Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1856-09-12
WHOLE NUMBER 1895.



The theory VI our Government rec-
ognizes the right Of the majority 10
rule. This right Is limited, Ia various
ways. by the Constitution--th most
conspicuous restriction upon Il being
that OF the Senate, in which large
States have no more power than small
ones, and which has. nevertheless. an
absolute veto upon the other Depart.
ments OF the Government. Another
restriction upon the power Of the ma
jorIty is contained in the clause which
gives TO the SIave-holding States the
representation Of .three-fifths Of all
their slaves---ina smuch a. this practi-
cally oonfers upon these States the
right Of having their property repre-
sented. while the Free States have no
such right, This provision increa-
ses the power Of the Slave States in
the House Of Representatives and in
the Electoral College. thus giving
them a prodigious advantage over the
Free States. in Congress and in the
election OF President. The extent
Of this advantage will be seen by the
following figures. The Slave States
cast $50. 400 votes, and the free states
a.32o.o7e.
Out Of an aggregate Of 3.l79.47s
votes the Slave States thus cast only a
little over one fourth: and yet they
cast very nearly one half Of the cleo
toral votes in the choice Of President.
They have Que electoral vote 70 every
7.i6i voiers.--while the Free States
have only one for every IS. 1872 voters.
II the ratio Of representation were the
same in the Slave States as It is in the
Free States--that is. il they had only
one electoral vote for every 1898
voters, they would have but sixty FIVE
in all But the representation ol
three millions OF slaves. which stand
for three thousand million dol.
lars---added to the power conferred
upon them by the creation Of small
States and the disfrsnchisement Of q
large proportion Of their poor whitei
by their peculiar laws. almost doublel
their weight in the electoral college
From the cause Grst named alone thes
have over 20 members Of the HOUSE
OF Representatives more than the,
would be entitled to under the ratio o
representation which prevails in ths
Free States.
We are constantly told that if Col
Fremont is elected by the Free State,
alone. the Slave States will not sub,
nit. Upon what ground they vii
justify resistance we are not informed
Mr.. Fillmore. it is true. in,imates sh1
one section Of the country can nevel
be expected TO snbois 70 Presidrs
elected exclusively BY another. Blu
this is simply ridiculous. inssmuch q
IL would apply to East and West viii
just as much force ~ 10 North and
South. II Mr.. Buchanan should b
elected President il will be BY q sec
iional vote--not so exclusively con
fined to one section. perhaps, as il
Col. Fremont's case--becsuse The
Slave section has not the power u
elect President without help from
the North. But il Is claimed, and
probably with justice. that Buchanan
will receive the electoral votes Of 81
the Slave States. Suppose be does
so--and also those OF Cslifornis. Con
necticut. Indiana and New Jersey
land we think bis chance Of carrying
either Of these States Is better thar
that Of Pennsylvania )-the popular
vote represented BY the two will thsl
stand thus:
a Popular vote. Elsctors
esss.ssi:u esa,,s:sis s::sss s::s:s
New Jefsss s1.tti
fntiana l63.l3t
Buchanan vote i.cd8 e<s Is
Other Free States f.ets,o2i it
In case, therefore. the Sote shouIt
be divided in the way supposed, ans
two or three OF the Free States shoult
cast their votes for Mr.. Buchanan. h
would be electsd-aIthough the State'
voting for him should cast over $50
600. votes less than those witch vot,
against him--snd his support would
be quite as sectional rs that given 4
his opponent.
Nothing can be more absurd thar
the pretence that Col. Fremont's eIec
ton would be resented and resisted b.
the South on the ground Of its bein,
I sectional. We can conceive cases il
which the Slave States. or any oths
States. might reasonably and justi6s
bly resort 70 revolution in resistance I,
oppressive legislation Of the Fedora
Government. But the election o
Fremont will not constitute such al
emergency, nor will anything be don'
by the party which he represents. du
ring his administration. to authoriz'
resort to such a remedy. The trutI
is. the Slave States enjoy very grea
advantages over the Free States Il
the distribution Of political power
and there would be much more grount
for resistance on the part Of the North
to authority seized by the use Of thes'
advantages. than there is for resistance
on the party Of the South to the cleo
ton Of q President by Northern an,
4 Western votes. IN. Y. Times.
MKIrrxo AT AuaoRA.-There wa
y glorious meeting Of the people a
Chsmbers' corner on last Friday even
ing. Mr.. Howlsrd. Peoples csndi
date for District EIector. was presen
according to appointment, and 70
about two hours engaged the alten
ton OF the audience in a digni6ed. ar
gumentiye. and witty speech, whic|
was frequently interrupted by hearty sp
pIause. Col Fsrquhar. although nc
intending ~ make q speech, mounted
the stand TO make = few remarks
which. at the frequent and urgent 50
licitations Of the audience, we're pro
longed into an hours length.
At the conclusion Of the speaking
three cheors we're Ciyen fof the PEI {