Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-09-29

the delegation CONSIDERED themselves under
the obligation OF Instructions cypress or IMPLIED from
the constituent body-and without the grossest viola
ton of delegated trust, PRACTICAL evil could did
result from It. Our late State Convention. however
has, it appears 10 me, fully provided against anv
possible abuse, likely 10 arise from unequal or NAL
construction of the pending Conventnu-ln thls tba,
although each Of the Congressional Districts mas an
point four Delegates yet the four shall count but as
one cote, and the nomination determined as a msior,y
Of the districts, upon that principle, may decide THIS
plan would seem TO be unexce ptlonab,e
The Republican party, unhaPplly, "are grieved and
troubled about many things, but one thing needui,
and We should choose that good part which shall not
be taken away from usthat il TO sag, the perfect IN
volatility of every constitutional safeguard, as "to
ask nothing bot what right, and submit TO nothing
that IS wrong -forasmuch, the moment con.
cede any, the least Of these safeguards except las the
extreme me dc,ne of the Constitution preserve its
own existence-irom that moment the conservative
principle OF our system is deranged and the days of lie
Republic numbered-"South Carolina 10 the contrary
notwithstanding.
1t is the humor of sister State, 10 be wayward-
"Inconsant Oft and hard to please She often declines
communion with us at the FAMILY ALTAR. Ia 1892
and So, she stood aloof In lS40, she laid ASIDE her
scrupes, and with In lc44, she NAV be With
US, not, as her hpmor caprice may be. But to her
honor be II SAID all her cratic notions about state
Rights, she has joined herself 10 Wing dolatry-
She must not, however, for all that, be permitted
WOO or brighten Us from our propriety She may
entertain ner pecuHdE teDekS 70 HeI I'LL, nut tney
must not cannot, influence u.s.
Let the proposition Of s. Carolina be conceded and the
game in it's own hands IL is by no means presumng
loo far, 10 suppose that excited by State salouses and
State PRIDE with that chvarous State in the lead,
appeal the smaller States may be carried with fatal
success, the question of tme and that she has
not reckoned without her host In that case the ques
ton recurs may not the plan OF dstrlcting the States,
the mode proposed, and the appliance of the vote
per capita the election of any asprant the
.lsnn
If this so, preliminary Conventions would be
nugatory South Carolina, moreover, can act promptly
and dispose of the whole matter in day, by the tat
Of her "Patrician Council She need not consult her
people, their will merges the will of her Legislature,
il is so ordered; and the Central Committee of
Convention Is but the echo of The Legislative vii -
With u.s. and the other States, ierent rule prevails
The choice OF electors regarded 10 be the constitu
tona right OF the people, who by tar deduction are all
"Pa,rlcans," whom equal rules should respect Their
voice be elected through the medium of convan
TONS or primary assemblies-a work OF Tune, trouble,
and expense II would be better far better, 10 say 10
South Carolina, "Da nobis paesm ct ito IN pace, Than
accede capricous demand; gong as Vt does, 10 IN
settle our best laid plans TOR the ultimate success OF
righteous cause Are not her larger sisters as ia and
learned, and good as She and more than all united
in their views; The proposition is too prsposerous
To concede any, the least Of our constitutional safe
guards no matter for what purpose IS dangerous IN the
extreme, but 10 compromise vital principle OF polti.
when they can distinctly traced are 10 be preferred
-Scienee when old lines oaliteraed, and not I'll
then "He that is not tor US against US, ano u Is
the teaching of true wisdom, luke care Of ourseces
South Carolina, IN her peculiar views OF "the COM
promses of the Constitution, as her manner IL, see ms
10 lose sight Of important principle IN the con-
structon OF a Conederated Government, growing gu,
of and resulting from the compromises, upon whlch
the Federal Constitution was adopted, IN 'h's mar
each State of the sold Confederation being sovereign
and independent, per Sc, no inequality OF population
could in any wise, impair their equal rights, 10 gf"hs
or accept conditions concessions Tor the construction
Of the new Government-and that the compromises
now insisted upon, subsis,ing and growing out oi
The compact, were conditions for, and not " The lon-
stitution-and among them, that IN case the "Ioege
of Electors should fail TO elect President, upon Inc
terms of the Constitution then the House oi Repre-
,entatives shall choose Immediately, by ballot, the Pre
sdent But choosing the President "the vote shalI
be taken by States, the Representatives from each
State having one vote"-and IN case no College ct
Elector. shall have been convened. The only eGn'-
vaent TO the larger States for these l" me
small results from the institution OF the "Ioege q
Electors provided majority OF the whole number up.
pointed concur IN choice, and otherwise In word,
these were conditions upon which the "Coniederaitd
States" contracted, 10 form "a more perfect union,
granting each State the right OF representation IN The
Electoral Colleges b. delegates opportIoned 10 Their
numerical capacity and consequent ability In conItI-
butte more or ess sthe common defence and general
welfare"
II requires but little acueness Of intellect 10 pene-
rae The whole design Of the South Carolina PROPOSE
ton She comes under color of "the compromises Of
the Constitution and requires condition for sob
hitting her claims 10 the decision Of National Con.
venton, that every State Of the Union (herse except.
ed) shall proceed the election OF delegates to The
Convention upon pa Incons'sten, with former usage;
and C0urenttoH that the vote every proportion
shall he taken per capita, analogy TO the College ol
Electors, virtually TO abrogate that sanaory pro-
vsion Of the Constitution, which leach State
to appoint, such manner the Legislature thereof
NAV direct, number Of electors equal To the rhole
number of Senators and Representatives 10 which The
State NAV be entitled in COM tess which, by the
concurrent action Of all The States (South Coroini
excepted) been regulated by the General Ticket
System, that the integrity OF no State can be "eaken-
ed or impaired by collision among their respective
Electors Blu, adopt the plan proposed aud wha. fol!
lows 3:
l. The primary object and cole design Of a premi-
nary Convention must be, 10 select and nominate pre-
per persons as candidates for President and Nics Pre-
sident, lie supported by the whole constituent BODY
party, al whose instance The Convention may oe az
pointed.
2 The second step, being the nomination Of eecof'
IN tchaterer form, the primary object mn.t be KEEP
steadily in view and taken, to select such persons
ONLY known 10 be in favor Of, and wi. sustain
the Conventional nominees
3 The contamination Of the whole is thus commit
ted 10 the constituent body of each State, without
whose undivided concurrenceit requires no prophet TO
foctell-the whole scheme must necessarily prove BUT
tve-so that the incidents, from first to last, mus, tend
to the object and cannot he separated What does
It matter then tell u.s. that South Carolina meditae'
no attack upon Election lave when her proposition
in terms, contains a"negat,ve pregnant which strikes
them dead And not only so, but may probably re-
suit in the choice of Chief Magistrate, Ly m'"Or"s
poe, as we interpre, the Cou'tlu;lon-at, IN HOPE
less attempt to conclia,e capricous State, ackno"-
lodging no Conventional restraints beyond the VIII o.
her Legislature, and submitting nothing, IN the ch'ee
of President, the will OF her peope-and, mofeoSe
# carried into effect, may divide each State into I"
many factions, there are asfrans To choose oet"re1
cannot be desirable 10 the larger States rspec'!
20 involve themselves IN such catastrophe.
In the election of Chef Magistrate, there can s'
no difference between the mode proposed by Tar ''h'
and that of College Of electors chosen by c''nc'
1t results in the thing precisely Because, u
minority candidate, meaning candidate put !" n"m
nation by union (of the no, improbable s"ifcea'
number) of the entire votes of the smaller Sta'r' ~"
the minorl,ies of the larger msy csuit IN eohgen
tional nomination. which could not otherwise be- r"f'
ed, and Of consequence, the choice OF electors 10 a.
upon such nomrnaton-th'n n, the end would oe
efi.ctuaily attained If the College Of electors u.s.
been primarily chosen upon the district principe, t''