The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1853-12-27
Dcbatc OH Electoral Question.
House OF REPRESENTATIVES, DECEM
DER, ID, 1853.

ntr in which Electors ofPrcsident and
Vice President of the United States
Shall hereafter be chosen as introduced
by Messrs. Tillinghast Poppenhcin,
Kershaw McCrady and Lett, (n Com
4nittcc of the whole House, MIR. B. j.
johnson in the chair,) were under con
sideration.
rs Mr. IIutson said there were embar-
rassing circumstance attending y dis
cussion of this subject. He had no
doubt members fa'l come here with fix
cd opinions, and had formed dctcrmin-
ations as to their vote. The action
of Congress in the matter he ftarcl
was influenced by the obnoxious princ.
pie of centralizng power in the federal
government. TO such feature ofgov-
ernment he could Rcvcr give his as
sent. A charge IN the organic law is IN
evil, though he did not wish to be un
derstood as opposed to all changes
but it was due to State rights and all
the other great interests involved i'll
assenting to any change, to be sure that
it is to work less evil than the measure
proposed to be supplantcd.
The evils any changer Can never be
forcseen. The Engish reform bill,
extending the privilege of voting to
tenants at will, as giving power in the
hands Of landlords, was referred to on
this point as working corruption.
Gentlemen say the people demand
the change whilst others think their
interest is better preserved as retain
ing this power where it is. Adopt this
change of giving it to the people, ard
you will find the whole matter unlor
the control Of Il few mon who may
assemble at Columbia. 1t will be rla-
ccd in the hands of q clique Of polite
ians and not the free will of the people
The people ofSouth Carolina he bclicv-
ed to be better Informed in regard
Ito great national principles than those
K of any other portion of the Union
attributable alone to the peculiar char
iacter of its institutions and practiscs.
"A pure ballot box wiz keep upa pure
Legislature body. The people Of South
CaroliEa have never desired to go into
the scramble incident to rational clcc-
tion the mere politicians havesSF' pducc-
ment, even if they dare, to eSssSssaaA Apt he
people; and hence the purity ofali cleo
tions and legislation in this State, viii ch
stands in proud array when compared
with other States. -.
He differed with the gentleman from
Greenvillc (Mr. PcrrN in the opinion
that wealth could be more corrupting
in leaving the power in the body now
enjoying it, than in the change propos-
ed. He maintained that,d,e doctrine
' ofState rights has been Msser sustained
in South Carolina than any other State.
The Democratic party has done as
much for Capitalization as the Wing
party. The great feature of that prin-
ciple exists in theory but has lost it's
vitality in ether States. The ccntral-
zation of power in the Federal Gov
ernment is fearfully increasing, and he
appealed to South Carolinians against
being swallowed up in the vortex
In regard TO the past votes Of the
State, he viewed them in different
light from the gentleman from Green.
vile believing that the vote cast
against Pinckney and for Burr was
in sustenance OF the position Of State
rights--the former a bold defender of
OF that principle, and the latter oppo-
sing it. So in all her past course,
there is but q clear maintenance Of the
States doctrine, teachings and prilci.
pies.
The gentleman further assc rts, that
there exists two interests one to cX-
tend and another to restrict federal
power. He did not believe the two
great political parties of the country,
as such, or either OF them, were dispos-
ed to do wrong, whatever might be
said OF factions and the course Of indi-
viduals. He expressed strong faith in
the virtue patriotism and Intelligence
of the people Of South Carolina; and,
believing the machinery Of State Gov
ernment to work well thought they
were disposed to abide by it.
MIR. Read regarding the vote he
should be called upon to give Oh this
subject as perhaps the most important
OF the session, uttered his most earnest
protest against any change. The pres
ent system existing for half q century
has carried the State and the people
onward in peace, prosperity and happi
ness. From long cherished regard
and belief in the principles of present
form ofStatc government he felt con
strained to do all in his power to sus-
tain this time-honored principle. He
did not like the idea of convention
saying to the State OF South Carolina
who she should vote for; tor u mere
nomination carries with it the vote Of
the people; preterring rather to leave it
to those who tho people themselves
shall select to come here, deliberate and