Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1844-03-27
Edgehela 6 ourt Aouse, s.. G., Mareh or, As44.

I'D asserting That they ought not 10 bt
countenanced by any friend Of our political
institutions, aud we should be faithIess to
those institutions, traitors to the Cons,itu.
ton, to yourselves, and 10 the Union ITSELF
i we did not add that Our &C. operation can
be giyenlo no party which does not by lis
actslnaintaifithede solemnly admitted prin-
cipLes. And we Submit 10 the candor OF
the party, il. with The events Of the present
Session Of Congress- before US, where, with
an overPowering majority they have done
isoliitle, land thatso slowly to remove our
well-gronnded fears and complains, we
are mol, lin prudence, justified, nay. in duty.
bound, before we unconditionaiIy promise
iour.support TO them, TO see the safety Of
our families assured, The peaceful enjoy
melt ofour property secured, and the un-
equal, unjust, and unconstilutiona exac-
tons ola tariff which robs Us Of sd much
OF the proceeds of our industry, removed.
Let tardy justice, 100 long delayed, be
renderedsns, aud who can doub, what we
will feel tour duty TO do? lie, Il: be done.
early-at tonce-now. and before we are
asked 70 throw our weight into The scale;
we desire no more promises which may be
the possible cause of eart-burning-bat
to know before hand what IS done. The
part that South Carolina acted in 1910, is
matter of history. She acled then upon
principles well underslood-ber principles
are the same now as then, and her sense
OF duty yremains unchanged: her citizens
are as devoted to the first, and as ready 10
discharge the last. as they were in that
memorable contest. Heretofore, there has
been 10 record offaiure iu either against
her, she will be found now at tile same
post Of duty.
Should South Carolina, then under pre-
sent circumstances, send Delegates 10 tn he
Baltimore Convention And will her de.
clining TO do so, injure the cause she sup
ports or weaken her power aud moral
influence? Will il he just cause for Of
fence, for coldness or enmily? The Com.
miltee are clear in the opinions that she
ought not TO send Delegates, and thar her
declining to do so can neither be a lust
cause Of complaint, nor he so likely to
create alienation and unkind feelings, as
their presence would probably produce ir
Delegates were sent. Their reasons are
as follows:
II is uow settled aud may be assumed,
that the Convention will be organized of
Delegates appointed, with very few ex-
cep,ions, BY State Caucusses or Conven-
tons, instead Of being elected by the peo.
pie directly, in Districts or otherwise.
thereby excluding the fundamental prin-
ciPle of the popular representation; and
tha, in its proceedings, their rights are 10
be still further destroyed by rejecting the
vote per capita, and with it the individu-
ali'y and responsibility of the Delegates,
aud substituting for il the consolidation of
principle of casting all the votes of State
as the majority Of all her Delegates, how
ever divided in votes, may decide, and
counting them as though they were unan.
imous and had voted per capita. Against
This mode of organization and proceeding,
we have protested from the first, as COW
ering fatal encroachments on the rights Of
the people and the small and weak States.
The Convention effects nothing it assem-
bles for, il its decision does moi cause the
votes of The party 10 unite and go as it
directs, and therefore the vote of every
State IN which The party is predominant,
is in effect surrendered up, 10 the majority
Of the Convention, which thereby selects
the person who is 10 be President. As ;he
large States have the largest delegations.
and few OF these by uniting. constitute a
majority Of delegates, the small and weak
States are not only not able to maintain
a choice, but are compelled 10 aid The lar
ger States, in defeating their own wishes,
and are also, inso doing, cutting off their
influence aud weight in the Ultimate elec-.l
ton, as equal aud sovereign States. Thus
the people are deprived of a voice in se-I
lecting The candidate aud the weak aud
small Stales Of the oply power reserved
TO them under. the. comPrqmifsss of the
Constitution, by which they can make
themselves respected, and their influence
felt by the executive branch of the CO.
vernnent.. sFhe slave States, are. as to
political power, the weakest members Of
The copfederacy, and they cannot sanction
this overthrow of the compromises of The
Constitution without seriously weakening
the strength of the position. The main
dependence they have while this Govern
ment lasts, for the preservation of their
institutions and prosperity, is in The strict
adherence 10 the Constitution by. the Co
vernmeni in its action, and are equally
rigid conformity to its principles and anal.
osies in Tie formation and proceedings Of
any body, such as this convention. under
taking 10 perform analogous functions.
They have the most serious cause for
alarm. at any proceeding, the effect Of
which, Immediately or remotely, will be
10 weaken their power in the election, or
their weight and their influence on the ad-
minislration Of a President. The infn-
ence he can exert on the course Of legiSla-.
ton, aud the power the constitution wisely
gives him by his veto to arrest hasty, nl-
wise or Unconstitutional action 10 the ma