The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1843-01-26

votes oil MI kucker. who, accidentally being IN
Baltimore when the convention sat, went into a. and
gave Tor HIM seyeDteen votes the votes Ia which
Tennessee was entitled aud these secured him the
nomination. To meet together To OBTAIN concert IN
ohical action, may be highly ospediest; but Ia
meet on unequal terms where the greatest political
power Is involved, can never be right Every prln.
cple of justice aud oi our Tree institutions, requires
that there should be a uniform system Of represen-
taiion Tor the organizttion at national convention
applicable 20 all the States
Independent of a seli-constituted representation,
there are three forms which have been generally
used, 10 which u may be important 10 advert. Del
esates have been appointed 90 a national ccnyen-
ton by the State Legislatures; or they have been
sent directly iro. counties, towns, OF districts or
THROUGH the fundamentally OF State conventions
called for the purpose.
The State OF New York affords, probably, the besi
specimen OF the manner o sending de legates through
State convention to the national convention. The
townships INST send delegates TO the county From
these delegates, al the county meeting, delegaIes
are selected 10 be sent to the capital OF the State
In the convention AT the capital from ihese are Sc.
lecied the delegates TO the national convention. A
general resolution IN proposed, insiructing the del.
egates how they shall vote IN the national conven-
ton; who, OF course, vote accordingly. Here,
then, four Il rations OF the popular will throagh
the hands OF politicians, before IL reaches the ma
uonal convention; and when Il comes there, n
comes with the voice and with the strength OF this
powerful State Now we will take II for granted,
that by this represe NATION the popular will is tar
ly and fully developed nj each stage of its OPERATION;
what Is the effect o the sySteml Suppose the
Democratic parry IN thus State To be nearly equally
divldad IN their preferences tor the individuals 20 be
the President and Vice President of the United
States the weaker half of The party (lhousan de
and tens OF thousands IN number) are kept out Of
the national convention. suppose, further, that
the State is nearly equally divided between
the Federal and Democratic parties; and
that as between the Democratic candidates, the
whole Federal party would prefer the individual re-
Jected by the Democratic State CONVENTION 1.-The
result would be, that little over one fourth OF the
people would, in fact. br represented whilst these
representatives. would WELD the power of he whole
State in the convention, and consequently in max
ing the President. Now, this result is not in con-
formy to the federative feature of the Const urioo
when is resorted to when the election fails by the
electoral colleges for then, the States being Sove
reign, and equal In their sovereignty, each State
has equal weight in determining The election, and
votes vote. Nor is II in conformity 10 the other
great basis OF our institutlons-ihe popular will
The delegates are sent TO the convention by ag-
gregate majority only of the Democratic party,
which makes them the representatives OF minority
OF but little over OnefOurth OF the Stale and when
this system operates on all the States II is demon
strable, that less than millions and half people
(not voters) living but seven States, out OF the
seventeen millions and hall 'nhablthg the twenty
six United States, may dictate the President. by
this system, the popular power OF State is com
manded in the convention by federatve action.
Each State acts as State but wields the power OF
numbers This can only be done at the expense OF
an immense suppression OF the popular will. Power
is gained to the STATE, but IT is lost 10 the people
Liberty yields to the lust OF dominion.
! have heard OF but one argument in defence Of
this system-hat the Presiden election is pract-
cally carried on, IN method somewhat similar, by
the genera-ticket system, which Is obnoxious to
the same objections and results; and, therefore. II
is right to organize the convention on the same
principles.
The general-tcket system, is not prescribed in
the Constitution for elecrng the President and Wee
President OF the United States and there are ma
ny reasons for that system in the election for
hers OF Congress. which do not apply to the election
OF President. Legislative are very different from
executive functions. Members of Congress- al
though all of one party from State, in themselves
can do nothing. They meet in common with ma
ny times their numbers from other States, and are
liable to be overruled by the Senate, and by the Pre-
sident with his veto. The President on the con-
rary, acts alone, and within his const utional
sphere, is controlled and comfortable by none I;
whilst he holds in check the whole legislation THE
country. When Congress adjourn, members OF
Congress are disrobed of their power. Not so the
Executive. Daily, throughout all the ramifcaiions
OF the Government, at home and abroad, on the CT
tIzen here and on nations abroad his power is ever
active. Members of Congress represent compare
lively few, even they represent whole State by
the general ticket system. The President repre- seDts
IN his functions, every man IN the United States
The fountain OF all honor he bears the power, and
is the living embodiment in the operation of the
laws of all the people of the Union within the Ii
mlted sphere OF the Constitution. The one officer
is higher, more responsible, and more popular tn an
the other; and therefore requires closer and ore
extensive popular control.
But the attempt TO Justify the appointment of del
egates to national convention the general-ti
principle, in the election of President, is not only
heapng one abuse upon another, but is insisting on
an analogy, where no analogy exists.
If the adoption of the general system in the
election of the President Of the United States is
ustifabe at all, 1t Is, not upon the ground of making
the election more comfortable TO the will of the
h.,fA l tnta
quality and wrong which our political opponents IN
other States might attempt TO perpetrate. When
some States, OF one party IN order that they might
carry more weight in the Presidential election, by
suppressing the power OF the minority with their
limits, by general ticket, adopt this policy, all
other States, to be equal with Them must adopt il
also. Otherwise, they might be divided; whilst the
States enforcing 1t would be united, and carry there
fore double their legitimate weight in the electoral
colleges. II the Federal party seize the whole
power OF the States in which they are in the ma
lority, and suppress the voice OF the Democracy
within them, the Democrats must do the same IN
those States in which they have the ascendancy
This is the justification. But does this hostile
pocy-alone defensible against political foes who
have rendered it necessary by their own Injustice
apply to the assembling OF political friends A
Democratic national convention consists only OF
Democrats IL is therefore, congregation OF pc
Iltical friends, identified in principles and fate,
fighting under the same banner, for their common
interests and liberties Noportion of them are enc
mies. Why, then, should hey be treated like enc
mics Unlike political enemies, exc'uded-all
Democrats, it is expected, will abide by, and sup
port, the nomination OF the convention Why
then, should not all be admitted into lis consulta.
tons 1t is not by hostility, that friendship is
usually cemented. Prescription and exclusion IN a
party, are strange methods Tor producing ZEAL har-
mony, or peace. The principle (or rather the alb
sence of prlncipe) which would exclude portion
of the people of State from the convention, might
exclude the whole, and surrender up at once the
whole matter OF the Presidential election into the
hands of party leaders. II is arbitrary wrong, and
no practice or precedent can justifyu.
The next method commonly used of nominating
delegates to the national convention, by party can
cuses in the State liable in principle,
State conventions. The people in the mlnorities,
are equally suppressed But in some respscts, this
method OF appointment is better. The members of
the people, and he ballot box is available as a pro-