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

by the people of the u. States as one entire community,
Us one consolidated Republic. But this is not the the
DRY or the fact OF the Constitution. The Constitution
neither so intends nor provides Ii does, indeed, place
the election OF President and Vice President upon The
popular principle. This popular principle, however,
as we have seen, Is to operate separately IN each Slate
according to tn direction Of the Legislature thereof.
And never, so far as it has come to the knowledge OF
this writer, has any State or Legislature presumed 70
interfere with The regulations in another State. No
State or Legislature has yet presumed TO dictate or
TO pronounce any particular plan, the only proper and
constitutional mode. Whether the electors shall have
been SO appointed by general ticket as to vote in their
college with unanimi,y, rejecting the will of the ma.
jori,y and merging that of the minority; or, whether
they shall have been elected by districts, each reject
ing the will of the majority of the district and merg
ing that Of The minority, and differing or not among
themselves in thia college or, whether they have
been appointed by the Legislature, itself reflect
ing the will of the majority of that body, and merg-
ing that of the minori,y-in Whatever mode the
electors have been appointed in the several states,
the validity Of their acts has not been contested but
the electoral vote Of each State has been received and
counted, without reference to the mode of appointment,
and whether given with unan,mity OF division. Shai!
less regard be- paid 10 the boundaries which define Tue
several States, and divide their separate primary acton
shall less latitude be allowed TO the People of each
State in their own voluntary, unconstrained depusa-
tons TO a General Convention Shall the People OF
each State have less freedom of option and OF action
in a recommendation than in an ctectioh?
Ii in every State the District system of appointing
electors prevailed; if such mode of appointment was
required by the terms OF the compact of the Union; II the
Legislative power of the United States bad, under au
thority of any provision of the Constitution, prescribed
a uniform district system of electors to all the States
then with great propriety and consistency might ! oe
urged upon the people of the several Statest to pursue the
same uniform mode of sending delegates 10 n convention
10 select candidates. But until such uniformity can
be established in relation 10 the actual election, win
no shadow of analogy, with no piaus'bil'iy of argument,
with no consistency of reasoning, can such uniformly
be required in the appointments delegates, much less
dictated rs 4 Stnc qua non.
Suppose, with YOU in the Enquirer Of 2Sth ultimo,
that eight out of fifteen, say nine out OF seventeen
should send delegates by bare maJorIties friendly 10 'he
nomination of A, and that the other eight districts ny
large najorities send delegates friendly 10 b.. Inc
large majorites in the eight districts, united with
the heavy minorities in the nine districts, are sup
posed TO constitute a very decided majority IN lhe
State yet A, with a helpless minority, Is 10 re-
ceive the vote of the major part of the delegation IN
favor Of his nomination, which. perhaps, may DC 'heie
by sscursd. Could it be hoped, ought it 10 be desired
to constrain This great majority, thus thwartea ~ Tue"
will, and siuHg with injustice, TO sustain 4 general tc
ket in favor of A ? Is 1t not a mockery TO ma'n'a'n Tue
fairness. Of a district system which may produce snch q
result in the nomination, when conirastrd WIN the
subsequent election by general ticket: We're IL NOT
for a desire TO avoid all harshness Of remark, with truth
il might be declared, that in the supposed case Inc ma
iority would be first defrauded of the fair expression OF
their preference, and thus reduced to the necessity by
a solemn record of their votes, To approve ana sustain
their manifest wrong. John Taylor remarked thni
elections were designed 10 enable maJorities 10 contfoi
minorities. The Democracy OF Virginia are yet Tree 10
act for theniselves-they may consult and discuss wilh
freedom and with friendsh,p-bu they acknowledge
no paramount authority in the regulation Of their own
coucerns-and the minority will hardly be induced TO
commit an net OF political suicide.
If we are to have district representation, each district
| riyipr = eanarata and indpnenitn mt vote. N the SCLtGtOR
of candidates, then in the name of ell that - tar: and
equa Il and consistent, let US have the same mode "i dec
ton. Ii The district system Is right in tie nomination.,
and is necessary for the protection Of minorities, a for
tori is il right and necessary in the election. III IN the
same party, with the same principles TO uphold, and The
same system Of measures 10 establish, divided only IN pre-
ferences for men, minori,ies are 10 be projected at the e1
pense of majorities, with what greater reason ought a
minority constituting a distinct political 2arty 10 be pro-
iected? Ask our Democratic friends, who are 50 urgent
for the per capita district system as a protection to the
minority in a mere matter Of nomination, IT II IS not
right and proper that We should also ADOPT the district
system, in the actual election as q protection also to the
minority; Surely they ought to be Wiling that the
Wings in Virginia should have an opportunity of sue
ceeding in the appointment Of one or two electors
The State is divided into two great rival political par
ties. If, in any case, n minority is TO be recognized as
having political rights. and q just claim 10 adis,ribu,ve
share Of power and influence, then here, in the DIVISION
Of parties in Virginia, is a most proper and urgent occn
sion for the application Of the doctrine. Will any OF
those Democratic advocates Of the minority principle,
come out openly and advocate the abandonment of our
general ticket system, and q return 10 the district sys.
tenn, No; they will not. At least, it is supposed that
no sturdy Democrat in Virginia will be found recreant
10 the feeling Of % and 30, when the Republican
party, in n triumphant majority, repealed this hateful
minority principle, and would not concede even The
Loudoun district 10 Adams and Federalism. None such
will be found in Virginia. If any, they would be
haunted by the ghosts of Madison and Taylor, and of
the other departed Republican members Of the Gene.
raj Assembly of '99-lS00. The survivors Of that Illus.
trious band of patriots, would cry out, shame upon
them, and they would stand rebuked and disowned by
the great mass of The Democracy. None will advocate
a return to the district system OF electors, rs a matter
of equal right and just protection to a political mino.
rity-and yet, until they do, it is Impossible 10 avoid
the suspicion, that such a claim for a minority Of the
same party, in q voluntary appointment of delegates to
a Convention, is a mere pretence of principle, 10 cloak
an undue advantage sought over their own politica
friends. |
An attentive perusal Of the debate in the Senate Of
the United States, upon the amendment OF the Con-
stitution, in relation the election Of President and Vice
President, a careful study and consideration of the doc.
trines maintained in that debate by John Taylor, and
other prominent Republicans, a calm review Of all The
arguments which ha We been advanced, and an impartial
survey of the different positions which have been de-
Tended, do appear to conduct to the following conclu.
sions
L. That in the election Of Presiden. and Vice
u.s. Ny oseHe ~ w uhilC uUu
co operate as TO ensure the success Of The popular prin.
cipls, and prevent the election from devolvinp either
upon the House or the Senate.
2. That for this purpose, consultation, harmony, con-
cert, among the Democracy of the several States, ante
cedent 10 the election, is requisite.
3. That the best mode of accom- %plishing this purpose,
is through the medium offs National Contention, com.
posed of delegates from the Democratic party in the
several States.
a. That the persons nominated by such Con vention,
ought 10 receive the general support of the Democratic
party, who should support only snch electors as would
be pledged, if elected, 10 vote IN The Electoral College
for the nominees.
5. That an acquisscence in such nomination, is no
Abandonment of political right or surrender of the free.
dom Of opinion-but is a voluntary consent to sup
port individuals for Office, from the convictions of rea-
son, and from a patriotic sense of duty-because it is
wiser and more patriotic to yield a mere personal pre-
ference, and thereby promote harmony and ensure sue
cess, than TO leopard our principles, and hazard defeat,
by an obst nate attachment to men.
6. That the Democratic party, in the several States,
ought to have a distinct, fair, and equal representation
in the Conventinn; which will be best secured by ac.
cord'ng to each State the same weight, the same voice
and influence, in the nominations TO be made and in the
other proceedings to be had in the Convention. which
is given to each, by the Constitution IN tho .ctu,l