Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1853-07-28
constitutional Amendments.

WIS eaIucsliy thsisLeu upon ny wing
politicians, rs measure for thel
abridgnicnt Of popular power, the
sacredncss Of the Constitution fur
nisbed no check to tbs blind zeal
with which they urgedthat measure
Of mniilation. But, now, when it Is
proposed to amend that instrument
so as to enlarge the powers Of the
people and adapt it TO the present
condition Of the country, those same
sage politicians suddenly recolleot
that the constitution was framed BY
the wise and patriotic fathers Of the
republic, and their newborn reyer-
ence for its sacredness would condemn
rs sacriligious and reasonable, the
hand that would dare touch ii for the
purpose Of improvement We have
been furnished some rare specimens
Of hypocritical rant, over "this Clio
rious old Constitution, torn down and
torn to pieces" exhibiting very
convenient obtuseness vi holly incnpa-
bic of distinguishing between an
amendment and "des truction Of
the Constitution. We have no ap4
prehension whatever, that the hand
Of judicious amendment will either
"tear down or tear to pieces that
sacred instrument; and 10 insinuate
such result, from amendments which
the condition and interest Of the
country require, and which look to
the enlargement of the Popular pow
er, is strikingly character stic of the
class of politicians who fear to trust
the people, and u grave censure up
on the sage fathers of I he republic
who wisely provided for its amend
ment when the further deYelopements
Of the country might der lud it.
We do not propose an argument
in behalf of any amend ment pro-
posed, bat as some efforts have been
made to misrepresent the nature and
effect OF the amendment proposed by
Col. johnson, relative to The election
Of President and Vice President by
direct vote OF the people, instead Of
employing the mac inery Of the cleo
toral college, we give this plan. in
relation to that branch dl the sub
ject. in his own words, which is:
THAT thereafter, the Pr esident and
Vice President Of the United States
shall be chosen by the pei ple OF the
Respective States, in the b inner fol-
lowing: R.ch State shall be divided,
, by the Legislature thereof, into dis
tricts 5, equal in number I'd the whole
. Of the Senators and Representatives
to which such State may be entitled
in tn : Congress of the Uni ted States;
, the laid districts cumpose ed of con-
, tigueus territory, and TO contain, as
nearly as may be, an quad number
, of persons entitled to be represented
under the Constitution, and to bt
laid off, for the first tim /, immedi-
5 ately after the ratiicatib On of thi.
amendment, md afterward DIS, at tn,
sessi pm Of the legislature next ensu
! ling the superintendent Of representa-
9 tives by the Congress Of the UniteC
3 States; that, on the first Thursday
5 i'm August, in the year eighteen hun
dred aud fifty-six, and on the same
t day every four years Their eaiter, tho
: citiz ms of each State WHO possess
t the quqlific atoms requisite for cleo
! tors of the most numerous branch o
: the State Legislature, shall NEE
within their respective districts, ant
, vote for President and Vice Presi
, dent Of the United States, one O
whom at least shall not be m inhab
liant of the same State v 18th them
selves; and the PEI fon fec swing tht
5 greatest number of votes for Vic'
, Presidentin each district, shall b,
, holden to have received one vote
, which fact ball be imm ediately Ger
) tilted by the Governor of the State
, to each Of the Senators ia Congress,
from such State, and to the prcsi
dent of the Senate and Speaker O
the House Of Representatives. The
Congress Of the United States shall
be in session OIL the second Monday
in October, in the year eighteen hun,
dred and fifty-six, and on the same
, day on every fourth year tn creaitcr;
ana the President Of TIL, Senate, in
the presence Of the Senate and House
OF Representatives, slnll open Ill tho
certificates. and tho votes shall then
BIO counted. Tho persona hhving
, tho greatest humber of votca for
President shall DO President, il such
number be equal to n urJority fthe
whole number Of votes given, but II
no person have suoh n majority. then
a second election shall be held on
the first Thnraday in tho month Of
n. IL A |. 1 "