The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1847-02-04


RI them. without The consent Of Congress.
Wei, then, according 10 this reasoning,
the appointment Of Poll.keepers being ss
much part Of the manner. a. the arrange
meni Of The disiricls-of course the States
cannot alter their laws in regard 10 tie
former, oflener than onee in ten years. IL
cannot as 10 the letter. Aud Vet ! pre-
sumo he will readily admit, IN the very
face oil his argument, that this General
Assembly may now, il IL sees 81, enaei a
law. that none but Jnssiees of The Peace
shall keep the POlls-ihat the returns
shall he made 10 the Jerks instead Of the
SheTiiis-ihat II shall require . majority
instead Of 4 plurality Of votes 10 constitute
an elecilon-fhat the returns from the sew
eTal counties shall all be made 10 the Co
VernOr Of the Stale. The power over all
these, LEFT 10 the States By the Act Of Con-
gress, is the very same as that over the
arrangement of the districts. They all
pertain TO the manner OF holding elections.
Still the gentleman from Rowan insists,
that if the Act Of Congress has not taken
irOlI the States the power over the man
ner Of elections, after The States have az
ranged the Districts, then The law is 4 dead
letter. Now j say, il il has taken from
the States all power over the manner of
elections, then indeed is il a dead letter.
The Act Of Congress makes no provision
for the appointment Of Poll.keepers. for
the returns and comparing Of the votes, as
to whether a majority or plurality shall
make an election, or how the election Of
members should be certified. And if the
Act Of Congress has taken these powers
from the States, il would be utterly inl-
possible 10 execute the law.
The only allusiOn which the gentleman
from Rowan made. to the extent of the
power assumed by Congress over the
manner Of elections, was that Congress-
must have intended to take as much pow.
er from the States as should be necessary
to secure the object and intent Of the law
itself. In this | agree with lie gentle
r.an. Bur what was the object and in
tent Of the law! lie says the leadirs OBJ
ject was to abolish the General Ticket
system; and in providing for the District
system, to give minorities representation
in Congress. In this | also agree with
him. But what strange and unheard of
conclusion does he draw from these PREM
Uses, in which we both so fully agree! lie
says if the States may rc-district at pleas
ure, they may uirtuaily restore the Gem
eral Ticket system, by so arranging the
districts, amid the violence of party con-
tests. as 10 give TO the political majority
the inlire representation in Congress-
Now, as | have laid before, are these par
ty contests likely 10 be less violent, TO cool
off once in ten years, just preceding eve
~ deccnnial arrangement of the Dsirictsi
And will not the fear Of a loss of power,
cause maioriiies to do more Justice, if they
know that their action is subject TO reyis-
ion afterwards But the danger appre-
hended by the gentleman is scarcely pos
sible. II compactness Of form, commu-
nifty of interests, and equality Of num-
hers be. consulted, the minority can scarce.
ly fail 10 obtain justice. Now, sir, can
poin, out to hegenteman an evil, from
maintaining the districts unaltered for ten
wears, greater than that which seems to
annoy him, of majority unsurping too
much power. And that is, when party
in large political numerical minority in
State, happens by accident TO obtain the
in the Legislature just pre-
vious TO decennial period Of arranging
the districts, and usurps to themselves un-
due power, by which the majority are OPP
pressed, and thousands Of freemen must
remain DISTINGUISHED, for ten long years.
That is exactly our condition now. Our
grievance is a real one, whilst that which
the gentleman seems 10 dread is an imag-
mary one.
| think can put case to the gentle
man from Rowan, where he will admit
State may rightlully change Congress
ional District, at any time. | mean the
case of making new county. At this
very session, the General Assembly has
out of the combined portions of Line sln
and Ca,awba, made one new county, and
changed the limits Of two others. May
not the General Assembly rightfully APP
pend this new county to either of the Con-
gressiona districts to which it is contig-
uous-and thereby 10 that extent, recon-
struct these two districts! And if to that
exteut why not TO any extenta And if
one or two districts, why not the whole
Again, the new States on our Western
frontier, are CO: stantIy adding new cean-
ties, as popula n and settlement progress.
May they not add their new counties TO
one district or another that is contiguous
and thus render.it necessary to revise
their arrangements of districts at almost
every session! Or must they remain
unaltered for ten years, as every deeennial
arrangement leaves them, no matter how
population may fluctuate, or the march Of
improvement change its direction!
The gentleman from Rowan, in alluding
to one passage in my report on this sub
ject, places such an absurd construction on
it, that Imust think he read il in SO 'grea!