Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-02-02

L
or the other. Democrats or Black Republic
ans, Democrats or Wings. Democrats or Amer
leans, make their nominations in conventions
and submit them to the American people. Al
though our people are in theory free people
and are supposed to elect their President, the
fact is that in practice, the conventions have
made the choice before they are called upon
to vote; and after these conventions, on the
one side and on the other, have chosen a
President, the freemen of this country are
brought up to the ballot-box and taken through
the ridiculous mockery of voting for electors
for President. have gone for the nominees
OF conventions; and | have been in con-
ventions but need stultify myself; need
| deceive myself do / not see their ten
dency-an alarming, corrupting. and danger
Gus tendency? There was one distinguished
man whom greatly admired: whose remains
now repose in neighboring State TO nv own;
who has permanent abiding place in the
affections of his coIntrymen. end especially
of his own State. Iallude 10 Mr. Calhoun;
and his State is selected as the place for the
action of another convention in direct opposi-
ton to the views which he entertained in re-
ference to those conventions which have been
fixing Presidents on the country. Mr.. Cal
boun fought the caucus system: he fought the
convention system; be contended for the
great principle that the people should elect
the President themselves, or that be should
be elected in the manner pointed out bv the
Constitution. How is it done now? Have
the people the constitutional power? No.
We talk about free Government. and the ex-
ercise Of the elective franchise: but the peonle
have no power to elect a President. The
Constitution Of the United States confprs the
power upon the States to appoint a certain
number of electors in such manner as the
Legislature may prescribe. All the States
give the election Of electors to the people
save one, and that is South Carolina; and |
regret that she has not done il; but the prvi-
lege of voting for electors is exercised by the
people at the mere grace and favor and con-
descension of the State Legislature
| hope the time will come when the Am ri
can people can for themselves, in cOnstitn-
tional way, settle who shall he their Chief
Magistrate Would ii not be better that the
organic law of the land should be so changed
as never to take the election before the House
of Representatives in the event of no one of
the candidates receiving majority of all the
votes? If dozen candidates run and no one
receives a majority of all the votes. yet the
PEG; l. have indicated at the ballnt-boy whom
they prefer. Every State of the Union might
run candidate; the might vote fIr
few or many, as they saw proper: and
the pref renee of the people would be inIica-
ted in reference to men. whom. by service. by
association. by merit, and by their public acts,
had got their esteem and confidence, even
though in particular localities. Suppose
dozen should run, and no one should have
majority. Change your organic law. send the
two highest back to the people, and let it be
settled by them just as it is now settled by
the House of Representatives. | would to-
morrow prefer to see an election made by the
House of Representatives, much as | repu-
diate that provision of our Constitution, rath-
er than by an irresponsible convention. They
do settle it; they do make Presidents and
we know it is practically so. 1t is not worth
while to discuss the point. which will be the
safest-men who have merit in their districts,
and have found their way as Representatives
ola free people to the other Hall and their vot
ing by States, or irresponsible national conven-
tons.
l have gone thus far to show that do not
recognize everything that may cmanate from
an irresponsible convention. MS having bind
ing force upon me as an article of tue Demo-
cratic faith. | look on these conventions, in
fact, as in violation of the spirit, if not the
letter, of the Constitution of the United
States. Why do say so? One convention
Of one party meets and nCminates its man,
and the other convention meets and nOmi-
mates its candidate. There are only two can
didates before the country. aud the people. as
! remarked before, come forward and ratify
what the conventions have done bnt when
we come to look to the Constitution of the
United Staes and the views of thOoe who
framed it, we find that that instrument. after
declaring the mode in which the President
shall be chosen by the electors, goes on TO pro-
vide
"Thc President of the Senate shall in the
presence of the Senate and House of Repre-
scntatives, open all the certificates, and the
votes shall then he counted. The persons
having the greatest number of votes for presi-
dent shall be the President, if such numbr
be majority of the whole number Of electors
appointed; aud if no person have such
majority, then. from the persons having the
highest numbers, not exceeding three, on the
list of those voted for as President the House
of Representatives shall choose
The original provision was, that in the
event of a failure to elect by the electors, no
more than five names should so before the
House of Representatives. The Constitution
was amended, and the number narrowed
down to three. What does this contemplate?
What is the idea held ont? What is the
theory inculcated? 1t is. that you shall have
a greater number to vote for than two; at one
time five, and at another time three, accord
ing TO the Constitution. But the convention
system says no. the people shall only have
two to choose from. | look upon the pro-
ceedings of conventions. especially when
there are only two, as coming directly in con-
fiict with the spirit, il not the letter, of the
Constitution, by depriving the people of the
benefit of choice from FIVE or three, as the
case may be, when an election goes before
the House OF Representatives.
repeat, | have acted with conventions
because there have generally been but two in
the country. Sometimes, to be sure, we have
had an outside candidate nominal d. hut |
have acted with my party and gone for the
nominee of its convention. | do not.
however, admit the correctness of the princi-
pie, nor do l admit the orthodoxy OF the
resolution laid down at this convention,
which l. ok upon as irresponsible to Il very
great extent. and as being a resolution to
control the Democratic party.
Having obtained all that it is likely or pro-
babe he can obtain from conventions, he now
spurns the very machinery that has elevated
him to his present unmerited altitude. The
very strongest example that conld be adduccd
of the evil tendency of the convention sys-
TEN is the history of his own promotion. Aud
whether he shall serve as the illustration of
the rule or the exception, in either case he is
a standing warning to the conventions of his
party hereafter to assemble. How will those
friends of his who generally have no in
huencc at home" but who ministered TO his
own nomination for Governor of this State.
on two occasions, accept this confession of
gratitude!
Gov. JOHNSON passed next to a considera-
ton of the policy aud expedicncy Of balding
Railroad TO the Pacific in the manner pro-
posed, being mainly thereto moved by pro-
position brought forward by Mr.. BELL several
days previously, but which had been with
drawn, to give the Senate an opportunity to
vote on plan proposed by Mr.. JEFFERSON