Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1846-11-25

culiar political OrSanRatlOn ol our sla'o,
or even an atlemptto adjust the power OF
appointing the electors so as TO copform
,oit Butlae assumption, that The people
are the s,aiein that sense, is as untounded,
as the first OH which il rests, that the Con. :.
stft6f5h gives the appointment to lhem'
But even this unlounded assumption,
rests on another equally SO; that the
numerical majority is the people, aud on
that rests, the conclusion, that the adopFion
of.lhe general ticket, which would give
the power 10 il would be the same as giving
il 10 the people: And This brings Us TO the
6nal and radical assumption, which lies
nj the bottom of the whole series, that the
majority hasSlhes :husGra1,T inherent and
indefeasible right Of goveruing,--an as
sumption not only utterly uniounded, but
ofto,ke most dangerous character, and
indirect 3oalict with the Constitution OF
ii,is state and that of lheIunion. ALL nat.
uraasngh,s are the rights ofaindiyldaals,
and belong them as such. They sp-
pertain neitherio majorities, nor nlnerllles:
On,fthe contrary, all political rights, are
conventional Neither majorities, nor mi,
aorities can righ,fuly exercise any such.
bntbycompact or agreement, expressed
OF. implied:-Some Of The states ot Inc
union. ii would seem, have based iaeir
Constitutions onSthe assumption, that. 1he
+nereanumerical ma jori.y has tlie right 10
govern.saln suth.it would, indeed, be the
state by 1mpl;catiDn, aud the adopIlon OF
The general ,ickets by them, for The ap-
poinlments of electors, weuld be in conior-
nifty ywith the provision Of lhetsderai Con-
slitdiion, which Vests ii in the slale.eiSu,,.
suchtis mol our case. Our slate Is organ
izedon .he far broader aud more solid aud
durable fouudalion, of:the concurrent ma
iority to the eutire exclusion OfIbe nuner!'
ical. .le'fo adopt, lhen. the general ticket
would, NOT be with US 10 give the arpoint'i
merit %to,the, state. On the contrary, Il
wuuiasbe to introduce new elemeat, cal
.cu!aleduo subvefl and destroy The very
foundation on wlichiis organization rests
as4las heen shown. Z, !i..if' H25J49'' .
Setting, then, aside The general tlckef,l
for gIhesenumerou aud insurniouuta0ie
objections; MS utterly inadmissible, no other
alternative is left ;lhut loiretaIn The present
mode disappointment, or adopt The Dis;
trtt,s equal to, the number Of IFS electors,
asd allorthe appointment Of one 10 each.
if-it shouldbe though, preferable 10 give.
the appointment directly to the peoples
without any intermediate agency, then,
the ,lauer should be adopted, as The only
way by which il can be truly given 10
them; aud, that loo. with strict jus:iceuo
the Two great divisions Of the state, and
without tie e'hazard of destroying or. dis.(
turbing the compromise between tt1enI.i
The strongestooh Injection tO,it lis, that'oit
might diminish The .reletive weight Of the
sratelo lhe Presidential clcrliun,rby eY-!
pressing its vote to1he hazard oil DIVISION
Iris certainly desirable 10 avoid that, So
long as rhemother states shailcun1iDue to-
concentrate theirs by genaraf ticket:
Bul, must say, even setting This objertiDni
aside, ,ihauI ,can see noKadequale preasan
for changing present rhiode!: q. u nder
ourswe, constructed and Just Constitution.
therLesisla,uteanay,. with slrictregard TO
truth, said.ao be the irue representatives
oEthe state. zoft has heretofore proved TO
be soin'they appeintm ent H electors i In
nniostance:has itdeceiRed or betrayed The.
state Interference TO H. .,fnrsa j. s,1tse
Nor: ana aware Of any formidable oh.
lection against continuing the present
mode growing out Of the late ACT of Con-
gross. which may noi be met by an "a
mendmen, Of our STATE Constitution, liking
gu earlier day for the meeting Of the Leg
islature every fourth year, SO that It may
be in session 10 comply with itsPropisions,
and in Having call session for that pur-
pose; uull, the amendment can be made.
But whether that should be done, or the
District system adopted. nowi1hstand Tho
hazard of dividing The vole Of The state
are questions TO I've decided, not so much
by reference to principle as considerations
Of expedieacy in reference lo which the
Legislature is The most competent TO de.
eide,
BUTT is urged, rhat!a change must be
made; because the Legislature has 30
rsh,s,o appoin, the electors. 10 this il
NAV be fairly answered. that the objec-.
zion comes TOO late. The federal govern
ment has been in operation more than
hdlfi "a century, uufHS "hf~n uhe' '"e'"
have been Eileen Presidential elections, at
each of which one or more states have
appointed their electors by the Legista-'
.us, and in no, a single instance have The
two houses Of Congress, in counting the
voles, objected to receive the vote of a
state, because, was east by electors ap-.
pointed y1ils Legislature sag
Bot waving this answer, l cannot
perceive any solid ground for the objection
The. federal constitution expressly vests
The power of appointing the electors III
the stalesS tha, is, as has ,heen shown, III
the people, in sl,eir organized character as
constituting body poi,ir, and The power
ofdireering The mannerol appointing in
,,itI,ont liGco