The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-08-31
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From the Palmetto State Banner.
/, Election OF Electors. 4

L
ers with anotllerimportant Report
that of the minority Of the Commit.
rec on Privileges and Elections, on
s Bill to- provide for the Election
of Electors ofSPresident and Vice
President Of the United States by
Il the people of South Carolina. !"
s;lhis Report was made at the session
Of 1919. It is very ably drawn,
md signed by four gentlemen Of dis.
tinction in the sections they repre-.
sented. Mr.. Witherspoon was from
ancaster; M /. Norman from
Neiyberry Mr.. Taylor from PEN
dleton, and Mr.. Giles from Union.
ss.Ihe FIRST, second and fourth named
S5 are now candidates for the Senate in
their espective Districts. We we're
not able to obtain q copy Of this Re.
port until Saturday last, otherwise
we should have published it on an.
earlier day. ! tbs sewell worthy Of a
careful consideration. Its positions
are impregnable:; Its arguments are
unanswerable. Let the people whose
q cause it sogably advocates, read and
reflect: If they will but do this,
swe know they will arrive at just
conclusions h
ssss5faHss 4s}3 REPORT
S t2ies Minority Of the Committee
on laaeiteges5 and Elections. on
I .s. BIZ to $p,.ooiae for tie Elec.
ton Of u Electors OF President and
Pice Presided Of tie United
r States, By The People Of South
Carolina, 1849.
The undersigned, a Minority of
ssthe committee on Privileges and
Elections, to whom was referred
A Bill TO provide for the Election of
ELECTORS of President and Vice Pro.
s;sident.oftthc United States by the
ag,le of South Carolina, beg leave
COUNTER REPORT
re hatsof the Majority of the said
Committee, and to recommend the
illfayorably for the consideration Of
tile House.
ES Your Committe believe that the
Election of Electors of President
8 and Vice President of the United
States by the People would be more
sinaccordance with the provisions and
spirit Of the Constitution Of the Uni
i ted States and the principles of the
Government.
555 53 The Government of the United
States is a mixed Government, partly
popular and partly fcderative, and
these features are manifested in the
e Constitution for the Election Of
President and Vice President
In voting for President and Vice
h President, each State votes accord.
ing to her representation in Congress,
South Carolina nine and New York
thiItyisix. A majority of all the
v votes so cast is necessary to choice,
and this represents the popular fea-
i ture of the; Government. 1t is only
after the popular branch fails to elect
that the election assumes a fedora.
J tive character, and the States vote
i as States, each State counting one.
This last mode of election is the re-
suit of the failure to elect, and q pro.
vision for such contingency. The
Constitution provides that "each
State shall appoint as the Legislature
thereof may direct, number Of
Electors equal to the whole number
of Senators and Representatives to
which the State shall be entitled in
q the Congress-" From which it Is
clear that the Legislature would
4 have the power to direct as to the ap.
pointment, or in other words, to di
rect the mode by which the appoint
rnent shall be made. But in pre-
scribing the mode, regard should be
had, mot only to the provisions of the
Constitution regulating the Election
of Electors, but also to the principle
by which votes are cast for President
and Vice-President. The election
npon the first casting Of the votes be-
;ing popular one, the mode of ap
pointment should conform to that
principle. And it is submitted, that
the Election of Electors by the Peo
pie, would be more in accordance
with the Constitution of the United
States, and the popular principle by
which the votes are cast. than the
Election of Electors by the Legisla
turswhich partakcs moro Of the tedc
raiiYe character.
- Your Committee would also re
commend the passage of the bill
from its eypediency as demanded By
the position in which the State il
placed by the act of Congress O
Congress has by that Law