Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1844-02-15

counted, they vote individually and inde-
pendenily, each for himself counting one.
And it is not TO oe noted, tina, wherever
tins latter mode of votisg exists among
conlederated States it is IN oil cases found.
ed on compact, to which the consent of
each State IS required. 10 the absence
of compact, the invariable mode OF voting,
10 such States, is, in all cases, by the ma
j rty, their vote counting one. The
coutse which Virginia has resolved 10
take, IS IN violation of this plain aud fun
damrntal rule, and if il shsud become a
seltl d practice, would be destructive of
The foundation on which the whole Siruc
lure of the State Right doctrine is reared
hold, in the next place, 10 be an 10.
dlspensable principle, that the convention
should be so constructed, as TO give TO
each State, in the nomination OF candl-
date, the same relative weight which the
constitution secures to it in The election Of
the President, making due allowance for
It's relative party strength. By the cleo
ton, mean the whole-the eventual
choice when it goes into the House of
Representatives, as well as the primary
vote in the electoral college. The one is
as much part of tie election as the other.
The two make the whole. The adoption
of the one, 40 the convention, which franz
ed The constitution, depended on the
adoption Of the other. Neither could
ssbly be adonted alone. The two
We're the result of compromise between
the larger and smaller States, after long
an doubtful struggle, which threatened
the loss OF the constitution itself. The
object Of giving TO the smaller States an
equality with the larger, in the eventual
choi-e by the House, was to counterpcise
The preponderance of the larger in the
electoral college. Without this, the
smaller would have voted against the
whole provision, and It's rejection would
have been the consequence. Even as il
stands, Delaware voted against it. la
c, affirmation Of what | state, refer to
Mr.. Madisou's report on the proceedings
of the convention.
Having stated what mean by the elec-
ton it will require but few words to ex-
PLAIN my reasons for the principles
have laid down. They are few and sim.
rle. and rest on the ground, that the nom
ina, on is in reality the election, if con-
CURED in, as far as the party is concerned
1t is so intended to be. The leading req.
son assigned for making it, is to prevent a
division Of the party, and thereby prevent
he election from going into the House,
where the smaller States would have the
advantage intended TO be secured TO them
by the constitution, b. being placed on
an equality with the larger.
Such being the intended object and ef-
ie, t, | now submit to every candid mind,
whether tho convention ought not to be
so constituted, as TO compensate in the
nomination for the important advantage
IN the election, which the smaller States
surrender by going in convention
Would it not be unfair-a palpable want
Of good faith and subversive of the com.
promise of the constitution to withhold II?
Or, if demanded, would it be short OF an
insult 10 refuse il? Can it be thought,
hat the smaller States are so debased
aad absorbed in the party politics of the
day, as to permit themselves to be thus
Indirectly stripped of right. which their
high minded and patriotic ancestors held
so dear, as even to prefer the loss Of the
constitution itself, rather than surrender it.
object, then to the proposed conven-
ton, in this connection because il makes
no compensation TO the SMALLER States (or
the surrender Of this unqu5stionable and
important constitutional right. Instead
of that, its advocates peremptory and
Indignantly refuse any, and treat with
scoT0 every attempt to secure i. Some
have even gone 50 far, as to deny, that the
eventual choice Of the House constitutes
any portion of the election, and to mani.
f 81 open hostility against the provision Of
IN constitution, which contains it,
l'thee was no other objection, the one
Hnder consideration would be insuperable
with me. | differ utterly from the advo-
Gates Of the proposed convention, in ref
erence TO this provision. regard il as
one Of the first importance, not because
| desire the election to go into the House,
but because believe Il to be an ind,spen-
sable means, in the hands OF the smaller
st ties, of preserving their Just and COAST
tutlonal weight In the Presidential election,
and thro' that, in the Executive Depart
ment and the Government ITSELF which |
believe TO be essential to the preservation
of our sublime federal system, regard
the adjustment OF the relative weight Of
the States in the Government TO be the
fundamental compromise OF The consltu-
on, and that on which our whole poits
cal system depends. its adjustment con-
sti,u'ed the great difficulty in forming the
constitution. The principle on which il
was fnaly effected was, that, While due
concession should be made 10 population,
a provision should be also made, in some
form, TO preserve the original equality of
the States in every department of the
Government. The principles was easily
carried out in constituting the legislative
department, by preserving the equality OF
The States in our branch, 1.-THE Senatel and
conceding to population its full prepondec-
aRceSn the other. But the great and dif
hcult task Of reducing It to practice was
IN the Executive Department, at the head
OF which there is but single officer. 50
great was II, that it occupied the attention
If the convention, from time to time, dur