Convention On any Other principle
Convention would be filled with danger TO the es-
| tabished Government-the integrity OF the Constitu
tion-and the liberties of the people IT is intended 10
guarantee If it is right, by voluntary Conventions,
70 control and add TO the Constitution IN It's operation
in one particular, why not III anolher Why not ~
voluntary Convenlons-do what's done IN many States
in the Union by their action o"'y uclate Inc o"
Mags,rate but all the other officers OF Government
Why not ordaio in them alterations OF the Consu-
ton. and regulate foreign or domestic policy =
such abuses are not impossible for it was charged upon
the Wings in the Legislation OF the Congress OF a.
that they submitted their measures rs their secfe
caucusses and then put them into Congress- by when
moan everv important was Internationally,
;. rat least in spir,) forced through Congress by de
cidsd minority. There is always danger in any sup
ple,ory party action by which the regular operation
i of the Constitution is controlled IL thoughI us
. many seem TO suppose by their arguments for Con-
| vention that the existing system ni appointing fIes'
dental Electors in the States by General Ticket was
\ Constitutional | could not dare support National
i Convention to control the election. Fealy to the
Constitution, and duty to the people, would forbid
it, But it would be still worse, not only to control
by a Convention the Constitution IN lis Legitimate
action but control it, principles and combinations
of power unknown in it's regulations by VIII ch the re
ative power of the States is altered and The control
of the Presidential office is forever transferred 10 the
larper States | can 90 for the Constitution. ! can
90 for Convention which will sustain It's principles,
and it's proper acton can go for Convention which
will give the people that interest and eonol IN the
Presidential election, the Constitution designed they
should possess But can, and will go, not step
further.
You seem earnestly to DESIRE nay 10 expect that those
who are in favor Of Dstric. representation IN the Ma
ona Convention, should, IN anticipation, pledge them
selves support the nominee OF the National Conven-
The probability certainly that they Viii support
such nominee, whether they IN the Convention or
no,-but, unless the whole affair is matter OF expe-
dency, and there are no principles ,nroteed how can
you expect them TO pledge themselves to the action oil
the Convention IL there are any prncp Piles involved,
unless there moral certainty that these principles
will be carried in its organization and action, with
what moral propuety can they pledge 10 lis nomna
tions their support You insist, that there shall be
system for its organIzatIonor system hostile, IN their
10 the spirit and promises oil the Constitution
You the larger States, and you say you have the
party, to carry your policy and yet you require
US to pledge ourselves, under such circumstances, To
support the doings Of the Convention? | know that
you mean no dsrespect 10 US; certainly none to your.
selves, by making such reguements-but do they not
look like domineerng Or, have The transactions
of National Conventions, hitherto organized been
correct and pure, tn dsarm all Jealonsy-a scru-
pies as the Constitution and inspire entire conf
dence in their results What do MIR Clay's friends
say as TO the last Harrisburg Convention But this
was a Wing Convention. Well have you not heard
of no represe ,ative of the people, but
cidental visitor in Batmore) who stepped into the De
mncratc Convention, and gave some seventeen votes,
(a the votes that State which had most studously
and intentionally kept out of the Convention, would
have been entitled TO- if present by her representatives.
and thus turned the scale and made Vice President
of the United States? This legitimate result of
your systen-no pvineiple-iTTcspoasi6ts method OF
organizing and conducting National Convention
And you call upon u.s. without single guarantee OF
better organization, by a direct responsibility and aP
pointment from the people, and therefore OF apurer &C
ton, pledge ourselves, unconditionay,t TO support
,ie ,'Gs nd d."ss "f ,i,o Convention speak Tor
myself ony-l cannot do it.
have said, that unless the question of tee meeting
and organization OF Convention involved no primer
pies, bat was matter of mere party expet'ehey, no
pledge beforehand to support its transactions coao oe
given. Undoubtedly Convention, without much con-
s:deratIon, is looked upon by large numbes-perhaps
a majority of the Democratic party matter OF par.
~ expedency entirely, without the least d'sig1 on
The part OF any of them, politicians or people, o. m
ringing on the Constitution or acting against lts prln-
c'Pes Let US look at the question nearer sill, as
matter of party expediency.
All politics consist of circumstances, and piincl.
pies; and politicians lake their character from the one
or the other of these influences public events
Some politicians have no principles, their policy Is Inc
result entirely Of their position and the influences,
personal and political, which beur upon them. Others,
very few IN number, disregard entirely all c'rcunl-
stances; they have their rule, and they would make
all measures and events square by it fail. The
generality of politicians, between these two ex.
tremes; but more frequently under the dominion OF
circumstances than principles So true s this, that
there is not single Statesman of long experience
in the country, to whom Inconsistencies cannot DC
charged, and an abandonment of principle, according
to the standard OF the day. occasion, cannot
be proved do not say that il is right never 10 swerve
from principle in politics. In of Govern.
ment, nothing is negative. Positive good, or positive
evil, IS the result Of every measnre and one OF the
worst evils OF bad measures s that they oiten drag
along with them the necessity Of their continuance at
least Tor time, or Government becomes oppressor.
should be extraordinary the bene, manifest, and the
OF affairs very perverted to justify any party po
hey, unsupported by the high principle of respect TO the
people and The Constitution. Now, in candor would
ask you, what Is there the Presidential elec,'rn,
which requires the Democratic Party to depart, in tn
least drgrse, from any of acknowledged ncples:
It's first principle of lis creed thai the peoples will,
whenever uuresttaned BY the Constitution, shall pre-
vaE why, then, IN voluntary convention, protesting
TO have for its sole object the ascertanment OF their
WILL should not the people, by direct representation,
snch as they have in all their legislation, entetand con-
troll Is another principle of the Democratic party
that the Constitution should be strictly adhered o?-
Why, then, set aside the Constitution and determine,
in way and mode unknown 10 lis provisions, who
shall be the Chef Magistrate of the country Does
the success and ascendancy of the Party require such
measured Surely not; for The party would be most
triumphant If in every portion of the Union, the can
ddaie the most popular, should be run IN every Stale
is because it is Of vital importance the party,
that any one man should be elected This you deny,
and require pledges all sides, that he who gets the
nomination in The Convention shall be supported BY the
party o. course, them the not important, whe-