Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1846-11-25
@peap1aaDs S. g, movgmaaM ase aa4ee.

and. as it5reiainsd the power oil electlns
the Governor and Judges, in every de
partment of the government. baci
having thus negative on the other, or
all the acts ofthe government, possesse:
the power Of protecting itself against the
injustice and oppression Of the other--
Thus the government, ceased to be the
exclusive organ Of one portion of the
state not by becoming like organ OF The
other, but The concurrent and the joint
organ of both, and thereby the true and
faithful Representative of the whole
State.
This fortunate compromise terminated
The coulict, which had so long divided and
asi,aled the slate. So completely did it
close it, that from it's adoption until this
time, period Of almost forty years. all
local divisions aud parties growing out Of
them, ,shave entirely ceased. The upper
aud lower country are no longer named
for political discord and agitation, and the
state has been blessed with an unanimity
Of sentiment and freedom from parties, al
together without example IN any other
member OF the union. Nor has its effect
been less happy, in reference 10 her fede-
eral, than her internal Relationship il,
she owes, in great measure, her weight
and high character and standing in The
union, which, as inconsiderable as she is
in exlen, territory and population, places
her on level in influence, with the largest
and most populous Of lis members.
Destroy this just and wise compromise,
by giving to either an undue preponde-
rance in the government of the State,
and all this would he reversed. Discord.
distraction, parties and factions. with all
their machinery and deinotaliBins conse-
quences, would follow, aud sink her far
below the level she now occupies. That
the general ticket would give such undue
prsponderauce and in The end destroy this
hapyygcompromise, | shall next proceed
10 show. -
| have already shown, that it would
give an undue and unfair prepouderance
to the upper division Of :he state. i'll its
federal relations. But it has been said,
it would be restricted 10 them, without ex.
tending its influence to the government Of
the Stale aud giving either OF its great po-.
1itical divisions undue preponderance on
il. Those who make, this assertion over
EIdsk. lsmust think, The absorbing charac-
power. Nothing is more so.:-
Whenever il acquires prepondetance. be
i, ever 50 small, it will slowly and imper
cep,ibly commence The process nf absorp-
iiun, aud Continue it until il absurbs the
whole power, unloss efficient measures be
taken in time to counteract ii: In this
case, there are several circumstances,
whac5 would greatly increase aud accele-
rare this process, which | shall now pro-
ceed TO shOw.
Its adoption would Introduce the princi-
pie of taking The sense Of The stale. as a
whole, by the ,neIe numerical majority.
without regard to It's TWO great natural and
political divisions, and the conflicting in
terests growing oul Of tiem,--a prihcipie
heretofore utterly unknown to the state.
either iu its federal or interior relations, or
in any OF the political changes through
which it has passed. But, of all The forms
of power in popular government, ii is
by far The most absorbing i'll its character
aud difficult 10 counleract 1t is indeed
but the absolute and despotic form of pop
ular gosernnlenl, just as much so as the
absolute and despolic power Of one man
or a few, Is Of lhe monarchical and arisIo.
ctaiical. Now. all experience shows, that
there is constant and strong tendency in
all constitutional governments to their alb
soluie. and desp0iic form ond innoDe more
SO, than i'll popular constitutional govern
meuts like that Of this state, resting on the
principle Of The concurrent majority, as all
such govcrnmenis,-Indeed, nothing short
of high degree Of intelligence and con-
sraut vigilance can conteract this tcnden-
cy, as the history Of all such governments
proves. Our own both federal and slate,
already give strong idicalions oft. so much
so. that ii has become fixed opinion in a
large pnrtian Of The union, that The mere
numerical majority Of the whole, has the
absolute and iude(easible right to govern
But, as absorbing as this power is ol
itself, the nature of Tie election, Id con,
nexlipn with which, i, wouldbe introduced
would greatly increase its force. OF oil
our elections, whether Of j! the federal OF
slate governments, the Presidential exctes
by far the greatest interest, and exers the
greatest influence over the public mind
because it greatly exceeds all Others ir
! importance. Such being the case, The
place Of electors is sought by citizens o
influence and distinction, both on accoun
Of its prominence aud the influence il j!
calculated to give with the President ano
his administration, in the distribution o
the honors aud emuumen,s Of the fedora
government, should the candidate voIet
for succeed in being elected. a.
These considerations could not fail I,
induce those, who aspire TO so prominen
and desirable Il station TO court popula
L ii al f.l