The southern press., 1852-07-15
Extracts from mr.. Benten's last speech,
June 18th, at st. Louis.

Extracts from ME- boutOn's idst spoctn,
| June 18th, Al 81. Louis.
| THE CANDIDATES FOR THE PRESIDENCY.
Citizens: am now done with my view of
our State elections and take glance at the
national. Another Baltimore convention has
been held; and another President selected for
the people of the United States, ESQ far as the
Democracy is coDcerned,) for the next four
years.
Personally, deem Mr.. Pierce preferable to
any one that was prominently before the nomi-
majors, or as we may call them, the electors, and
his nomination is a rebuke to those members Of
Congress, (and caution to the candidates who
were the objects of their solicitude) who neg
lected the public business for six months, and
degraded Congress into making hastings court,
in making stump speeches for candidates, in
stead of laws for the people. He has another
recommendation in my eyes; he is not member
of Congress, and has not been for ten years. |
have seen too much of prostitute legislation in
Cong ressiona aspirants to the Presidency ever
to be willing to see another President taken
from ethics House Of Congress. Give me the
camp, the plough, the workshop, the shades Of
| private life, the departments of the State gov
ernments; any other place in preference to Con
gress for the selection of our future Presidents.
Mr. Pierce has still another recommendation
with me: he has not sought the place! and is the
only one among all the prominent pretenders
that did not seek it; that can use with truth the
patriotic and memorable words of Mr. Lowndes:
The Presidency is not place to be sought for,
or declined ..' 4,
POPULAR ELECTIONS AT AN END.
But while rejoicing in the nomination ofMr.
Pierce, am not a man to lose sight of princi.
Plies in a temporary qualification. Popular cleo
tons are at an end in the United States and the
last hope for elective governments is dead, un.
less these conventions are suppressed The
people are no longer anything but autonaton
chess players in the elections-passive instru
ments, under duresse, to take whomsoever is
presented, good or bad, These conventions
have become the real electoral colleges in the
United States, irresponsible, as good as self
appointed some with sinister views, and able
by their management to put up any man, or put
down any man they please. We must either
get rid of them and get the election into the
hands Of the people, or admit the failure Of
this last hope for popular elective Chief Magis
trates.
More than twenty years ago ! proposed
remedy for this evil--a direct vote of the peo
| pie for President and Vice President, without
the agency of any intermediate body-Congress
caucussrs, national conventions, electors or
eventual resort to the House of Representatives,
The proposition did not then meet the favor Of
Congress !; it might do better now and if ] 90
back shall make the trial. But the people are
not entirely dependent upon Congress in th
reform the State legislatures may take the
initiative; and the people through their repre-.
sentatives in the general assemblies of the
States may commence a reform, upon the sue
cess of which depends the solution of the ques.
ton, whether they are able ia preserve the great
privileges of Presidential election which their
fathers left them.
NATIONAL CONVENTIONS DENOUNCED.
In the meantime now take my stand, whether
solitary and alone" or one of many, against
this fatal abuse: This is the last time submit
to it, although see that the late convention
took the next election in hand, and provided b
committee to attend to it. | eschew their care.
Henceforth stand upon the Constitution as it
is until it shall be amended. Let forty offer for
the Presidency, if they please if any one gets u
majority of the whole number, the elective prin
ciple is satisfied, and we have President elected
by the people, if no, one has a minority of the
whole number Of votes given, then the three
highest on the list stand for nominations by the
people, and their representatives in the House
Of Representatives-not self.appoin'ed, ire.
spOnsipt Iu taNtfH-cuOOSe one
from among these three.
!, There are objections to this reference to the
T House, where the smallest State may balance
the largest; but that ia nothing, compared to
all the States being balanced aud overthrown
by irresponsible conventions. The proceedings
in the House must be regular, ard constitutional
and responsible. The people send tie cand
date there the House must take one of the
three; and there il an impressive lesson in our
history against not taking the one which the
people prefer. Mr.. Burr was ruined by attempt
ing to get the place intended for Mr. Jefferson
Mr. Adams and Mr.. Clay lost their national
position, the one for receiving, the other for
helping him to the place intended for General
Jackson. Every member who violated the will
Of his constituents in either Of these cases was
ruined so that the responsibility in this case
Is real, and reaches both the offending members
and the object OF their choice so that after
these lessons we may hardly expect disobe-
dent or unfaithful votes At all events the
election by the House Is constitutional; and
henceforth 90 for constitutional elections, re.
gardless Of all cries Of party danger, and in OPP
position 10 all contrivances TO take the election
OF President out Of the hands OF the people.
AN a party man, where party principle is con
cerned but claim Independence of party errors
and exemption from party machinery when IL
leads 10 personal dishOnor, national detritment
or constitutional derogation.
| For the Southern Press.