Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-02-16
The Baltimore Exchange says:
PACIFIC RAILROAD.
Speech Of Hon. Andrew johnson, of Ten.
nessee, ihfhe Senate of the United States,
January %, 1853.
CONTINUED

CONTINUED.
| Mr. President, even if the Cincinnati convention
| had laid it down as an article of the Democratic
faith a tenet in our creed, should like to know
of what binding force resolutions and tenets anC
articles of faith laid down by conventions in modern
tines are upon any party whatever? think about
| this convention | have thought about all con
ventions from my earliest advent into public life
| to the present time. We know how these conven-
lions are gotten up. We know the objection that
was urged against the congressional caucus system
in 1924, and We know that Andrew Jackson, being
the peoples man and great advocate of popular
rights, was brought forward as the most fit and
| suitable individual to break up the Old congress
sionsl caucus system. Experience and observa-
| tion however, have satisfied my mind that the old
congressional caucus system was Infinitely pTeiera-
BILE to your recent national convention system. In
| the one case, the members of Congress who made
the nomination felt that they had some responsible
ity resting upon them, and when they went to their
congressional districts they were responsible for
the nominee who was put upon the country as a
| candidate for the Presidency. How have your ma
lionaI conventions been gotten up? / do not say it
out of any disrespect, but refer to it as hstori
cal fact thst large proportion of the persons who
attend national conventions, 60 there without reps
/ resenting anybody. Little meetings, irresponsible
| caucuses get together, and appoint delegates to
! 90 TO the conventions. They are men who, when
they look TO their congressional district that
somebody represents it in Congress- when they look
TO their legislative district, they that some
body represents il in the legislature they find the
various places flied at home, and they go into a
convention with their little amount of stock TO
make the best and safest investment of it they cam
and the candidate who can come forward and,
through his friends, hold out the greatest amount
of appliances fair or unfair, is the who secures
their support and obtains nomination.
Mr.. President ] most sincerely hope the time will
come when the people of the United States will have
n 10 In
Do they elect him nov? No; they do not. Packed
conventions are got up and they, by means TO which
/ refer, make nomination either one side the
other. Democrats or Black Republicans Democrats
or Wings, Democrats or Americans, make their nom
nations in conventions, and submit them to the
American people. Although our people are in
theory free people, and are supposed to elect their
President the fact is that in practice, the
tions have made the choice before they called
upon TO vote; and aftere thes conventions, the
one side and on the other have chosen President,
the frsemen of this country are brought up to the
ballot-boX and taken through the ridiculous mock
cry of voting for electors for President have gone
for the nominees of conventions and have been in
conventions but need stultify myself; need de-
ceive myself; do not their tendeney-an alarm
ing, cOrrupting, and dangerous tendency? There
was one distinguished man whom greatly admire;
whose remains now repose in q neighboring State to
my own who has permanent abiding place in the
affections of his countrymen, and especially Of his
own State. / sllude TO MIR. Calhoun, and his State
is selected as the place for the action of another
convention in direct opposition TO the views which
he entertained in reference to those conventions
which have been fixing Presidents on the country.
Mr.. Calhoun fought the caucus system; he fought
the convention system he commended for the great
principle that the people should elect the President
themselves, that he should be elected in the man
ner pointed out by the Constitution How is it done
uoWH Have the people the constitutional power?
No. We talk about free Government, and the exec~
else of the elective franchise; but the PEOPLE have
no power TO elect a President The Constitution of
the United States confers the power upon the States
10 appoint certain number of electors in such
manner as the Legislature may prescribe. All the
States give the election eff electors to the people
save one, and that is South Carolina; and regret
that che has not done it, but the privilege of voting
for electors lie exercised by the people the mere
grace and favor and condecensOn Of the State Leg
isature.
hope the time will come when the American peo- |
pie can for themselves, in constitutional way, set
tie who shall be their Chief Magistrate. Would it
not be better that the organic law of The lard should
be so changed as to take the election before