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

SPEECH OF MIR. TLLMAN.
On several Bills to g;re 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 electing Presidential Electors A por.
ton 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 cons,i-
;tutional 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 6e 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 it is right and expedient for
South Carolina to elect Residential fectors by
the Legislature, it is equally so. that Nc Legs-
latures of all the other States in. this Enion'
should do the>same thing. 1t is elbsd Juist
will not work both ways. sAsdpNs ast
would be the effect if all the 6erSas
latures were to elect Presidential Eiectore2s
South Carolina does The wk6le Rpmbef Pf
members of both Houses Of The Legislatures IL
XII the lhirty.one Sbtcsld lhis. Union6is but
4,3l6 1t would only b. sgecessary to=tlave
majority in each SVe LegUlature 0.cocsrol the
vote of The Sta1yin 1hs ElsStora1E isaid
fiTTsfdIc fF:ee sterest6
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
Lors more, to secure arge and ample maIorllles
in each Legislature, and VIC would have-say
$500 men to control the whole vote of the
whole Electoral College, in the election of Pres
ident 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 magniiicence OF the En-
peror Of Rune, but slr, neither OF them ever
had the power Of the President of these United
States. | 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 Fedora! aud State
governments in all their important actions. No
less than 100000 men hold their commissions
=. officers, at The will Of the President. No
IeBh lliu SSOO,UOUiOOO alC CS SVShoSu "pN N'Soo'-
sed every year at his dicta'ion. or at leas: for
the two first years OF his term. because The very
ballot which secures the election OF Il President,
likewise secures the election OF majority IN
Congress, whom he can control. and whose po-
litical 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 judicicus President. there
is no doubling the fact, that he cah prescribe
the legislation of Congress, in great measure,
during his whole term of office, because in nddi-
,ion to these elements Of power, he also has that
ss the reto.
Tho election of President ia in reality
the election Of all tho officers who constitute
the federal government, and it likewise controls
the disbursement of nearly S400000,000. Such
being the case with all these splendid Offices,
and all this vast amount Of money at his almost
absolute command, what would be the effect, If
this combined and all powerful influence, were
brought to benr, by the skiful hand Of such
,rnan as Martin Van Buren,, upon $500 members
of 'hc State Legislatures, previously elected and
allowed to vote for Presidential electors by
secret ballot, az is now done in South Carolina
The State elections for both branches Of the
several legislatures in the Union, occur at mn.
n,erous aud irregular periods Of the year. and
the tenure Of office in both branches is likewise
orsa,ly diversified. For instance, the mombers
of the House Of Representatives. in thirteen
State. hold Office for only one year while in the
other eighteen States, they hold it for two years.
Again, Senators in the six New England States,
hold their commissions for but one year. In
eight of the States, they hold two years. In two
Of tho States, New Jersey and Pennsylvania,
they hold three years, and in all the other fifteen
States, they hold for the long period OF tour
wears. Let it be borne in mind that the time,
for holding State elections is generally fixed hy
the State constitutions, mol by statute. Let 1t
also be remembered, that Congress can aud does
prcscribc the time for choosing Presidential cleo
tors, while the States are left to regulate lhe
manner only of that election. Let it further be
kcpt in view, that all the members of both
branches of the legislature, and particularly the
s.nators in most of the States, are elected 10
their Offices, generally for weeks, sometimes for
months. and occasionally for years. before q
Presidential election takes place. Lastly, let il
he supposed, that all of the States, were TO elec,
their Presidential electors by their legislatures
and by the secret ballot system rs we do, ano
what could be the result but inevitable corrup
ton, 80 foul, so rank, that it would stink IN the
nostrils of every honest man.
The gentlemen from St. Johns, Colleton, (h!r
Brvan) decInims Loudly against corruption in the
otLer States, where this election has been girer
to the people, and says that SS5,Oo0,OOG are {
heavy burden for the flesh to carry gracefully
Sir concede that it is burden too heavy fo
fb;s legislature or for all the legislatures OF tht
American Union to carry honestly, but the thre'
,a;ll;on of American freemeh and voters cal
both carry and disburse it safely. l charge M
i.ri.alure. either of this, or any other State,
that of any other State had the election OF !! Pre-
siden,ia electors, with corruption, but II IS
sound maxim of political philosophy that al
though no man or set Of men may DC corrnp
that vet they are all corruptiblc. IT Presidents
electors were chosen by the Legislature L" u"