The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-08-24
forbear copying the whole of what
he says on that topic.

WI. EuiLOT. MY dDSence from
the District for some time past has
prevented an earlier reply to the
questions propoundcd in late Chron.
icle to candidates for the Legislature
The right of the people to know the
opinions of those who propose to
represent them is unquestionablc,
and as the canvass has been
conducted without any public dis.
cussion. I most cheerfully avail my
self of the oportunity afforded of
stating distinctly the views l en-.
terrain upon the important subjects
embraced by the interrogatorics.
have not before me the paper
propounding the question, but one is
to this effect: Whether the power
of appointing the Electors of Pres.
ident and Vice President of tie
United States, now exercised by
the Legislature. ought not be
transferred to the people?
am of opinion that it should
go to the people. The system how
in operation is unnecessarily com
plicated. The people elect COL
lego of Electors, to wit, the Leg.
islaturc; these elect another col
lcge, to wit, the nine electors, the
State is entitled to, and this last col
|-lege votes for the President. II it
is intended that the people shall have
any agency in electlng the Chief
Magistrate, why these two removes
from the original source Of power?
There is nothing in the Constitution
which forbids the people from cx-
ercising this power under the sane,
tion of the Legislature, and an op.
inion has grown up and been acted
upon by the other States that both
the Constitution and sound policy re.
quirc that the power of electine the
Electors should be vested in the peo-
pie.
The Constitution says, Art. Q,
sec. /: "Each State shall appoint,
such manner as the Legislator,
thereof may direct, o number Of
electors" &c. And every State in
the Union, South-Carolna alone
excepted, has, by law, voted in
the people the power OF appointing 2
electors. 1t may we'll be argued
that this universal acqnicscncc by
all States except our own in that
construction Of the constitutional
psovision is entitled, upon doubtful
question, to great consideration.
I have faith that the construction
Of the Constitution, carried ont by
cur act Of 1892, by which the Leg
islature assumed to itself the power
of appointing the Electors of Pres
idcnt and Vice President instead of
giving it to the people, was doubt
full construction. The Constitution
directs that each State shall appoint
electors in each manner as the
Legislature thereof shall direct, and
it has been held by distinguished
Statesmen, whose opinions this State
has been accustomed to regard
with high respect. that the exercise
Of this power by the Legislature it.
self is nothing short Of usurpation.
These opinions are well set forth
in an able argument recently made
before political association in
Charleston and while | ain bound
to say that they have not satisfied
my Judgment that the Legislature
of 1892, under the lead Of some of
the most distinguished men of
the Revolution, was guilty of
usnrpatlon and that for fity-thrce
years it has been exercising, m-
challenged, most important func-
ton for which it has no warrant in
the Constitution, yet I am of opinion
that prudence demands that the Leg
lslature should forbear to cXcrc else
further power considered doubtful
by many, especially where no great
principle Of public policy vii! be
damaged by the surrender.
Whether minoriles will be bet
ter represented under the gen.
cral ticket system, (Which has been
adopted, | understand, by all the
other States, or whether the pco-
pie will acquire any other power than
that of recording their appreciation. of
nomination of Electors elsewhere
made, 1 will not stop to discuss; but
the proposed change is certainly
not open to the objections which
have been urged against giving to
the people the power of clectng
to offices of profit.
The appointment is merely hon.
orary, the trust is speedily ex-
ccuted and a heated personal can.
vars is not perhaps to be anticipated.
But it Is a high and q most i'm.
portant trust, nothing short of max
ing tho Chief Magistrate Of the