Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-01-29


ceiving the greatest number Of votes or President
Ia each district shall be holden have received one
cote which fact shall be immediately certified, &c.
That when the same shall be counted out by Con-
rress, the person having the greatest number of
votes for President shall be President if such
Der be equal to msjOrity Of the whole number Of
votes given; but if no person have such majority
then second election fha be held between the per.
sons having the two highest numbers for the Office
Of President; and the person thus receiving the
greatest number Of votes shall be elected. The
sams provision was to control the election Of Vice
President.
This was the simplest of changes; intended to
secure the election Of President and Vice President
By direct vote Of the people instead of by Elec
tOral College, and TO avoid The constant danger
which exists of permitting sch elections to be
thrown into Congress, ami to be gambled over by
the corrupt politicians and place hunters to the
shame and injury of our common country. The poll
cy proposed would strengthen, rather than weaken
the South.
ASDREw JOHNSON proposed
I'd. That the Senate Of the United States shall be
composed Of two majors from each State, chosen By
the people, Cusesd Of the Legislatures, is the
case,) believi that the people are as capable Of
eectirg their Senator'S they of electng their
President, their Governors and Congressman and
believing furthermore that it would be safer for them
to do so, than 10 entrust tito their Legislatures,
there to be corruply barganed for and gambled
over in utter disregard OF the popular will as is too
often the case
Sd. That the Jddges of the Supreme Court of the
Trnita1 III h hv tba pr
aud ratified by the Senate (as is now the case) but
that their ofotics should be limited to number Of
gears, say twelve, instead Of for lye (as pro-
vided
Such are the three simple propositions which Gov
JOHNSON has favored with the view of popularisirg
eur institutions by bringing the government nearer
the people, and which have so shocked the sensibl
tiles of Federalism whenever his name is mentioned
ANDREW JOHNSON WAS not their author bat their ad-
vocate. They were first conceived and suggested
by our early patriots and statesmen, aud were sub
sequeatly approved of by many of our greatest and
best men-such as JEFFERSON, MADISON, MACON.
JACKSON, CLAY and host Of others Of their time.
and by nearly every prominent man in the South at
a later period.
The American people should bear in mind that
the principal virtue of our institutions s in the 500
eregHtg Of the people and the su5oraation of the 0Og
srnmcHt to tasir aoiH. They should remember, fur
thermore, that the great danger to which it is con-
stantly exposed results from never ceasing tenden
cy of things to strengthen the government AND WEAKEN
THE PEOPLE. And just in proportion as they fail
to counteract this tendency, Federalism goes up
and Democracy goes down; the privileges of the
few are increased, aud the rights of the many are
lessened. So long as the people bear these things
in mind the Lynchburg VHgiliqn may well say that,
what it calls "demagOgusism," in this country,
such Andrew Johnsons, cannot be so easily
crushed as is demagogueism in England, such as
Mr.. John Brights, whom Blsckwood's Magazine
may drive stake through and pin him to the earth,
aud he will be unable to rise again but Andrew
johnson only thrives upon opposition he can
securely point to his bleeding wounds received in
the popular cause, propitiatory sacrifice in be-
half of popular rghts-and his rctainers of all ma
tons, hues and callings, will rally around him only
the more devOtedy."
Notwithstanding the cOarseness of the language
This Federal sheet does over estimate the graf
itude of the popular heart towards those who are
answering in the support of popular rights. And
thank God it is so. When the people prove them
selves indifferent to the claims of those who have
brsvely defed Federalism AID stood forth manfully
in their defence, it may well be charged that they
are fit only to be vsssals of the few.