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

ANARCHY which might spring from oe'ns "'uoa or
Chief MAGISTRATE, would become me ordinary nou
-. /, - no, this but avowed!y an apPfo3'"a-
a., he South Carolina Convention propose,
r. , her mode Of organizing the Con'eh''on, a'e
vo,;n, the REIN they propose 10 dlVese "e ,ve.
IS a.,,;on fthe weight which the Ions'tu''o" s..
them in the election by Electors 'hu: rsaard 10
,h So :, nm equality Of votes, without regard -
-. "e o'u.es -, We doubt whether the Democracy
sn nped States would be, or ought 10 oe ''coheen.
=, hs 20 their President elected IN all cases " ~
80 f S,o,cs or "more than content WIN any 80
80. to that principle than IS now P'oVueu
epp. C,s,,ution We doubt, also, whe thel 'ney
al, - o,rht 10 assent TO PRACTICAL ameho'ien' u
the Cops,ulon, by process so ihes't'ho' -
sponsible, and 80 oahge'ouo c,, p;,h,s no in this
Tha democracy cherish "Stafe h'gnts' as '" IT. IT.
oo,n'. IL. surest safeguard OF popular rignls 10
;ts votes in the election OF PRESIDENT anu
~ p.a;dsnt is as much State Right asto give Two
.ccoun, of it's Senators. Both should pe enc
ohad nd maintained, as we wouid chef'Sn a"u 'na'"
80 .,ons,,,ution. Nominating Conventions are ho
-" :, dscuss or adjust constitutional pr"c'P'eS
piaces " 80 much less ought sacrifices OF constl-
- h,s and powers to be asked or made, as CON
;da.a,;on for giving receiving political co operation
support II is not by SUCH MEANS that 'he
Democracy is to be kept together, leo OH - '''''
nd established in lasting DOMINION.
ARGUMENTS OF SOUTH CAROLINA
.,.,h we have elucldated we hope with clear
80 General principles involved in the subject, We
a :, e such importance as to require more par
,cnj.r notice Of the leading arguments aoduceu III sup
nor, of The South Carolina plan Ihey are su'''I.o
no in the following extract from an au.nolu.t We h
| Gle recently c'fcoa'eu VIZ" ~
Carolina, VIZ sc District repre
n,,on and The per capita vote "urge, that mere are
bn two forms of representation known uhoef 'ie oon
s,i,u,ion of the United States and the government
| .s,obl,shes One The representation oil States-aho
ms carried out in the Senate Of the United States
where each State being equal i'll sovereignty IS equa
in representation Two, The representation OF the PEG
pe-and this is carried out in the popular oranch o
Congress-lhe House Of Rspresen'atves-gehe,a'
by district elections and district representations NOW
choose We Take one or the other form OF represen
,aton, as the model for the National Convention, u
the former is adopted, we are content. men, an '.e
States being equal, will give equal voes-as was P'uo
tised under the old and IN the ConVeh
ion which framed the Constitution of the u States
and as the Constitution itself PROVIDES shal TAKE
place. when the Presidential electonis thrown INTO 'he
House of Representatives Or II the latter 'orn' tue
representation Of the people Is adopted, we are more
than content. Then, every Congressional d'strct WI
send one representative and he, IN the Convention
as in Congress- will represent and carry out tne OPP
mons and wishes OF the seventy thousand people TIE
District contains We prefer the latter form oil repre-
senation because desire the will OF the people, aho
no, the will Of the States, 10 predominant IN the Con
vent;on We nut it TO any fair and candid mind, car
an ythng be fare than these alternatives: lhey rise
up directly from the face of the Const'tuton-iami-
liar TO the people in their daily practices unoer the
Constitution Of The United States familiar 10 theH
IN all their practices in the several States NO oate
Leuisature-no State Convention was ever organized
but on the principle Of district representation why
should il not hold good for the organization OF Nauon
al Convention
There is fatal defect in The foundation of this impo
sing supetsruciue Is 1t true that there are "but two
forros of prese NATION known under the Constitution,
the Senate and the House Of Representatives! There
is THIRD ssrisny up directly from the lace oil INT
Constitution" compound OF both, neither represent
ing the States as soyereigns, nor yet me Feopie
the United States equals in political power On
occupy,nr an intermediate ground. We mean Int
Electors Of President and Vice President. Each STATE
has by virtue of It's sovereignty, and as many more
as it has Representatives in Congress by virtue OF VI
population. They are certainly "rePresen'auon,
and practically much faithful one than the Sc
maize or House of Representatives Choose ye between
these two says South Carolina, we are "conlen VIII
one and "more than content with the other Now
we will choose neither, nor will we be "c"ntenl WIN
the one nor "more than content" with the other, 10
the very obvious reason that they have nothing 10 az
with the matter in hand Making ialcs and making
Presidents are very different operations the bod'e:
which make the laws and the bodies which make The
President are altogether different constituted on OIL
ferent principles, and in prsciice chosen by d'heren
constituents. When want td,o makers, we VII
choose between the "f,10 forms OF representation
you present. if we want Senator, we will call con
yention OF the Democratic members OF the Legislature
sendttTss will call convention Of iie
the District if the election be by General Ticket
of the whole State 10 say who shall be the candidate
We would not call State Convention to nominate
dldates TO be elected by Districts, District Conven
tons 10 nominate for State vote; but if wanted
bona de 10 ascertain the strongest with the view
of giving up personal preferences for the sake Of
principles, would ask a nomination al the hands
of those, all those, and those only, who have voice
in the election. Is not this sound IN principle and safs
! in fha pf and
universal practice Of the country Why depart from
in The nomination of candidate for the Preside Y:
Why "choose ye" between the State Representation
IN the Senate, and the popular representation in the
House for the model Of Convention, when you have
third Storm of representation in the electors, exactly
| suited to your purpose?
Zach State may choose electors, as it pleases. For
mery, some chosen by Districts, some by genera
ticket and some by the Legislature Each had and
has, constitutional right to adopt the mode most con
duc've TO her own advantage. South Carolina late
1928, not only chose them by her Legislature thus
concentrating her votes but held back her choice unit,
she knew the result in other States, that she nigh,
make the most of her power. II estate Right
all the rest had the same right; and nobody complained
All have since adopted the General Ticket System
nyaing themselves of their constitutional right and
South Carolina asks them TO restore 10 her the adj
vantage she SO long enjoyed through concentration and
delay, by giving up their relative constitutional strength
IN the nomination which she admits would be giving
up in the election!
MANNER OF VOTING.
Bu the advocates Of her pan the electors By the
Constitution vote per capita, and should the Dele
gates in Convention. This is plausible but delusive
Garry The analogy through, and We are "conent"-
The Electors chosen by General Ticket, and vote
per capita Elect Delegates to The Convention by &c
neral Ticket or some equivalent mode, and we are
content that they shall vote per capita. Then would
the Delegate vote be concentrated precisely the
Electoral vote now is. But you insist, that we
shall follow the analogy at one end, and abandon
It at The other. You insist, that shall change
the mode of election, and adhere 10 the mode u
voting We insist, that you shall change neither or
change both. We not for forms; look only to
results, Elect Delegates by General Ticket, as the
Electors are elected or by State Conventions which
will make them equally representation of the State
moJoity and we "conten,,' that they shall vote
per capita. Or, if you elect by Districts, departing
from The practical constitutional mode of eec,ing
Electors We insist that You shall make like departure
at lbe other end of the process, by allowing majority
the Delegates from each State to dispose of its entire
vote snow choose ye." Although District repre-
sen,aion may throw the power of the State into the
hands Of minority, danger not involved in STATE