The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1847-12-08
NUMBER Al.
ut to provide another manner of appoint

Inc only alternative is TO give the cleo
ton to the people. The present system
has worked well heretofore, and am upon
principle opposed to any changes: un cs;s
certain and practical advantages are to re.
suit from them. This certainly has one ad-
vantages The members of the Lcgsla
tnre have greater facilities of asccrtainino
the qualifications and claims of the candi-
dates than the great mass Of the people, and
are therefore less liable to be imposed on by
The artlul misrepresentation of designing
men. 1fyou should think otherwise, it will
be Tor you to determine whether to elect
them by districts or general ticket. 1t is
obvious that if the general ticket system is
adopted, the up country will on account of
the greater number of voters, have the en-
tire control Of these elections Now the
representation in our State Legislature is
apportioned generally amongst the Districts
on the basis of taxation and population, with
some concessions to the Parishes Of the low
country, on account of their peculiar terrific
rial divisions; the result of compromise be-
tween the up and low countries. with Il view
to establish something like a balance of
power, If by any possibility conflicting in
tcrests should arisc-,he only value Of Il
written constitution being 10 protect tho
weak against the strong. The prin ciplc
OF this compromise has generally governed
in the election Of Senators to Congress, by
selecting one from each section Of the State,
and good faith requires that it should be car
ried out in the election Of electors.
The Constitution Of the United States
authorizes the Legislature of the several
States to prescribed the manner of appoint
ing electors, and have heard it urged that
as the power was limited 10 prescribing tho
manner, the Legislatures themselves had
not the power to appoint. Our long con-
tinucd usage gives the answer to this argll-
ment; but ifthe question was now open, |
do not think there would be room for much
controversy about it, The power to ap-
point, necessarily involves the right to d.
rect the manner in which the power is to be
executed; and the idea that one may au-
thorize that to be done which he himself is
prohibited to do, would seem to involve a
contradiction-a fit and willing agent
might not be found, and it would be crimi-
nal to confide it 10 one who was unworthy
of confidence, and if the position be correct,
the power must remain unexecuted.
submit these views with great Difference
and profound respect, and under perfect
confidence that however you may dispose of
the question, your councils will be directed
with single eye 10 the we'll l-being of tho
State.
FEDERAL RELATION.
transmit herewith certain resolutions of
the Lcgisturc ofthc State of Virginia, which
am requested by the Governor of that
State to lay before you. They are directed
against thatproviso ot,he bill then under con-
sideration in Congress, approprating money
to proscc ute the war or negotiate peace
with the Republic Of Mexico usually called
the Wi!mot Proviso, and a1irms among
other things, that the passage of that Provi-
so would make cit the duty Of every slave
holding State, and Of the cllizcns thereof as
they value their dearest privileges, the sovc-
reignty, their independence, their right of
property, to take finn, united and concerted
action in this emergency"
1 am also requested TO lay before you,
and herewith transmit, certain resolutions
of the Legislature of Connecticut, upon the
same subject, approving and affirming the
principles Of the Wimot Proviso. ] havo
also received from the Governor of Rhode
Island certain resolutions of the Legislature
of that State, of the same import, which [
aaoo ACiC"llI tlliSliJil. HcSC COlIllCtlHS
resolutions raised tho question whether
Congress had or had not the constitutional
right 10 prohibit slavery IN the States ad-
mitted into the Union heretofore and may
be hereafter admitted 1.-THE question was
now to be agtatcd, for the first time, one
who is familiar with the history of our Go
vernment and has studied our Constitution
in the spirit ofits original design, would be
surprised that such question was ever
raised. The States of which the Union was
composed at the adoption of the Constitu-
ton, were clearly intended to bo placed on
a footing of precise equality, and the fra
mers of this instrument would have been
startled at the idea that those afterwards to
be admitted were to be regarded as unwor-
thy Of the sacred privileges secured to the
original States, the right to legislate for
themselves, and that Congress might, by
| act Y,rocor;ha r,1ae f,r tl,o;r Lori sI,t;o,