Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-01-31
Es.',euM0ND ENQUIRER.
ny 7in,11Tcu1Es $ rE3eK:a a.====
v0RNING, JANUARY 80, leo'.
--,>.,I CONVENTIONS.

C.Y MoRStN"' -------------
IA -------------------------- -------------- = l..
I,TIONAL CONVENTIONS.
NN. erals some very interesting histoF:'
..ios late article 10 me ~ l i'e'a'N -
:, ,,,iopsl conventions Tor Inc nom'oa''o" y.
g" V -,;,s,.s. and in advocacy oi "scfuo 'aee
MA +, l;6. The Herald advises some hfteen Or
pc 10" candidates, whom 1t names, to run withont
'V',s,, w.. names 10 any convention; and BY way OF
'os -. scheme 10 the small States, states that
usnu''s ,on ,bc cones, would find Its termination In
y.r,sssn,s,iyss, when Florida, with one mem'
at ', sooal voice with New York, which has
". :, peunsy ylyana, which has t~enty'nSe'
.,semen, Of this fact is itself very strong
s"t VI. favor Of ihs proposition OF conventions The
." -, ,hs nominating system in not rejecting the
''., .,,,e in the choice of candidate Is desirable
sy!,aaan,) compared 10 such method OF
p,s.iispt II would be revival OF The OLD
,,,,ps, 90 hateful TO the country In its WORST
s;;,v Of the people would not have the slght-
y" : ,o,as;ac tho highest officer of the nation. a
ucuIi pretty certainly always govern 10 tne
=. sopt afford On excellent field tor corruption
',.o hs,ea!n and saie; and, II any 'hng can over
,,rn,s,j,sl!on, il would bo the choice ot numoet
Va, ,,Ssr i, in The House Of Representatives,. Ihe
,,.,o, ,wo vea.s previous 10 The time II would De
- choose President; it is not selected al all
,s,cp 10 that event. and it ia not likely 'na' 'he Peo'
,.,.s would be reflected In The matter
NO consider tho; The vote would be taken oy
aheo New York Pennsylvania aud Ohio, would
-, ~. same as Florida, Delaware and Rhode Island
os, be struck with lis gross Inequality ana ipustce'
~eol I'm
=. no perfertly subverslve OF The fundamental p'iu
which all our institutions are based-Viz: lnat the
IL. osor,d uoyern-sincc the three great States Just
\ -. which con,sin more than oneihird OF the Tree
f.,,ns,ion of The Union, and have more IMAM quar-
u, whole number of electoral votes, would have ou'
,,as or; Of ,hirty.one If the presidential contest was
b.ow, ,o,o tho House Of Representatives. There
..vsr br, Two Presidents elected BY that body since
.,i,,,ion Of the government. Mr. Jefferson In l6oi,
81 I'M @. Adams In 1870.
'Dsase in the Constitution, not requiring the electors
.;deD, and Vice Presden. to distinguish upon 'heir
between those officers, and providing that the candl
.vr, the highest number of votes should be Presi'
AMI ,bs one next highest Vice President, was the
Of The election being thrown in the House in 1901
no, seem TO occur 10 the trainers OF that laslTameh
10Th parties would be likely 10 give their respective
,es for President and Vice President the came mum
voes and that IL wonld be question unde. The Con-
=, VINO was TO have tho frat Office and who the Sc,
Al! Of the Democratic electors in 1901, voted for
5rsou and Mr. Burr, for President and Vice Presi.
,ca receiving 70 votes The federalistS were more
,,-ous Of their electors not voting for Piuckney,
candidate i,r Vice President thus making him fall De.
Aims, whom they intended for President.
later received Notes the former slxty.lhree
sr.on and Burr were elected; and then it was frs
rs,st that although il was the general understanding
,ns people that Jefferson should be President !! wa'
10 Declared There was spparen, tie, and the HOUSE
osssu,a,iyes had to decide the question. Not mem
s; body was isnorapt of the fact that Burr had no
sinels rots from the people for Chief Magistrate
.o,,,.d ;nirtv. six ballots before Jefferson could
|, Bur, nbtsioins large support In the House moi
p,orlsdss. Had he been elected In dc
=. ,,,e no,.,,. Wishes no one could say what wonl
,.., ,rs ,e.pu reould not but have been disaslrou
Effects upon be Perpe'ui'y OF tne oo'etnHeu'' "n'S
Then iust gone INTO operation.
,s constitution was Immediately altered, requiring u
o,s OF President and Vice President 10 distinguish upo
ballots between 1.-THE officers in question l~en'y-n'
passed away before The election went TO the House..
n Mr. Monros's presidential term drew near lts CLOS
were four candidates in ,he field for the succession
Jackson, John G. Adams, W. H. Crawford o. ..s"
. The federal organization having bee. .0,,u mon
found impossible to unite the DEF .s,,onsd v.,
s Domngs; so, all the pere.s above mentioned we.
e n'"'e' ''' ." ~. None, Of course, as nigh
S.'s' Ds's .sceved majority of all; but Geaet5
.s- re highest in the number OF electoral votes
ID SO, Dir. Adams 81, Mr.. Crawford IL, MIR. Cia
as ,he constitution restricts the House TO selectio
Pen the three highest candidates, Mr. Clay waa throw
!ogelner,
e, pro,racted and vehement contest. MIR. Acams go
,iorIty of States, and was declared President fa'
mn ,nd particularly the Objectionable manner In whc
% .Teced, was very uuavoraby received oy the cour
,hich has since taken good care not 10 have any MOI
leutial contests decided by the House OF Represent
Tha, mode of election has ever been deservedy III
ar, md cannot be favored BY any true Democrat ~h
irous lha, The majority should rule 10 The choice OF 10
Magistrate OF Ike nation. Among other dlfhcustie
ding IL ia the very serious contingency which is Sel
vpep that the iih Ct March might 6nd that no Pres
a, all had been elected, and ihe government might com
and II, for instance we should have no presidents;
;non In 1856 and The lists before the people should
10 sill competitors, there would be dozen candidate
/. least. No enc would be likely - have mulorlt
I'll The rest and The election would be thrown into IN
,e 10 decide between The three highest. Now, II
probable that in the House. neither of the candidate
i have majorily over both the others; and, il to
sy.crs Of each were determined, no choice would b
between the fourteenth of February, when the ballot
would commence, and the fourth OF March which woui
lnae i,s official existence. We huve seen The Hous
six weeks 10 the election Of Speaker which Is no
:imporlan on Office as The Preeldent,and which woul
begin 10 cclt as much conlen!ion. Should the mex
Dental election 90 70 the House the people would wit
any amount Of intrigue and corruption, most disrepu
10 the coua.ry, nnd the result would quite reconcile
10 the present method Of nominating conventions
occurrence OF such an event, however, we regard
improbable.
-.-------<sss--
TRUE TEST.
regret and surprise, find the following letter il
Baltimore Patriot, leading Whig Journal:
Correspondence Of the Baltimore Patriot:l
WAsHISaToN, JAN. &C 1854.
6ra IN prp