The banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1844-1847, 1846-10-21
FOR THE BANNER,)

rable STIR upon the subject of giving the
election of electors of President to the
people. We are as much interested in
this subject as any other part of the
State, and should we not make known
our sentiments2 1t is truly . subject of
vital importance, and demands our seri-
Gus investigation: and we should pom
der well before we determine to wrest
from the Legislature a privilege, which
will add nothing to rational liberty, but
which will apply fuel to the flame of
party spirit. We hear but little said
upon this subject, and we take it as a
pretty fair indication of the sentiment of
the people. and that they do not desire it.
We cannot be persuaded, but that we
move along, without it, as smooth as any
other State; and feel as free and inde-
pendent as if we had that and every
other privilege which licentious spiri,
could demand. The tendency of the
people, in a republican government,
upon the subject of liberty, is to run in
to licentiousness. True and rational
liberty, that every intelligent man de.
sires for the sake of its blessings, does not
consist in an unrcstralncd exercise of
every political privilege which may just
ly belong to man. 1t is sometimes
polite to circumscribe rights, the exer-
else of which would be disastrous to the
peaceand good order of society, and in
furious to the interests of the individual
himself Those very persons, who prate
most about liberty, know least about it.
and are the greatest slaves to passion
and appetite (the worst kind of slavery,)
that are to be found.
In this particular instance, what bet
ter off would we be, if we had the elec-
ton of Presidential electors, Do we
not give expression to our sentiments :?
If we employ men to do for us what we
qcould do ouvselres are not all the impor.
tant ends accomplished, and we saved
from the evils which result from heated
canvasses and elections? If we cannot
trust them to represent us in matter of
this kind, we are inconsistent in conf
ding to them interests Of far greater i'm
portance. 1t is child's reason to clamor
for this franchise because the people of
other States have it. It is misfortune
that some of them do have it, for other
wise we might look for little more sta
bility, and hear less of the roar of the
angry waves of political strife. We ad-
NIT that some degree of agitation is ne
cessary, to keep the waters Of the politi-
cul ocean from stagnating, but there is,
on the other hand, danger of its being
lashed into tempest, and laundering
the gallant bark of State. In our esti-
nation, there is quite enough agitation,
in South Carolina, to keep the people
alive to their interest; and they are as
prompt to repel the encroachments ofty-
rany, from what quarter soever it may
proceed, as any other people. We attri-
butte our exemption from violent party
excitement, and all its attendant evils,
when the world around US is in com.
ple.e ferment, to the fact of the Presi-
Dental and Gubernatorial elections be-
ing made by the Legislature. These are
the most exciting elections, and we can
but admire that political forecast which
kept them out of the hands of the peo.
pie. And it is our ardent wish that
their posterity may be as wise in kee.
ping them in the legislature, as they
were IN placing them there.