The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1846-12-02

them, f5r he ,poil ,ment ri electors,
would i,fprmil tll lilespr..s isiOn
nc ;;Sns.i vests i,
i'm The stdis: Bur, ci, ts MT si,,t ease.
sOpr;sta,e is fgali izssi an The: tat broatler
rs shl lpral, tnl,,,tati on,o of
sthaf fai,nc,,rr ent Enajnri.y 10 the entirscss-
tile general ticket would moi be with. us'to
give tlips d ppninlmen, 10 the State. On
tie scnnlraryNiI Would be 10 intro,hice a
new elc,nent; calci,laied "a subyert and
destroy The very foundation onsWhich its,
rests,Ans has been shown:
~ Setting, ihen. aside The general .icket,
sfora these numerous and Simsurm0uDtables
objections,, as u,letly y5ina,lmissib'e, nD 9th
er alternative is left, hut to retain the pres-
tent mole Of appointment, or adopts The
Districts ysta,n.%6 by dividing the state into
n number iof Districts equal to the number
7of its electors, aud allot the appointment
ofsone 40 each. fit should be thought
(prefsfable TO give the appointment di-
reciiy 10 the people, without any inter-
media,e agency, then. the latter should be
adopted, as the only way by wliicli il can
fbetrulyi ensio Them, and, that too. with
strict Justice to the two great divisions Of
The state, ,san,l wi,li00t tile hazard of dcs.
troyingsor disturbing lhe compromise be-
tween thom. The strong est AFFECTION 10
il is, that i. might diminish The relative
weightsnf the state in The Presidential
l'election, byexapsing lis vote TO the hazard
OF a division, Its .ertainly desirable to
avoid that, so long asfthe other states shall
continue pconcen,rate theirs by general
Ticket. But, must say, even setting this
lspbirction aside. thatl ran, Sc no adequate
reason for changing the present mode
| Under our we'll constructed and Just Con-
Iislitu!inn.sthc Legislature may, with strict
regard 10 truth, he said 10 he the true re-
preventative" the stale. 1t has hereto
fnre.proyed to be so. in the appointmen! "f
! electors. In no instance has il deceived or.
be.rnyeJ the state in reference to il.
Nor am aware of any formidable OBJ
lection agninst continuing the present
mole, growing nut Of The lnte act Of Con-
grrss, which may nnt be met by an amcnd-
ment of our state Constitution, fixing All
early dny (nr tho meeting Of the Lrgisla-
turc every fourth year, so that it may lie
IN session I" comply with its provisions.
aud in having call session f"r that psr.
Pose, nmtil the amendment can be made
But whether that should be done, or he
District system adopted, notwithstanding
th- huzard Of dividing the vote of The
state, are questions TO br decided. not sn
much hy reference TO principle, as consd.
eratinns of cxpptliency in reference TO
which The Legislature is the most compe.
tent toStlecide.
But il is urged, .hnt change mus, he
made. because the Legislature has no righ,
lo appoint The elect"rs. To this il may be
fairly answered, that the objection comes
too late. The federal government has
been in operation m"re than half a centu.
rv. during which time. there linv. been fif=
teen Presidential elections. q, ra ch or whicl,
one or more slnles have appointed their
electors by tho Legislature; and in net n
single instance have ,he twn houses ur
Congress. in counting the votes, objected
tn receive thcFvote Of a state, because il
was cast by electors appointed BY lis Leg
slalure.
But waving this answer, cannot per.
ceive any solid ground for the objection.-
The federal constitution expressly vests
the power of appointing the electors in
the states; that is, MS has been shown, in
thespeopse in their organized character rs
constituting body polite, and the power
"f directing the manner of al pointing in
their Legislatures, without qualification.
IL Is tett 10 thelr ulscrPllOn TO decide,
whether it shall be done directly hy the
people Of the.slate or Indirectly through
intermediate agents, provided the manner
directed, shall be such ns to be fairly the
actsof the stute; that is, Of the people in
The character above stated. The more
perfectly and fully il would he theirs in
That character. the more perfectly and fol.
ly would the intention Of the Constitution
be complied with, whether tione through
The direct vote Of The people, or any inter
mediatc agency. including the Legislature
But il is certain, that with us. whatever
may be the case in olhcr s,ates. no other
agency could be constituted or my other
mode Of appointment adapted, thai would
more perfectly and fully represent the
state, or mike The appointment, more truly
its act. than that by its Legislature.
have now complied with your'request,
with as much brevi,y as p"ssible consider
ing the importance and complex character
.oi the question involved. | have, indeed,
experienced nnainconsiderable difficulty
in discussing some of The points, TO express
myself with sufficient clearness to be well
understood, without going into a discus.
sion Of some Of Ihe fundamental princi.
pies Of political SCIENCE. if it may be so
called. and, thereby, increasing unreason J