The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1854-12-20
RepOrted for the LEDGER.

HcPVtco y" "e f<tuScF.
An abstract of the remarks Of Mr. Ham,
mond, delivered in the House Of Reprcscn
tatives, on the day of December. 1854,
on the Bill providing for the election of
Electors.
Mr.. Hammond said,
That he had listened with great degree
of pleasure, to the remarks which were ut
tered by the Hon. gentleman from Charles
ton, (Mr. McCrady) but Ms he differed in To-
10, with most of the sentiments expressed
by that gentleman, he would beg the indul-
gence of the Committee, for few moments,
in order TO reply.
member pronounce that the people of this
State had no sovereignty, as they had ceded
that power in the State Constitution.
Mr.. Hamlrond rcpudiated anv such doc
trine, and argued that the all sovereignty
rested in the people, that the trainers of the
Constitution of this Sttte, had made pro-
visions in that instrument for assembling
the people in convention, to change the
Constitution. If found to be defective.
To say that the people had no sovereign
ty was to deny the doctrine of State Rights
that it was reflection upon the wisdom.
intelligence and virtue of the people, and
was saying in so many words, that the peo-
pie, were utterly incapable Of regulating
their affsirs, and needed guardian, and WAS
an argument in favor of that doctrine, that
is so strongly seated in our Legislature, and
even dvocated by some of our journals,
that of vesting the power of many in the
in tho hands of n fe,o. 1t was time that
this pernicious doctrine should be repaid.
atcd.
The gentleman from Charleston also con-
t,nds. that the minority of State, has the
right TO provoke the aid of Federal power
to protect them ag inst majority.
This he utterly denied. LIST. upon the
authority Of the Constitution Of the United
States which says that "alI power not er-
pressly delegated to the General Govern
ment is reserved to the States respectively"
and those powers are we'll defined, and be-
ing so defined it remains in the State OF the
people who form the State polite, the
States therefore arc in dependent sovereigns,
and act check to any and all usurpa.
tons Of Federal power.
II the doctrine, that minority may rule
q majority, then it follows in course that
all Legislative enactments, not receiving
either u constitutional majority or voted for
unanimously, may be suspended until the
approval of the Federal Government is OBJ
t.ined, or made null and void, if such ap-
proval be not obtained.
The bill introduced by the gentleman (Mr
McCrady0 provides that the people on the
day Of general election, shall choose dele
gates, who shall assemble in Columbia on q
day appointed, and east their votes for tho
electors.
This instead Of placing the election Of
President and Vice Preslden, in the hands Of
the people remores it still further from them.
it is subjugating the State To unnecessary
expense to do indirectly what the people
themselves can do directly, and what il is
tHeF TtyM I'D uos 10 cHoOSo sucn men N
ihey consider TO be competent to DO electors.
Every State in the Union, with the soli-
tary exception Of South Carolina, have
given this right to the people, and our peo-
pie arc as wise, as intelligent, and fully com.
petent to make n choice for electors, rs any
other, and it is reflection upon them to de-
ny this
Our Government is divided into three
departments, Legislative. Executive and the
Judiciary.
The first one emanates directly from the
people and that body have, and exercise the
right to vote for, and choose who shall fll
the two other departments, without the con-
sent or know ledge of the people, and In ad-
dition to this, have the extraordinary power
Of e!eeting Electors for President and Vice
President granted them. How long the peo-
pie Of this State will submit to such ~.
sumptions Of power, am unable to say, but
Dir. Chairman, the day is coming when the
sovereignty Of the people will be felt and
vindicated on this floor, notwithstanding the
many efforts that have been made, and are
now making to crush the struggle that IL
now in ombryo, for liberty and equality.