Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-02-10

50 P"tsn'' 80, = uch me,nber though cas'ing
| IN, yule of the dtir.tn"n coud never I' -
th.o oue and mast hc gwen uhart NV 'n' '''e "
,a.p,ns.,ty, how infinitely more haza'o
P's tl ~ y,ea,pr abuse Convention OF IRE
o,, ,,,l.n..rs IN which the vnse OF u shg'e nf'f-
ra,. won ot brihrG, may determine tue "h"e ree
Iorai vol. of hs Sat-, perhaps t"'t'!-s" !"
I far h.sun,r,ncIpl'd Tempterf
''' us ~ ,,-n.aro temptations thus Offered l. f'aud
- dt, no these conventions representing Goa
ran,ons which h4lt constituent ara hhii rePr se"''
,,va scam /, have been ihSu'h''d "' '!t 'e'S fF
# c,u,ouni NJ The popular voice, and o's'''.'"s
responsibility t" ihr pe'Pi' Every '"o''''! "
49,. =, tho.e vh, SEEK 10 make pubic on uinn ns'ea'
- .,ra..o,,n, -, .;.l IA poUIcil combihatohs' Dc :
cones . NOR, f.c;nai instrument IA ei.ct'n. les'
.c,, ,i,au ms mFt,'s and principles, ana '''e 81
,, r , md lite IS thus Glchet from tie mass, by
=, = III, k q. hold Office unGer The auSpices I"
,b ,,r,, Urrnuz.d ~ the long pursuit oi oiice an"
sk,lIr, n Nil the Drans at maEn'y ing Every
~, nj i;ry have hhnsanc chances !" ",
ce,y- III. vsopi. oi the party, when no accurate hoae
r tL,,, ib. sens provided, aud genera!:y END IN
| 49, 1,ot c.ud.date most available, whom II SUITS
,ha,- ,s,s,nsl views 10 represent as being So. no"
l,r0 can any system oil p"pular Government survive
upd-r s,oh mode of selecting the great source OF us
,.,,nnso. and hnuors, and what must DE ne euect up
m tho nnbl,c servants Themselves, when they see IN
,,,,ne aod management aford'ng apparently more
successful passport TO the highest cces than e''ne'
sound ,rincipes or faithful services
Tbs Cans,,tat on Of the United States affords many
atrtkIn
winch its trainers sought 10 guard the people aSahs'
ca,d and in,poslure IN the Presidential election IL
reonres here all the forms and evidences ny when Tue
n, st Solemn OF people are usna'iy ai'speu
The colleges are guarded w'h Inc most Fc'"Pu'D I.
care mad the most exact precision Is required III reia'
in, m their acis ane Senat' which by no possio'-
iiv can elect holds IN" evidences al The 'oe oi 'e
electoral colleges, and The iors. OF representatives.
more n,erescd body called on to witness Inc eSah''
nation Of those documents, and to sat'siy themseV'S
| al the rfGliStoA3 VI Ia"
and Nh. Constitution have been complied wi'h. ne
Importance OF The subject, justified tlc care anu s"
mde WHICH they manifested in regard 10 H. ana ye'
It is no7v proposed give the power OF nomna''hg 'he
President which s, far lhs patty Is coacrrnen' -
equivalent 10 bis election body neither eiect"d pv
lie people nor ,espous bic 10 ihrni. N"iihsr l"fmaH-
es nor evidence the representative character
OF the ielegae ad depends npoa The g'oc WIZ anu
pleasure of the Coneen!ion whe'hsr ionr"ol ever re-
cords their proceedings The people III short are ex'
npct.d resign the important Pnwer oil nominating the
President, body, waci' for an:ht they know' may
ia sel-consttntcd Is tbs Democratic, Is II VS. WIZ
ttc people themselves lonp submit to u; lhey nave
been ,c3 il is true that this continuance IS essentai 10
sccere unisn and hrmony in the party that there IS no
time To regulate This Convent on, soas 10 give Inc pSo-
ME more control over II; ard that ali these who seek 10
introduce the principle OF popular representation n'o
this assembly, sch'matcs, who design 10 oe''ay TIE
party, by dividing 1t.
/, has been said that no man desires the union OF
the party who does not admit the infai'h'y OF .he
Convention, matter what It's organization may oe'
and f he will sacrifice TO this desire OF union every
principle the mos, sacred. even that OF popular supee
macy itself he s no Democrat Has come IN IN Is,
tina, :here can tie election by the people, unless ey
submit 10 support the nomination Of oo"!, ne."e'
eI-cted by nor responsible TO them Is IL eslaosheo
that any ate npt 10 organize .h's o'oy'
be Indispensable upon the Princ'ple OF popular repre-
eantsf,on must be fatal to its ethcency, nnd render
worthless us existence; lfs, the experiment o p'rn
lar Guvernmen, has failed, and II 's settled 'hai 'e
choice of President by The people UNDER oer system,
il iooossibe For ,f the body which chooses be IRE
,.o,s,ile 10 them! and elected ny them, lis voice
- not their yncc it, mower is independent and higher
than ths, OF the people VIII they not say sat's-
fed of the truth Tins conclusion, "gve us then
Pres dent chosen by the neghing oi horse, or cast
NJ the dice"-cbance may be bind. but IT cannot BE-
corfupi r. on the other hand, Il be not impossible
to iniuse the popular pElncrle 10 this Convention,
why has no attempt been made TO introduce lE why
these frowns upon al who have desired 10 make such
nm effort and who have INSISTED upon ts necessity
WHY no, elect delegates 10 this Convention by the
oeo,le and from different districts: Why not distri-
butte s powers amongst the States, according TO the
rules OF Justice and the analogy OF the Constitution?
why not secure the rights of the people TO control and
govern this Convention, by some OF those formalltes
the evidence of their actions and wishes, which
are indispensable safeguards against fraud: IS be-
the end not worth the trouble of the effort
Not worth the trouble, when that end is nothing less
than 10 secure the peop., the whole power of no.
minaiinr and electing the President We, at least,
thought the end worth all the trouble of The effort but
the mere expression of thus wsh brought upon US sus-
picon and reproach.
We are aware that these impu,ations have not pro-
ceeded entirely from intolerance of spirit; we know
tsa, vain desire has been excited TO coece union of
sentiments in The party as Il snch 'hng were poss
BILE Such attempts have often been made n hninsn
assocations and whether for religious or political ef
feet they have always failed 10 change sentiment
YOU must convince the reason, at least Persuade the
Will no despo,ism has yet devised any o'her means
for controlling human conviction Fofce may suppress
the expression of feeling or oPnon nnt exists the
mare int from of oppressi1n and 10 stop
NOR The veoi of rs humors, you but hasen the e1pln
sion We are also aware That much higher motive
has influenced these impntitions, wh'ch othcr"'sS
wond be SO intole ably unjust, as 10 demand more
active resistance II is believed by many t1a. unioa
!. ndispe nsable 10 and that National Con-
vept:on Of some sort, indispensable TO non tears,
ha, any attempt 10 organize II IN every respect upon
ms. and acce plabe principles, would end in defeating
n a,tnpetber have induced desire 10 acquesce IN any
Conyenion and avoid all questions as To It's organza
ton Doubtless TOO they have felt justified in this de
termination by the belief, that the mischief of volnnta-
nv association never De lasting or dangerous,
az The separation of link in The chain, can at any
time Sc yer the common bond, upon which their exist
ence depends. Such motives may excuse, but such
reasoning cannot Justify neglect TO secure the rights
of the people The union which gives strength, IS al
union of sentiment and feeling, common spirit OF al
lection and BROTHERHOOD and such an union and spirit
nav be weakened but cannot be strengthened by q
onvention which violates The PRINCIPLES OF justice
and popular representation Still more fatal is the de-
lusive belief that the evils OF these bodies can neither
be dangerous nor lasting. The indirect conlrvances
of power when sanctioned by long prescription, are
precisely those which it s most difficult 10 resist The
LONGER the period voluntary Submission to an essunP
on Of power, the higher lis Tile, and the more rmy
!, established by the consent Of the governed 1t
resistance To organization OF TINS ConVenton
pc difficult now, will 1t not he impossible when long
prescription shall have sanctioned II : VIII the desire
Of the party for union and victory ever be less or
will The claims of the smaller Siales and the people
become temonsrably just, or easier OF execution
| The mischefs Of the contemplated organ cation,
.hrean political systsm too seriously 10 be silently
acquiescsd IN by t,ose who view them do. They
will lead nohpg less than TO the destruction Of the
influence If The Southern and smaller States in the
Union, and The nvestitu,e CT The power of nominating
the President in irresponsible olgarchy OF political
managers These attempts TO consolidate the power of
people by ndec, means, or indeed BY any means,
other han election of representatives. always end in
transferring that power few hands Leaders, ina
nagers and very lovers Of the people, always