Independent Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1842-1844, 1844-02-10

Constitution, and what / bel,ppppO O''er off,
ana fair. Iregard the Cons aiSa ;lobes
on, only ark Of safety for all; and Ip1 Ia a,I
That in defending it, | defend ' ,ba ,oesp
and safety Of each and all--lha Ae nleres
wei as the smaller--,he state. sisa'e,
inc rights Of others, as well ell, ~ ,AT "a
whose rights are invaded '"e Sas
have laid down the nr;,o;a,
i res. tne objection in question, with vi s
Limitation, that the relative weiob "''a !,
states should be maintained. mani man,, o. D.
allowance for their relative nan, making d
The Propriety of the limitation i , ~ a
rent, that but a few words, in i; ;IIs - app
will be required. The Conyen ,us''alls
party Convention, and professod' 'oa ~
cd TO take the sense Of the marty ' ,Ae!
cannot be done fairly, If States h,y;, "ael
little party strength are to be M, ~ 10
equality with those which have pu' Sn a. =
that were done, the result mich, ~ H.
small portion Of the party from sa,ss a'a y
least sound. politically, and which '' ia. '1s
give but little support in Congress ~ sSvIa
select the Candidate, and make The p's'i
dent, against great majority ofthe s",s,
est, and on which the President -. s N
administration would have 10 rely q, s ~
port. All this Is clearly too unis;, :. y,
improper to be denied. There NAV -
great difficulty in applying a remedy !
Convention, but do not feel myself.,Is
upon to say how il can be done, or bv vs' /
standard the relative party strength or%
respective States should be deiermi.ss
perhaps the best'would be their rel,;1,
siresgth in Congress at the time. Inhr
ing down the principle, added The In;
tation for the sake Of accuracy, and !
show how imperfectly the party mus, h
represented, when il is overlooked. ses
no provision in the proposed ConventepS
meet it.
But, in order TO realise how the Couven
ton will operate, il will be necessary 10
view the combined effects of the objections
which l have made. Thus viewed, il viii
be found. that Convention so constit.
ted, tends irresistibly 10 Capitalization
Capitalization of the control over the Pre-.
sidential election in the hands Of few Of
the central, large States, at first, and final.
ly, in political managers, office holders and
Office seekers; or TO express il differently,
IN that portion of the community, who live,
or expect 10 live, on the Government, in
contradistinction to the great mass, who
expect to live on their own means or their
honest industry; and who maintain the gov
eminent, and politically speaking, emphat
ically the people.
That such would be the case may
be inferred from the fact, tina, it would az
ford the means 10 some six or seven states
lying contiguous and not far from the cen.
ter of the Union, to control the nomina.
ton, and through that the election, by con.
thoir unitod unios in the Con.
vention Give them the power of doing
so, and it woIli not long lie dormant
What may be done by combination, where
the temptation is 80 great, will be sure ere
long to be done. To combine and con.
quer, is no less true rs a maxim, where
power is concerned, than to "Dvide and
conquer" Nothing is better established,
than that the desire for power can bring to.
gether and unite the most discordant ma.
terials. .....
But the tendency 10 Capitalization will
not stop there. The appointment ofdele-
gates en-masse by State Conventions,
would tend, at the same time and even
with greater force, TO centralize this con.
troll in the hands of the few, who make
politics trade, The farther the Conven.
ton is removed from the people. the more
certainly line control over il will be placed
in the hands of the interested few, and
when removed three or four degrees, Is
has been shown, it will be, where the aP
pointment is by State Conventions, te
power of the people will cease, and The
seekers of Executive favour will become
supreme. AT that stage, trained and CON-
bined corps will be formed in the party,
whose whole time and attention will be d.
rected 10 politics. 1t will be their sole
business. Into their hands the appoint
menis of delegates in all the stages will
TALL, and they will take special care that
none but themselves or their humble and
obedient dependents shall be appointed
The central and State Conventions will
be filled by the most experienced and Gun
ling, and, after nominating the president
hey will take good care to divide the pa,
ronage and offices, both of the General
ind State Governments, among themselves
ind their dependents. But why say raF
s il not already the cases Have there
lot been many instances of State CONVEX
ions being filled by office holders ande'
ice seekers, who, after making the nom
nation, have divided the oi1ices in 'la
State among themselves and their Pan.
'ans, and joined in recommending 10 lns
candidate whom they had just nOn'Ia:!OSS
o appoint them to the Offices 70 wni' e
hey have been respectively allotted