Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-08-04
but on the principle Of district representation. why
shopd il not hold good Tor the organization OF National


The answer is two fold It's maintained first, that
M general system of reprcse ntaon IN National Con-
v.niion GUY be attempted, because 1t inte''eres
with the independent action OF the several States VINO
have right To determine how they shall there be re-
presented; and second that each State from an ana
ocv 10 the Electoral Colleges, should have the same
weight IN the Convention IN determining the nom'na
ton, they may practically exercise, IN seiec'ns the
President.
The frs, OBJECTION liable TO that fallacy so common
with those who lack reasoning-of begging the cues
t,on Has any State right 10 determine exclusively
for itself the manner III which 1t comes into Natona
Convention: liza National Convention was an affair Of
a State only, then that State certainty wou'a nave
r,gb 10 prescribe she shall be represented and
vote and act IN The Convention. State Convention
for anv purpose whatever just such Convenlion-
when the will, wisdom or folly of State, may run
riot and no other State would have the rsht OF CUES
tionng or controlling her acton But Nat'o"ai Soh
yenton is quite another thing. II IS neilher we"
York nor a Virginia Convention; but Convention OF
IN. oeope OF twenty States, IN wh'ch STATE acts
no, for or on herself alone, but controls on 'he one
hand and IS liable 10 be controlled The other, by the
action of the other States To say that IN such an as
semby there should be uniform system OF represent
ta,ion by which the relative power oil oil shou'o DC
farv determined IS to outrage the most OBVIOUS sense
or ;r.ce for TO maintain that those who are there 10
he Governed and controlled have no rsht 10
tho mower which controls Them IS 10 oeny Tue nlst
oil
whereyer there power, there must De responsibility
% hose on whom II is exercised. Ii IS clear, unless
Justice and free Government farce, that III all as
mbles Of States or individuals, the right TO question,
assent TO or resist any influences or power, when
beats upon them, unless previously conceded 10 not
only their right but their bounden duty II IS proposed
10 South Carolina TO 90 into a voluntary Convention
with uher dear sister" Virginia. but South Caroliua
10 to have right to question or Judge OF the manner
in which Virginia comes into the Convention ana a.
ranges her power TO control her! "oy-'i ou.n -
rolina has no right to question the manner 81 ~no"
the oower is produced, by which she s TO De 'hnu-
enced or governed in the Convention, what mas
she to question it. in any other torn OF ac',on; why
should not her dear sister Virginia say, cuooSe ~
have one hundred votes to your nine IN The Conveh
,;on and shall. therefore send hundred Dele
oates and how they were elected, or whom theY re-
present, is exclusively ny affair enter Inc eohVeh-
ton think proper, and you nave no rg"t 20 'eu
die or question it; aud moreover, look yon gehemen'
Virginia is no, TO be dictated to- Werepiy, we nave
right 10 question all power, whether IN It's irs' or
pao,zatou or in It's subsequent action-whch IS 70
control or govern us. The very object OF gong INTO
the Convention is to govern and be governed-ano
thus obtain unsnmity in the party. me people IN
mapy States perhaps in a majority OF them comPos-
inn the smaller States to be overued and govern.
ed by the Convention the choice oil their Chief Ma
pstrate and 10 according TO It's decison LOT one
for this high and responsible office, whom they DO mol
prefer They are therefore, IN reality, as mucn hle'
rested the MODE OF Representations ouVP'eu !" W."
large States as those States themselves unless IN
deed freemen have a smaller interest in being ruled,
tina those who rule them. Nor IS 1t mPertnence or
dctation for them 10 propose, that the power which
governs IN the Convention, shall be The power oil the
people, directly and authorliavely carrying out ther
will To preclude by any device whatever, from the
Conventions seventy thousand people, inhabitng any
Congressional District the Union, and not only 10
preclude Them but make representation for them,
at State Conventions any where else, who may con-
l..c,. tI,a abn,ao IF fhoIr
Chief Magistrate may by means, be congen'a with
their notions Of Democracy, aud that respect and de
ference for the people, which is their due There no.
thing negative in such measures, as IN religion, on
which federation can operate. II IS wrong, and the
duty OF toerating wrong smacks more OF the despo-
tism Of the nquison than Of the free spirit OF Ame-
rican liberty. We MAINTAIN, that any State in the
Union has perfect RICH, to consider and question the
manner in which every other State IN the Union comes
into the Convention She mas right to insist that
there shall be uniform system OF representation tor
all the States that system shall be equal, po
puar and just
The other objection 10 District Representation that
each State, from analogy to the Electoral Colleges
should organize its representation as to have the
weight IN the Convention IN determining the nc
mlnaton, that it may have practically 10 electing the
President although surrounded with mis-, we think
equally untenabie. The States vote for Presidential
Electors By General Ticket, by the State Legsla
tures-therefore, method producing the same result
ought 10 De a0OpteO IN organizing the SouFehtlcH-
this is the analogy and the argument.
Now, the first place. let 1t be remembered that the
method of eecting Electors by General Ticket or by
State Legislators Is not prescribed IN The Constitution
II is entirely matter Of State arrangement, separated
adopted by each State, according notions of
pedency and policy, and 1t may change the ex
isting method whenever It thinks fit. The Cons
tuition has SIMPLY given to the State Legislatures the
power Of appointing the electors, requiring only thai
they shall vote separately Whether it IS consistent
with the Constitution requiring the Electors 10 vote pc,
capita, for the State Legislatures to order the cleo
ton, that tins provision nullGed, and the is
practically made vote ty Staes-we do not pause &c
consider but consistent not with the Constitution
is clear that the election of Presidential Electors by
General Ticket or by State Legislatures, is matter en-
tirey of State arrangement acting for itself only But
when the people Of State propose act in conjunction
with other Staes controlling not only itself, but them
also, what have political arrangements limited to
State only to DO with the matter excepting far as
they exemphcatons OF the principles Of librrality
and justces The natural presumption will be, that unde
such different circumstances between such dferen
parties, no correc, argument by analogy be de
Guced We think the fact follows the presumption,
that the argument from analogy fails. /, Because ht
reason which originated the policy OF eecting Elector
by General Ticket or by State Legislatures, does no
apply appointing delegates TO National Con venton
3D. Because the object, in the two is different, anc
Bird, the result liz different
l. The reason for electing Presidential electors By
geHcIdl uChet OF ny oiate tuaL
whole power Of State may be thrown with one poll
tical party. II is as against Wings that Democratic
defend it-as against Democrats that Wings support il
In other words, it because it enables party more
effectualIy 10 check the minortes of their potca
enemies, and thereby to strengthen ITSELF that Exists
Has this application in the organization of
National Conventions There be enemies eithe
at home in the Congressional Districts in the Con
ventlon, to be thrust down and destroyed Nationa
Convention is assembly of friends. Why shoulc
the of any portion OF the party be kept out Of the
Convention, their preferences be suppressed, IL
act upon the which induces The consolidation
of State power by election by general ticket or by
State Legislature is at to throw to the wind al
hope Of Convention If the Convention is to be CT
arena where enemies are TO meet in mighty contest
for mastery aud power the fact that is voluntary, kills
the Convention. Who that is weak will voluntarily
put himself in the power of enemies more powerful
who are intent on aggrandzng themselves, by his sub
lection and ruin? The reasons, therefore, for adopt
the general ticket system, appointing electors By The
State Legislatures are not german to the organization
Of National Convention.
The object Of consolidating the strength of Slate
by eecting electors by general ticket by State Legs
ature, to throw it's whole power favor Of fa
yorite individual for the Presidential Office The obpe