Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-12-12
from the i''i' rburI S"wii.iIi" brm"rrs'
THE LATE ACTION OF THE ELECTORAL


tIJlyLIIif.
Wr"mnrvr with rr:r- that portion Of the Flee.
l.r. College, ul this State II, ia ia; session has
M /" n,lu"in2.. ir Pre-. r'.ni ri.ri nn t'. miarr "i
- cabinet appointment. The pr"il" 81 N'rsinIn, wr
lake il. have already received this announcement WIN
tIiigs "l nuni, -rfod modification. The step whir
Twelve u the Electors have taken i!nr II Is proper T."
siui, that tw" r.iu-.o! To- "m.i." IN la. m"vcincn.
n The other being the gentleman d-lgnatr'l i"r ili"
cnbiur InsiiI, himself we learn ,"nd"nncd it, IL
uuIrrc..rn;p ia the history "l The Stnir.
The Democratic ric,'r- i,r Virginia w"r" coihr'l
I,y those who rlnrr'! then" with specific ni,e'l AMI
clearly defined powers. They were commissioned
suply I" cn-t III the constitutional m"!c ihe popular
v,rlllct rendered nj the lat: election. They wer"
voted tar mere agents to throw. III the prescribed
L,r the vote oi the State lur Buchanan and Brcckin-
rlr.. aud the people, IN giving them thrIr sirgcs,
never dreamed that their iuriionS would extend Ia
nuy "ilr "IlrcIs of aeii"n. Least "l Mi i iicy tx
.rt that their :I:,Ur. w.'ild =" far transcend IlI"Ir
Legitimate. duties ~ To- uml'rtaic I" limit the Pr'si
rnl ~ the s.lrr'luII at Its :.lViScS or ln suggest Ia
him apIrnlHtr's lur office
The ,rulmral- oi Virginia, in v"iiII;; Tor Mr. lfu
clr;lri tIlrsird their cumruc. in h+ patriotism aud
ciiy. aud may aid III his ability I" select nj hi.
uw Suggestion the proper IuncimnarIrs l"r govern
lnnl agents nor did the ll"a occur Ia them ui con
slilrr.. tile Electoral College hIr proxy. auGhi
.. than merely 10 manifest III irl. l"rin wlat they
Ia,! =" IittIt-ingly nti""c'i nj il'" polls
II may l. urged IN ealcuuaiun ni this slrp 0i the
Electors that :hny did il outside of their formal de.
|
lance and uni~ "t lts impruprleiy from iilS i'nI
They al Ri'ln"nd "m their official crrnini, ntI
tina task wol.d be n difficult lu draw sensible
discrimination Doiwecn their action in Joint --.
siu and then separate Signatures nlI Ae to nlnD
rial 1t ilnrc is ANY difference pr"lricly incIincs I,
the lurinrr. Auybrdy will AT II glanre that
runIuriiiatiuu by the gentlemen at the Ehrtural e."
!r. j. valuable over the recommendation al any 9th
| ~ fifteen .s-milunIGn ol The Stale, simply because
they In,nhrr. al in,. Ei,ri"ral College. ii is
that cnrncf,.r wrh attaches any sprclsI significance
I" their rira-: aud Il u ~ that character 'hry
understood 10 speak, u" uatrr What decent DISCUS,
| they may nssunur for the "rt:hsI"n.
| I'nn lining IL rcprrhcnsbr upon another ar"un,
than thai nl m"re inpr"prIciy ar ind"lI'acy. III,
duty a! Electoral College Is Que "i ih" hrst RI
-pnmsihlllty. They appointed Ia pr"n"iIncr III,
! mal-tlr will nl the people. When once They be.ii
iu lnkc part IN the nirisu"a oi r'r'"nnl politics. ant
10 snppl!cnr the !aH"I at Tho President eject, thtJ
place themselves ~ an embarrassing pusItI"r. an,
,.xI.,-,. themselves to popular sm>p'ci"n. Sr"n m
art :" simple Kindness I" tu"il"r lndIvihuri. iii'
| transition wuu not b, violent I" AN net al hnrgnri
| and orrultnn tor an Electors avn h"irIii. Hon
r- men should no. II pr,r. .rn. whri may b" -
.nsiiy abused by ih, .cIii. and the y.nnl The pco
| ,lr have m G>pr,.nl interest that the mriI Whom
| They choose i"r 'rIicatc AMI n"n"nt"rs tri-
should moi l'r "SI-rd even I" the Temptation u cor
! rnpi continuation.
Hir.imiu u.rlip,s proud aud exalted position il
ih. rm.rary. Ia in--r latter iiInrs, however, sh'
nxiils la he rrpr"aricd with an excessive and tl"
cent appetite "r I'"cr. N"w comes ih,' act ri th'
Irctnra! College /" Justify the thnnts "i ihr enemies
nf the Snte md To degrade her 10 The attitude oi ~
eager aud rapar"us HspIrant inr "iiicr In every ~
| spcrt The thing IL deeply IN be drp!nrrd.
That mny moi b. misunderstood, IT IL proper I'm
W., should ray m conclusion, that il il no; "nr l''r
n-. ur ,!.>iru Ia -para.r the prrilI-i"Is nr des"
.f iIu. particular gentleman whom iir E''i6Ts hr
reported to have recommended la ih- favor ui Mr
I;nrhnuai On, rir, contrary. would hr pleased T.
20, him ,ra,iirI in uuy lnitbl- enterprise ni nnb,
tII. Cur remarks are ,r"r'rd exclusively a@al.is
! The mel aud not the Individual.
! For must "l the Electors Themselves "" 'mrrtniI
| feelings "G personal friendship and regard: hut th
si-, they have taken is Innovation cstahlI-hr
u-nr,. ,inalJu., stern r"hukr AN! lns. rrtlrisni.-
They have zone outside the path "i duty and "bvi"u
pruprrIv, and in dung hav- put the State i'll al
attitude nIy ihIng bui complimentary I" her dignity "
| her Ielr'ncy Virginia Is II" ni-n,l"nni Tor i"d'rh
ica Sll, hlS never before n4krd II officially Tor h'
Sous, AMI .-urnr'y regret tia: her E"c"rr sli"u
| have seen III tu sci :" obnoxious II precedent.