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

conies,iblc principle oi ,nc perfect equality Of
| rights between all sovereign aud independent
! communities, withuut regard 10 size or popnla.
ton, Insisted Oh Iikc eqanIity sf wei.hi in the
| sovernu.en; Of The Union. chile the larger aud
more pupnlaus, admitting the corrcctuess oi
that rrincipie, insisted TIN. .1 Federal Re-
public. composed Of States nfunequal size. and
united fuI Ito cDmGlOn defence Of the whU'e.
the States which 5rousi,: IL the Common stock
of power and mcans The greater SHIRE. should
in !nirIess and justice have Il prop6rtonata
weigh, in tie government. Such was the oh.
stinancy, 18th which both sides maintained
their gruliid. that at one time It WAS sciiously
apprehanied the object OF the Convention
would lail, and It's lnbnrs end iiI doing nothing
The alarm which This cnused, led TO n compro-
nike. The larger States agreed to an equuli
: ~ Of representation ia the Senate. aud the
smaller 10 representation in The House prUpor.
toned 10 population csrinIlted in federal mum.
hers From these two elements. MI the inate.
rials Tor constructing onr beautiful and solid po-
l;,icnl fabric were dawn. The Electors nj Col.
lese for the choosing Of President and Vice
President consists of the two blended. so rs TO
give 10 each State the number OF e!ector, tlini
: she may have members in the two Houses OF
Congress.
4 The mo.les Of voting, rs prescribed by the
Constitution, urc in unison with these eie.
uenis. az there are bn. two. so there arc but
two modes oivo'ing knuwn to the Constitution
the per enpita, aud Ihai by d minority, cor
responding with the ,wo elements. Wien tie
States arc Intended TO be regarded in their ori-
sinal equality, ard independent, nnd sovereign
chnraciet. the Mode Of voting prescribed is by
delegation, each delegaiiou vo,!r: by Itself
and the majority di-posIng of the vote Of tie
State; hnt Ito vote OF the State in such cases.
, ::'tou, regard n the number ni delegates
! c. ats bu, one. SGcI, wa. the n"sir oi voting
| and c6ul!ing in IA. ruInia;inn and adoption OF
the Co,. ;itu.!.u. ahd sUch the mode prescribed
for rrnr ~. on 10 amend il. aud IN the election
or p;.s,..ut. ,..iru tie choice devo!ves on the
House, by tie iailu.'a oi The Elec'o'ial College
to elect. But when. ,na States are not inlen.
died To be so regarded. 'hc vote and conn: Is
always per capi!a, and s,.ch ID the mode. nc.
cordins.y prescribed for ti.c ,wo Houses Of
Congress in nj! cases. except lie ,:siance cited
aud al.o f"r the Electoral College, III voting
Cor President and Vice President.
Il is well knowa. tha, i, was very dnjcult TO
| agree on the mode of eecing those dlE'in'
suis.,ed officers resulting fom some conflict
beiw cen the lafgo and sma! States. thu; endan-
1 Us
Constitution i,se!E That. too, ended ia a
compromise, whic!, gave the larger States q
prerondcinnce il, the election OF The Electoral
| College. und the smaller preponderance in
case 0i failure OF ciloic6, and The election de-
voIving on the House.
! II was thus, that tip5 great and dangerous
conflict among the States was netilcdb COM
promises. and than which endangered The for
nation of the Constitution was, by cDnsun-
mate isdom aud skill, riaa5 ID furnish the
elements out OF which fiIe government, was
constructed and what ve are ;rreccnclably
appnscd tD in the plan Of The Richmond Con.
ven,ior is. thur il coufounds these eFcc,enis by
combining together homogeneous modes oJ vo-
ling aud counting. aud thereby adopts ptinci.
pie unknown tn the Constitution. and 10 dead
ly cortiict wits tie compromises upon which
!, rests, aud the observance of which lis bnlance
depends. Oar objection applies not to the
delegates of the General Convention voting by
States, or that the vote OF the States should be
given by :l,e majority. but what We do object to
| ns blending incongruous methods is thar the
vote Ola State shouid be given by majority.
but contend per capita. II is thai. which we
prononnce to be unknown 10 the Constitution,
and uons,rous and destructive in IFS character.
Virginia or any State, may take choice. 10 vote
nv majority, or per eGpita but whichever she
may select, she canno, complain If she should
be subject ii the mode Of counting, which the
Constitution, in conformity to ITS compromises,
invariably prescribes for thai mode. Ii She
should insis, on majority Of her delegates dis
posin. Of her vote, she must also submit TO
place herself on an equality with the Smallest
State, aud conut but one. n sic would in the
case OF the Presidential election going to the
House. !. ate desires TO save her whole dele.
ya,ion counted, us i'll the House Of Rcprcscn.
tatives CT, all other questions. she mus: iote
per cap:ts, and run. rs there, the hnzzard OF 4
division among her delegates. She cannot,
wihon, subvcrtins tie principles OF the Con.
.,itu,ion. enjoy ihe benefit oi both modes. and
exempt hcrseif from ll.eir disadvantages. She
cannot concentrate her whole strength BY dis.
posing Of Ter vote Ivy a majority, without pla-
cling hcrse3 10 the same scale with Delaware
or cunnt hcI lull number without the hazard oi
n division III her delegation. Choose winch sf;
may, we for one shall not object. we never can
asscn, thai shc or any olIier State. snall at the
| saiuc liiie grasp the benefit Of both. aud eI.
\ sinp, herself from their disadvantages. Tho
advantages and disadvantages Of whichever
mny be selected, MUS, be taken together
BIN wc consider the plan Of the Ricinhond
Convention Us dangerous in its practical bear.
iuss, ~ il is clearly unconstitutional in piinci'
pie. |, would trnd almost irresisti:,l, TO con-
,.cGrraie tI.e power OF elcetins the Presldcntin
tho hands Of the larger States aud moro aopn.
!ons portions OF The Union, and l.y necessary
consequence. give them the almost exclusive
cun,rol over tho Executive Department Of the
Government. aud. through its power aud in.
fnancc. over the whole Uuion. We must look
at things as they are. Tic control OF the ln''ii
iuallon. ifsrqniesre'l in, would be in fact. Is
has been promised. tile control Of the election,
us f:lr rs The party is concerned; and what
could be better devised to concentrate their
combined power in the Georgia Convention,
,llan tic plan of,,l,e MINORITY giving the vote
Of each State, and yet nj the same time count;
ing per capita. and thereby controlIing,iss pro:
ceediass, and through il the nolniuo,ion and
eIcciion! And what could tend more pow
errully than tha,. tu destroy the balance Of the
Constitution. and convert our Federal Repub-
lie into grea, consolidated and absolute Gov