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

A,'"SESS 10 TIE bEMo@%AcY OF THE L. STATES
number OF The frieads Of Nj Yaa Ruran. in IN.
s''''' 81 S"uaoa, %ho are sill more the friend. Of
Democracy. ~ Wv Of The d,nrsr; which throat.
their party and their pr,nculp- bavs c,,sod rho ~
owing remarks 10 ne P'epBred which bay,nr he's ..
submitted 10 them, and approved are now bv tta,,
direction, recommended 10 he serious consder ratio, a,
their political brethren:
DEMOCRATIC NAftoNu. coSvEGrioy-wHy SHOULD
49, ONE BE HELD:
mere are several prominent .nen whose frirnds
present the! 10 The people suitable candidates 70,
me Presidency, 10 be supported by the Democratic
party. IL IS very probable that if they all run none
Of them VIII be elected by the Electors and if 49,
wing candidate Go beat them all the election viii
De thrown INTO the fonse OF Repres ata,iyes To nre
'en' eitnef OF these results fatal GOOD govern
ment ana sound principles, the Democracy of the So.
'efa o'ates are wiling TO assemble in renera con-
rtnton, TO compare the strength Of their pnrt el,
a,".ss, !" make 4 ssc'Ih-- = t~.S,'..as ,Tc. - ~
ana un'te IN support VINO PROCESSING the. pr,t
cPes may appear 10 nave the best prospects of sue.
cess The whole movement is based on a preference
for Prtnetpes 0CeT men. 1t presupposes disposition
IN those who participate il; to sacrifice all personal
Predecuons as well rs repugnonces for the purpose OF
securing the performance Of Democratic counsels in
The administration OF the Government On this single
object the eyes of every Democrat ought 10 be
liked. 1t there be any who look upon the Convention
as tribunal 10 decide between merely, upon the
oasis ~ local attachments or personal preferences,
as held tor intrigue and management, they are I'M
those who look 10 higher objects and are acua,ed by
noblcr aims that ought to in this grand council
| OF the American Democracy. Differences OF opinion
as TO the strength Of candidates, are to be expected
but, after expressing them fully and frankly every
honest Democrat will yield to overriding majority
and put forth his test energies give effect TO their
decision.
now SHALL THE DELEGATES TIE CHOSEN, HOW
SHALL THEY VOTE IN CONVENTION?
These points are SO intimately connected in prac-
teal results, that they cannot be well separated in ar
gument.
This convention, let it be remembered, has nothing
10 do with fixing the principles prescribing the pro-
cess by which the election OF President and Vice Pre-
sden is TO be conducted All that, already fixed,
unaiterdb!y far the Convention concerned, by
The Constitution Of the United States and the laws oil
The several States. The Convention may, may not,
approve the principles the process-the may be
unequal and anti Democratic, and the other nconve-.
Dlenl and unsaieyet, their sole duty and power ISL
present candidates 10 be voted for those principles
and 6y that process leaving It 10 the legitimate amtho-
rites, by amending the Constitution altering the
laws, TO change the the other
TRUE POINT OF inquiry
To ascertain rhieh IF The Democratic candidates IS
likely TO Concentrate the most tic election, the
obvious path By which the Convention must approach
It's Object.
II will be Of 10 inquire, in whose favor
majority of The people Of the United Statesmen
men, and childen, black white and muatto-tor, five
slzs OF them have no voice in the election OF Presl
dent Vice President. Nor will il be of any 10
inquire, which candidate il preferred by orIty of
the voters vino elect The true point of inquiry is,
tich candidate most probably sceure majority Of
The Electoral rottS2
now TO BIZ ARRIVED AT.
By what means are the Convention most likely 10
come at 4 solution of this question Obvious
", by course analogous that porsued in the cleo
ton
Zach State shall appoint says the Constitution,
sin such manner as the Legislature thereof may Direct
amin Ipu %.
IN their respective States, and vote by ballot for Ere
.sident and Vice President" Nc. And majority oil
the votes given, # in favor OF one candidate, eecls
1 he President and Vice President.
The States in the exercise of the power here con-
ferred npon them, have We believe without exception,
provided for the election oil Electors by uenefat
Ticket The necessary consequence IS, that inc Fec
tors in each State being all elected by The same party,
are all of the political faith, and being piedgea
before hand, all vote Tor the same candidates
Hence, each and every Eiector speaks the voice,
no. Of majority of District, but Of maj0r'y q
The cho!e Stats. c,
the Electoral vote OF any Stale is likely TO be gwen IN
the next Presidential Election? Cannot The maJorHy
,,hich is 10 gire H. best answer the question Shall
we ask that majority or shall we cut the State up
INTO DISTRICTS aud asa NE mGjoT@y q eae@ D,sn".
whom then prefer Would their answer be OF any
uttv in ascerianing whom the majority o. me onafe
prefer-iha iority which is 10 give the vote why
not ask that majority at once instead OF the mhlo'pes
of Districts Not do So is as wise as to ask george
what John int ads 10 do, when John is stahuine W.
ready 10 answer for himself
As snise" though not so rdiculons-and not SO
rdiculous because it not only may not promote, ouI
NAV actually defeat the very object Tor when Con
venuon is to be held. New iork mas ,hilty s1 Wv.
i, the election of President and wee ffesloeh''
and South Carolina nine--to be gwen 6y ma
jorifv of each State. Ask majority OF the New
| York Democracy whom do ycu prefer Inc an
swer IS, Mr. Van Buren,, ASK majority OIL me
| uho prefer
| The answer is Mr.. Calhoun. The Convention
,hus ascertans that in those two States, Mr. van
Buren, would probably receive th'riys'x votes, ana
| Mr. Calhoun nine. But cut up the States INTO as
manv Districts rs they have electors, and ask maJo-
rtv Of each d strict whom they prefer Twenty dis
tricts IN New York may answer, Mr. Van Buren,, ana
sixteen in New York and nine in South Carolina, may
answer, MIR. Calhoun Thus, in these two Sta.es'
Mr. Van Buren, would get t'certy votes, ana MT Ia'-
houn centy fire, when those 'rh" arc 10 gre u,e
s,dsocv between the two, could Nj Calhoun command
more than nine votes out of the forty zee Is II by
process like this that the Convention can arrive a. 'he
relative ,fsctre strength OF the candidates:
YET such is the practical character of the plan OF nom-
,,;,, nronosed and urged by the Carolina Convention
and those who adopt its views. While, by the Cohse-
tuon and lave, The aGjoruics OF SdfeS con'roi me
entire vote of the States they propose TO vest the nc
mna,ion in majorites 81 Districts. iney propose ~
place the poucr 10 nominate III 'ie na'uS " '"oe ~
have not the po'cer 10 elect
THE MAJORITY PRINCIPLE.
How is this Incongruity justified: One argument IN
ito favor s that the by districts IS more
hkev to elicit the will OF The minority OF the party,
than the Representations by States ~
This is by means necessary consequence Un
Tho contrary 1t is not likely To elicit the Will OF the
majority in any State, State vote DIVIDE New
York into lhrysix districts; suppose one district 10
have a monrity Of one thousand for Mr. Van Buren,
and the other thirty-ive average majority OF len
each for Mr.. Calhoun, making three hundred ana ny
in ALI it obvious that ~h'le Mr. van buren I1 co..
9 have in the State a majority Of SIX hundred ana my
popular votes, Mr. Calhoun you'd get M'',ygss soes
10 oue IN The nominating Convention. a moment
rejection will satisfy any man, that, if the popular ''
be the object view, the sarosi way 10 arrive a. y ~
n The sense Of the mhoie body without any dIVHio
=, subd,v,s:on Just in proportion as you diVide ana
.,hvide. YOU increase the danger Of throwing power
into The hands Of a minority It has sometimes hap
,ensd in our country, that minority of our State lie
p;slaures being elected by maoriies Of counties o
towns. was of one political party when the Governors
elected by maorlties Of States, composed oil precise
o the same voters were of another. few large ma
o,;,ies oyerbalance many small ones, and make us