The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-05-15
From the Carolina Times.
THE ELECTORAL OrJEsTIoN

crnllent had done most to disorTanlIe the
great system to which it hcong.d d, lie could
not avoid the conclusion that it was the Prcsi-
Dental election. The intense excitement
attending rt-and which the splendid party
issues at stake in it have made perpetual
has not only overshadowed the sover-
eiguty OF the States and corrupted the
people, but has practically abrogated many
uT the best provisions Of tho Constitution
tsrlf.
Tho feeble measures by which the con-
vention OF 1887 attempted TO hedge in the
election of the Executive, of Which tho
mode OF his appointment was Que, have
long since been annulled 10y the system of
party caucuSes. The several electoral col.
lrges, hars'Hg been effectualy removed, by
being pledged beforehand, this election is
now, to all intents, in all the States but
our own, made directly 10y the people at
large. In a federal government like ours,
where the natural tendency Of power is to
fall into the hands that administer it, the
friends of consolidation could have found
no ally SO clfcacious as this great central
election, us conducted in all these States.
The value Of popular excitement, rs an
element Of strength, was fully foreseen in
the convention, 10y the party which favored
strong government, aud was relied on bv
them rs horetul means of future success,
when they were defeated in the framing of
the Constitution. BY the design of that
instrument, the sovereignty of the States
is acknowledged in two fold character in
tie federal legislature; one representing it
i'll its equal, o ottcr in its popular form.
1t was Il misfHtune tina. the popular ener-
gies Of the one were not more restrained
10y wholesome checks, that they should
not overrun the conservative elements Of
the other; for it has been by taking advan-
t'ge of this oversight, that the consoila
tonists have been enabled to achieve their
grand hypocrisy-of arraying the masses
III the States against the States, under the
pretcnce OF Lcstowing upon them their own
rights, under the cry for popular rights, of
ens!aving the people. 1t has always been
the settled purpose Of lea'lnS minds among
the Fcdcralists, or Consolila,ioniSts, to pro.
mote general elections among the people
witt, the double view to transfer power
from the States in their organic char
ac!er, to the hands Of tho masses, and
then to ccntralize it, when possible, by
the sure means Of federal politics. 1t is
palrahle, that for this purpose. no means
has been more useful than the Presidential
election. which suborinates to itself al
the machinery, and converges all the aims
Of party to single end.
And it has prospcrcd their design that
al parties habituaIy, and by kind Of ne
ccssity, court the people. 1t is always in
the power Of any single demagogue of
address, by dint of constant clamor for
popular rights, to silence the opposition of
the true friends of the people, who may be
compelled to ,elinquish their opposition,
even against their better Judgement; for
it is too obvious to he denied, that, in the
subscrvicncy of these degenerate times,
they will never fail to be deserted by that
larger number. who, in looking forward to
Il long service Of the public begin in time
To take the safe side. T. many instances,
too. these elections have been forced upon
the people, when they never asked for
them. 'iiivy Have been urged by the de-
even by his trimming, timc-scrving adver
sary--cach party cndeavoring to ou:do the
other in deluding and ccrupting the popu-
lace,) to receive the proffered privilege; and
to acccp: it without discussion, for fear Of
excitement; though it is manifest that the
very election itself, when secured, must be
attended both with excitement and corrup-
ton for all time to come. Moreover, the
lips Of the freeman himself, on whom tho
mncaled for franchise has been pressed,
have often been sealed against the assertion
nf his right to choose for himself. whether
he will receive it or not and his equal
right to determine for himself in what way
he shall be governed; and this has not un-
frequently l.ecn accomplished by the stale
aud insulting inquiry Of The dcmagogue
and his stupid follower, :" do you doubt the
capacity Of the people for sclEgovernment 2"
-as if, in the very act, they were not
sitting his right to self.government
by such arts rs these-perhaps, with.
ont yaration-all the States but our own
have been induced to Adopt tho popular
mode Of appointing their electoral colleges;
and. by sure consequence-as one such
IN election leads to another-to refer most
Of their State appointments to the people.
In this state of things, experience has
shown that federal politics have soon over
run the domestic legislation of the States +;
and their governments have become de-
graded to the dimensions of mere local
police. And thus, the strength and dignity
best fitted to secure their hal lance of power
us States, have been sacrificed by removal
into the hands Of the masses every indi-
vilnal Of whom, is, 10y the transfer, trans
Inuled from citizen Of tue State, into a
member of a federal faction. Whatever
kind Of policy might be allowable in on
isolated republic, in confederacy it should
be maxim with every citizen to strengthen
the separate communities, so far as consis-
tent will, truc -republicarism, against the
day ofihe inevitable struggle wit the greath
central agency.
1t is n significant fact, that South Caro-
lima, the only State in the Union in which
tho mode o: o:appointing the electors by the
Legislature still obtains. is also the only one
in which State sovereignty is we'll recogniz.
el by the people, as a principle and a
sentiment. In every other, it is only a
loose notion, altogether too feeble to lead