Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-08-10
Popular Elections.

EOputat 1ieCIOns
We are no iactionst yet, there some things in
our State Government which we shond like to see
changed For instance the present mode of elccting
Electors for President and Vice President subjects the
State to unnecessary expense andnconveniencc Eve
ry four We extra session of the Legislature must
be held for this especial purpose. the vote Of the
State is lost This of course subjects rs to heavy
| expense and there is no necessity for it.
The Legislature must either alter the time of its SIT
ting call an extra session, lose the vote OF the State
or give the election to the people, where of right it be-
longs Itmay be urged in behalf the present mode
that all these difficulties may be removed by altering
the time of the meeting Of the Legislature. This would
subject US to Inconvenience also and reasons may be
shown why this change should not be made. We do
not however upon the plea Of Inconvenience to the
State or from pecuniary considerations, urge change
these are only collateral reasons and do not involve
in themselves any Importance, or touch the principle.
We are in favor ofcommtting to the hands OF the peo'
ple the management OF this business from motives of
higher character than that of mere cNpciicncy be-
leync as we do that free suffrage is consonant with
the true and genuine principles Of liberty, and the
groundwork and very basis upon which all republican
| institutions must rest
Let The people be educated! Call it by whatever yon
NAV. it is one of our texts and one too, which We
shall ever take pleasure in urging upon the minds OF
our readers. Call it a hobby-be it So it is n good
one The people should read, think, and act Tor them
selves How dcplorable, and humiating is til" ig-
norancc of the upon the most common and sm-
p,e matters Of our government The people seem con-
tented to leave the decision Of all these matters in tho
hands of Others who think and act without direct re-
ference in too many cases to the good of those whom
they represent "a liberal and enli irlened public
opinion, whose appreciation is the result OF mature
wisdom and whose just condemnation is tempered with
generosity" This is the lca-a just sentiment which
can only result from the people being educated. We
attribute much Of the want of general intelligence
among the people, the fact that nearly all the impor-
tant elections are taken from them. and given to
the Legislature 1t may be urged that, br giving these
elections to tho people, we open the door for dcna-
royucism much widcr-that influences will bra,imtcd
more injurious in their effects upon society We think
not 4 word in reply will suffice for tins objection -
Those who disposed may now act the part OF eina'
gogucs to much greater e1tcnt-thcy can deceive the
people much moro clectually than they could undo:
the plan propose.
Ifi is urged that already many elections arc i'll
the hands of the people, ask where can this power
more properly rest? To deny it. is to strike at once
blow at the very foundation of all democratic princi-
ple to say that the people not capable OF deciding
for themselves. Who then can decide? If sach be
the case why let the people say who shall be their
Clerks, SheriiTs Tax Collectors &c? Let others more
competent be delegated with all authority TO do all
their thinking and acting for them. Let the people
become as plant clay in the hands oil skllul port RS,
who are to mould and fashion them after their own no.
tons-mere figures by which the sagacious political
arithmetican may make his calculations The people,
il left TO tie bent Of their own nclnationS will be dis
posed to do right.
The masses Of the people Of our State, are woully
deficient in knowledge pertaining to State affairs.
They have never relied upon themselves but have ta
ken too much for orthodox, because kadi"g men lave
taught them so We know OF no reason why South
Carolina should adhere with such remarkable pcrtna-
city to certain arstocratic notions peculiar to herself
which makes it almost distinct and isolated State
| from Others which have the same community Of inter
ess and arc identified by common ties of cosangunl
ity and destiny We ask, what peculiar benefit have
we derived from singular course? Are we in adj
vance of our compeers in intelligence, happiness or
wealth?
Until within few years, we have been far behind
others in every class of enterprise 1t is possible that
we may yet feel conscious pride in being Caollnians,
vet there is much Of which may not boast Many OF
our systems need rcmodchng, and general modica-
ton might take place, which would result. we doubt
not in good To make ourselves distinctly ntelligi-
bc we are in favor of giving the election OF Governor
snd the electors Of President and Vice President to
the people.