The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-07-10
The DAILY DISPATCH.


sso"s, 90 ne Court House 4. 8,
Saturday night. june Is, 1852 -''
| ClTizENs:-I appear anon, -.
1ongless' Dat with little incnn,;or ssA
.aoo's wnich canvass imposes, or a. =, sne
oIs "nien an election c0nfers. Since sJs. ~
.non.n oi malcn last, have gone to no pnbic
meetlng-appeared at no public pIsse * eslc .s.
city. and lived life OF seclusion h -. y a sn's
house. You all know the reason. Whs
then, am | candidate for Congresse = =
For the same reason that timid animals fy and
i hide, and courageous ones turn aud strike
Because am pursued-left no peace al home
or abroad-and because God put into my bo.
som the heart of the lion, and not Of the rabbit.
appear as candidate for Con
gress, in this, the First Congressional district
in the State, and feel no degradation, after
having been six Roman lustrums in the Sem
ate, in canvassing for seat in the House. Ii
brings me nearer 10 my real friends-the peo.
ple!-those by whose will was thirty years in
| the Senate, and against whose will was sold
out of it. Besides, the House of Representa-
| tives Of the United States OF America is not a
place TO be below any mans ambition. II is
| the embodiment OF the majesty and sovereignty
of the people. 1t was intended to be the mas
| ter branch OF the government, holding in its
| hands the purse and the sword, the issues Of
war and peace, the resources OF loans and
taxes; and, being the grand inquest of the
nation, over all official malfeasance of men, or
corruption ofmeasures in the federal govern
ment. 1t was intended by our constitution to
| be what the British House of Commons with
a very imperfect popular representation,) all
ways has been, and now is-the controlling
branch off the government, before which the
| President, his cabinet, and the Senate were to
| give way, as the King, his ministry, and the
| House of Lords, always have given way, and
now give way before the British House of
| Commons. Far from feeling il degradation
| TO serve in the House OF Commons, il is the
| only branch of the British Parliament which
| has attraction for men of nerve and talent-the
| only branch where rational regulations are
earned; and many are the eminent men who
have refused to be made peers of the realm be-
| cause it would force them from the House of
| Commons into the House of Lords Our
| House ofRepresenta;ives, in the beginning,
was the same. All the eminent men were
| there, all great political regulations were &C.
| qulred there all national legislation was shap.
| ed there; the President and his cabinet and all
federal malefactors, feared il; the people look
ed TO it, the Senate was little more than an ad-
visory council. Now all this is changed; why
| Or how, it is not for me TO say. But the fact
of change is as true as deplorabIe, and the
consequences are as lamentable as the fact is
| notorious.
l n tuuO0uleHtul ditc9tt.Du Is gong OIL III the
| government, reversing It's basis, slipping away
| the power from the immediate and responsible
| representatives Of the people to those whom
| they neither elect nor control-from the many
10 the tew-converilng the government into an
| oligarchy instead of democracy, and degra-
| ding the people by stripping their representa-
iion OF It's constitutional preponderance. The
| safety OF the country requires this change to
| be arrested-the House TO be restored to its
L tut tlnn al "A
| er their lost pre- emnence; and if | am elected
your representative, / shall cooperate with
all good men 10 etfecting consummation SO
| devoutly to be wished. y
Citizens, | am now done with my view OF our
| State elections, and take glance at the ma.
| tioral. Another Baltimore Convention has
been held, and another President selected for
the people of the United States, ESQ far as the
| democracy is cOncerDed,1 for the next four
years. Personally, deem Mr.. Pierce prefer
able to any one that was prominently before
| the nominatOrs, or, as we may call them. the
| electors; and his nomination is Tebuke to those
| members of Congress, land caution TO- the |
Candidates who were the objects of their solic.
| tude,) who neglected the public business for |
six months, and degraded Congress into hus,
| ,ings court, in making stump speeches fOr
| candidates, instead OF making laws for tine |
| people. He has another Recommendation in
has not been for ten years. l have seen too
| much of prostitute legislation in CoDgression-
| al aspirants to the Presidency, ever TO be will
| ing to see another President taken from either
house of Congress. Give me the camp, the
| plough, the workshop, the shades Of private
| lite, the departments of State goveinments-
any other place in preference 10 Congress-for
| the selection of our future Presidents. Mr..
1 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-thai can use with truth the
| patriotic and memorable words OF Mr.. Lowndes:
"fhe Presidency is not place 10 be sought for
| or deciined.' But while rejoicing in the nom-
inaiion of Mr.. Pierce. am not a man TO lose
| sight ofprinciples in temporary qualification.
Popular elections are at an end in the United
States, and the last hope for elective govern
! ments is dead, unless these conventions are
suppressed. The people are no longer any
Thing but automaton chess players in the elec-
1iOns-passive Instruments, unUef dn' eSse. 10
take whomsoeyer is presented, good or bad.
These conventions have become the real
electoral colleges in the United States, irres-
ponsible, as good as seif-appointed, some with |
sinister views, and able by their management |
10 put up any man, or pur down any IMAM, |
they please. We must either get rid OF them, |
and get The election into the hands Of The |
"
for popular elective chief mag agislTates. More /
than twenty years ago. proposed remedy
for this evl--s direct vote Of the people Tor
President and Vice President, without the
agency of any Intermediate booy-Congfess
caucuses, national conventions, electors, or /
eventual resort 10 the House OF Representa-
.ises. The proposition did not then meet the
favor of Congress; il might do better now,
and If 90 back shall make the trial. |
But the people are not entirely dependent np-
on Congress 10 this reform; the State legisis- |
lures may take the initiative; and the people |
through their representatives in the general
assemblies of the states may commence are- |
form, upon the success of which depends the
solution Of the question. whether thsy are able
to preserve the grea, privilege Of Presidential
election which their fathers LETT them. In the
mean time. L nov take my stand, whether
"solitary and alone. or one Of niany, against
this fatal abuse. This is the last time sub
nit 10 il, although see that the late convrn~
ton took The next election in hand and pro-
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