Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-01-09
SPEECH OF MR. TILLMAN.

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SPEECH OF MR.. TILLMAN.
On sercral Bills to gire the Election Of
Electors of President and Vice President
to the people, delivered in the House of
Representatives, December 1855.
There seems to be an honest difference of
opinion, Mr.. Chairman, between the members
upon this floor, as to the parties in whom the
Constitution Of the United States vests the
right of electng Presidential Electors. A por-
tion of this House maintain that the right is
vested in the Legislature and another portion
insist that it WAS intended by the trainers of the
Federal Constitution to vest it in the people.
For my own part, believe it is equally consii-
tutonal for the Legislature 10 choose Presiden-
tial Electors, or for the people to do it, but ut
the same time, am one of those, who incline to
the opinion, that expediency and sound policy
require that the power should te vested in the
people and not in the Legislature.
Ny first proposition is, that the choice Of
Presidential Electors ought to be given to the
people to prevent the corruption of the State
Legislatures. If i, is rjS Sht and expedient for
South Carolina to elect Residential electors by
the Legislature, it is equally so. that Nc Legis-
latures of all ihe other States n :. this Gnion'
should do the>same thing. 1t is efbsd Jplsa
will not work both ways. sAadEphS see Ihat
would BE- the effect if all the S6er Sta sBk
latures were to elect Presidential Electors u
South Carolina does. The w<ole ppmbef pr
members Of both Houses Of tbe Legislatures ia
XII the ,,irty.one SblesN This UnioHfis but
1916 1t would only r. necessary to:'4lave a
majority in each SAG Legislature tp.cor;rol tho
vote of the Sta&in lhe EiectoraBCoR add
therefore II NE were divide the whoe namber
Of the members of all the Legislatures in this
Union by two it would give only 2,l5S members
and then add two, or even three hundred mem
Lcrs more, to secure large and ample maorllle"
in each Legislature, and VIC would have-say
25UO men to control The whole vo:c OF the
whole Electoral College, in the election OF Pres
idcnt of the United States.
Now who is The President? You may talk
about the power of the Gear of Russia-about
the departed glory and magniicence of the En-
peror Of Rome, but sir, neither Of them ever
had the power Of the President Of these United
Sta-s | admit, that his powers are restrained
| admit, that he is controlled by constitutional
checks, but he, and he alone, regulates the
mighty machinery of both our Federal and State
governments in all their important actions No
less than 100000 men hold their commissions
as officers, ut the will Of the President. No
iess than S85, ,000,0 900 are expended and dlsbur-
sed every year at his dictalion. or at leas. for
the two tirs, Years Of his ;erm because lie very
ballot which secures the election Gt ire>idchi,
likewise secures the election ut = majority IN
Congress, whom he can CONTROL and whose po-
litica Sympathies are entirely with him. When
backed by these countless offices, with their
high honors and fat salaries, together with the
numerous other Instruments of power, always
1t the command Of a judcicus President. there
il no doubtiag the fact, that he can prescribe
the Legislation of Congress, in great measure
during his whole term of Office, because IN add
,ion to these elements of power, hs also has thai
Of the reto
Tho election of President ia in realis,
the election Of all the officers who constitute
the federal government, and it likewise contr"
the disbursement Of nearly Sl00,000,000. Suct
being the case with all these splendid "ihces
and all this vast amoun, Of money u; his al,nos
absolute command, what would he the effect, i
this combined and all powerful influence, were
brought TO bear, by the skful hand Of such
man as Martin Van Buren,, upon $500 member
OF the State Legislatures, previously elected ant
allowed to vote for Presidential electors b.
Tb. S,a,e elections for both branches of tn
several legislatures in the Union, occur at n'
nerous aud irregular periods Of the year. an
the tenure Of office in both branches is likewis
greatly diversified. For instance, the momber
Of the House of Representatives. in thrice
States hold Office for only one year while IN IN
other eighteen States, they hold it for two year.
Apain. Senators in the six New England States
hold their commissions for but one year.
eight of the States they hold ipo years. In tw
Of tho States, New Jersey and Pennsylvanl
they hold ihree years, and in all the other ilflee
States, they hold for the long period OF t"l
wears. Let it be borne in mind that the tim
for holding State elections is generally liked
the State constitutions, mol by statute. Let
also be remembered, that Congress can aud doe
prescribe the time for choosing Presidential ele
tors, while the States are left to regulate n
,nanne,. only Of that election. Let it further
kent in view, that all the members of DO,
branches of the legislature, and particularly u
R.nators in most of the States, are elected
their Offices, generally for weeks, sometimes #
months. and occasionally FOR years. before
Presidential election takes place. Lastly, let
be supposed, that all Of the States, were TO Gle
their Presidential electors by their Iegislatui
and by the secret ballot system rs we oo' III
what could be the result but inevitable CORFU
ton, so foul, so rank, that it would stink IN u
nostrils Of every honest man. -.
The gentlemen from st. Johns, Colleton, N
Bryanl decIams Loudly against corruption IN I
other States, where this election has been Civ
TO the people, and says that SS5,Oo0,0Oo are
heavy burden for the flesh to carry GRACEFUL
Sir. / concede that it is burden too heavy
this legislature or for all the leg islatures OF t
American Union TO carry honestly but the thr
million of American ireemch and voters
both carry and disburse it safely. charge
legislature, either of this, or any other State,
thu, of any other State had the election OF r
.dential electors, with corruption, ont 1t Is
sound maxim Of political philosophy that
though no man or set OF men may = be corr, ,,
,h,t vct thew are all corruptiblc. IL President