Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-01-31

of all republican institutions /. the people are NOT 10
rule in the selection OF tIe.7 Cnef Mass.Ia'e, w
should they rule IN any other attribute oil oove'h'r"'
The nriu.in,e g Hash would exciade lie popular VIII la
This nar,ieui,r would abolish all free Governments ana
erect Gespo,isus ia their sicac, oi an u ny
narcicai ftfEl ,;h
ma h;,,, National Convention should be organized, let
MS consider The manner, which they have hitherto
been named. A.,
The two great instruments Of government by inc
people are The ballot box and representation. ine
rst, has been entirely dispensed with by national con-
yenton. The second alone has been reso'tea TO- anu
one might suppose, that on This account more
and elaborate system for obtaining the SENSE o' "ie
people by representation, would nave oeeh pu. III
ice The first striking peculiarly, however, OF The
reoresentation in national Convention, as hitherto Or
ranzed H. that hes no UNIFORM system al ai No"'
iht there should be system, good or bad, operating
equally all, we suppose u requires nut li':e a'eu
ment 10 nrove Il one State appears az State IN the
lCarvanon having suppressed the vc!ce OF the mino-
rites within lis l!ts and another appears with WI
npe muster ground, or county representation, by winch
i!e Vii, of all is minoss represented they VIII Oe
al immense Disadvantage. In form Of representa-
lion lL,v I,ay he equal in the CnnveE.!cn white, by
this various representation, State master hall
dozen az; of which, if The popular will was fairly
ideyenpsd might have controlled il. But not only mas
the re- be en- uniform system os representation III the
organization OF the Convention, one instance al
last there neither system nor represenlation.-
t,yerv one knows tina, Vice President of the u 5
was made by The votes Of .r. Ruc1er, who, acciden
tsliy being in Baltimore when the Convention sat,
weat into IT. and gave f,T han seventeen votes-ihe
votes to which Tennessee was entitled ana these So
cured hm the nomination. 10 meet together To OBTAIN
ccnccI; ia political action, may be hghiy exfedient
uut =. e"t unequal terms, where tie greatest po
tee power is involved Can never he right. Every
primo c Justice and oi cur Tree inotttutios requires
TIA, mere should be uuifa-m system Misrepresentation
sos the organization Of q National Convention, aPp
cable 10 81 he States.
md I.Dt at ptpnnStltUtal rpnroSpDtatl0n.
there are three fo.ais winch have been generally used
10 which il may BE- important to advert. Delegates
have been anpoined u National Convention by the
State Legislatures or they have been seat y the m
stfnmcnlay of State Conventions called FOR the pur
pose.
TIE State of New Yo.i ai.crds, probably. the best
specimen OF the Of sending delegates through
a State Convention 10 the National Convention. The
townships first send delegates TO the county. From
these delegates, ut The county meeting, delegates are
selected 10 be sent TO the capital OF the State In the
convention at the capital from these are selected the
delegates to the National Convention. general re-
collation. proposed, nsructiag the delegates now they
shall vote in the National Convention; who, of course
vote according Here then, four fltraons OF the
popular w through The hands OF politicians, before Il.
reaches the National Convention; and when 1t comes
there, it with the voice and with the strength oil
this powerful State. No~ viii take it for granted,
that, by this representation the popular will fairly
e and fully developed al each stage OF It's operaion;-
what is The efiec, Of the system; Suppose the Demo.
cratic party this Stale 10 be nearly equally divided
in their preferences for the individuals 10 be The Presi
# den, and Vice President of the L. S-the weaker half
o The party thousands and tens OF thousands IN mum.
Il be-) are kept Of the National Convention Sap
pose, further that Ike Stale nearly equally divided
II bc.een the Federal and Democratic partes and that,
as between the Democratic candidates the whole Fe.
derai party would p.e!er the individual rejected b. the
Democratic STATE Convention: The result s, ate little
over fourth of the people would in fact, be repre-
sened whilst these representatives, would wiela the
e power of the whole State in the convention, aad con
IS sequenY il: making the President Now, this result
d Is no; IN conformity to the icderave FEATURE Of the
Constitution which is Tesoed TO when TIC election fails
by the electoral colleges for then tie States being sove
reign, and equal in the sovereignty, each State has
equal weight determining the election and votes one
h Nor is it in conformity TO The other great basis
e of our insttutons-ihe popular will. The delegates
Il sent TO the convention by an aggregate majority
l. only Of Tie Democratic party, which makes them the
representatives of minority Of bat ltte over fourth
:. of the S!sta; aud, wen this system operates ali
the States, demonstrate, that less t.an two mil
lions and halt o. i2opc not Of voters living III but
y States cut o! ae seventeen millions aud hall
i aha5ng the twenty United States, may dictate The
Il President BY ta;s system tie popular power Of a
!. State is commanded the convention by fedeEat're
action Each State acts Slalc but wc!ds ;te power
IS of numbers This only be done at tie expense o
e al suppression OF the popular will Power is
f. gained the State but II is lost 10 the people Liberty
). yields 20 the Inst of the dominion
IF have heard Of but argument in defence Of TIN:
!; syscn-t tina, the Presidential election is practically
carried on, method some what similar, By The gene
raj ticket system, which obnoxious to the orec
tons and results: and therefore, is right 10 organize
q TIE convention The principles.
The general licse. system is not prescribed in the
: Constitution Tor eiectinG the President and ice Pres
o dent Of the IT, $ and there many for thu
system in !e election for enhers CT Congress- which
do rot apply the election Of President. Legislative
q are very different from Executive functions. Members
of Congress, although all Of party from State il
= themselves can do nothing. They meet in common
with many times their numbers from other States, ant
}. are liable 10 be overruled by the Senate and BY tt
n President with his veto The President, the con-
" tary, alone, and within his constitutional sphere
controlled and comfortable by none; whilst he holds
i. in check The wio!e legislation of the country. Wher
Congress adlourns, members OF Congress cissobet
. oe their pcwer Not so the Executive. Daily through
y out ell the ramifcaons OF the Government a. hom
ad abroad the citizen here and nations abroad
his power s ever active. Menbc-s c Congress repre-
* scnt Comparatively cw ii they represent whole
?. State ~ tie general ticket system The President re
c presents in his functions, every non III the t. S. Th
fountain Of ali honor, he bears the power and Is hi
living embodiment the operation Of the laws Of al
!. the people oi the Union within the limited sphere o
lie Constitution. The officer higher, mere res
il pon5u:e and popular than he Other: and there
fore requires closer and i:oe extensive popular con
.. troll
st Bat the a;,cnp, TO Justify The appointment, of dele
gates to National Convention on the general ticke
e principle, IN The election Of President, only heap
r one abuse upoa another, but insisting OIL an ana
: osv whore aEaosY exists
e Il the adoption Of lie General ticket sys.er1 in ;h
y. election Of the :ieslden. ci the g. i is unsuitable
all, j: ., :o uFoa the @rcnn" 1t n,ahn. The election
II ,"Hiormable to thc al o The people bat Of coun
y ervang unconstitutional in"qua!ry and wrong
which our political opponents IL other States night
ts Tempt Ia Parperatc. 'V4en states, OF one party
r. oTdoT that they nigh: carry weight in The Pre-
4 sdenai election, by suppfe sing the power Of The
noriiy within their limits by general cta ado2i hi
nclcy-a!; other States 10 be equal with them, mus
# adopt it aso. Otherwise, they might he divided hills
:, Tie States ,"forc;ag ii would be uc:,cd and carry
e therefore double ihcir legitimate weight the elecio
Z rel colleges. fhe Federal party the whole powe
/, o: the States IN WHICH they in the majority, ant
suppress The OF The Democracy within hcm-hc
IS Democrats must do tie in those States in lcs
j. they have the asccndancy. THIS is the Justification
But does this hostile policy-aone dccnsibe agans
olcal iccs who have rendered it necessary by then
II iajnslice-epp'y 10 The assembling Of po!llica