Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1843-05-31

tOnsliiutnn, Hiskeo u EecssSlfY, tbut each
shon.d have the same nunher of delegates in
the General Ceuyenlion. TINT il is entitled 10 in
1.-THE Electoral college,. WeIeii however. pos.
sibe 10 gee, this ohieci;oIo:o tt.e number. Of
delegates fran cafh Eis'rict, recommended by
the Richmond Convention, il would taii under
The test OF the CHER principle promised. which,
requires, .i.si every Fracticnhie means should
!. bs adopted, In order U,a, the Gsncrai Conycn.
ton should utter Truly the ynice OF The people,
in contra distinction 10 tlia Of mere politicians.
To iact effect. il is Indispensable ;be delegates
shonid. ~ a.l possible cases, be diieriIy ap-
pointed BY the penpls. The greater tha num-
Der OF intermediate bodies. The farther The ap.
poiuiment is removed iron, Inc people. sle
feeber viii be tiicir voice, aud the moro pc.
ren,ial this, Of political inanagcr5. IL IL that
which constitutes the great and faiaf objection
to appointing delegates by State Conventions,
which themselves ure always Que, and some
times two or thres degrees removed from tho
people. However proper, they may be, TO
make previous arrangements preparatory TO
their appointment, il is hazardous to leave ,hnt
to t!.em. Hi, be left IN them, it would be vain
10 hope il would not become In time, The cisan-
mel by which improper Influences, and even
corruption itself, might enter and control the
proceedings Of the Convention. and, through
II. the nomination and election. No pian.
could be better advised. TO give those who hold
or expect to holl Office the control of tho eiee-
ton. and. through them. give the Presi1entthe
power OF nominating his successor. IN other
words. 10 divest the people Of the control over
tsc election. and TO transfer il, with Il and the
control over the Executive Department, 10
those who hold Or seek tn hold office. There
is proeiivity in al! popular Governments to
that result which can be prevented only BY
the greatest caution and vigilance.
Such Is tie danger Of appointing the dele
gates by State conventions; aud our objection
TO the plan Of the Richmond convention. which
purposes four delegate 10 each district ~. that
it has the same tendency, though less power.
fully. 10 weaken the voice OF the people and
strengthen .hlf OF political managers. To ia.
eTease the number ofd.Iegates TO be appoin.
ted from cgch district, b but to increase the
necessity of n caIcus 10 make the nomination
Of the candidates. The grcatrr the number to
be appointed, the stronger dio tendency 90
distraction 1nd confusion, and the Eeeessiiy OF
such caucus TO make non1ina;ions and the
greater that necessity. the less will be the con.
troll Of the people Of tlie district over the ap-
pointmcnt, and The greater thar OF political in.
trigners. The most effectual check TO their.
control, and means OF giving the appointments
in reality TO the people, IL for each district TO-
appoint one delegate. Where ono only 10 70,
be appointed. j. the district is divided 10 relsr-
ence To the Presidential candidates, :he usna:
course will be, that some one prominent indi-
vidual on the side Of each Of The two most pop.
ulas candidates, shall offer for the place or
delegate, and will canvass The district in behalf
OF his particular favori.e ; than which 10 con
ceivabse mode Is better calculated 70 make
known the qualification Of candidates, and
thereby enable the people TO come to an en- I
lighlcncd selection. y
Having now stated frankly and fairly, though 3
not as fully as we might, our objections 10 the
plan Of the Richmond convention, IL remains to
set fnrtl, the reasons Tor our preference or the
Maryland plan. II will not be necessary TO be
very elaborate. ns The reasons against the for
mer are, in fact, the great and conclusive rea.
sons in favor OF the latter so striking IN tl,o .
contrast betweeu the two.
We, then, are in favor Of the Maryland plan
bocauss the time i, fxes on tn bold the General
convention affords ample opportunity for the
peoplc-io make M and devclopc tieir opinion
in reference TO tiG respective candidates, and
enables them 70 marx the conduct OF tho prom
inent ffiends Of the severnl candidates in the
new Congress 10 be assembled In December =
next on questions os vital importance and
strong bearing cn The future coursc Of the CO.
veriIment. We add. that we ara in its favor
because lis conyenient aud pleasant season
Of the year, which will De favorable 20 a fall
a,lendance Of delegates, especially FUN the
distant States.
Blu, wc are especially in its favor, because
its recommendations conform. az near rs may
be, to the great fundamental principles by
which all propositions connected with tho
convention ought to be treated. Taken ne a
whole. we are Of opinion If has adopted tho
mast efficient means that can be dev,sed. in
order that the voice uf the convention shaiI be
the voice OF the people, in conira-dis'inetlon
to the voice Of politicians. and of preserving tho
relative weight of the States in the Presidantisl
election. as liked by The constitution. hsecures
n compensation, at least in great degree, by
the appointment OF the delegates by districts,
and voting per capita. for the surrender, which
the smaller States and less populous portions
of the Union make. by going into coaven.
ton, of their contingent advantage IN case OF
the election devolying on the House. II ls
here proper TO remark. in order 10 avoid tnts-
construction, that in insisting on preserving
the relative weight Of the smaller staies, we
are no, artuatsd by the slightest feeling o. OPP
position 10 the larger. We would not, u we
could. subtract a grain from The relative weight
assigned them by the constitution. We hold
thar The interest, and the prosperity and hap:
piness Of each and all are best promoted by
rigid conformity in all things TO the provisions
n! the constitution, more especially that Which
touches It's great compromises, and on winch
the balance OF the Government depends; and
il is principally because we believe Il does
that. that we give our adhesion 30 the Mary
land plan 49, u
We have now declared our views, explicitly
aud frankly. on the points in relation to tho
convention which, Us we believe, remain uf-
settled by the public voice. Oar objec, IA not
,o throw difficulties in the way Of q General
eonycp,isi,, nor TO distract or divide cur CON-
mon party. It is the rrverss, io'hazmonize
and unite; whcn. according III our conception
can only be done by calm, manly agesal to
reason, justice, equity, patriotism. md ihSfeuj
s,iution. These are, we think. tho anly forii.
d,t;on nm wbirh The RepubiicaH party can or