Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-02-16

the votes II D doLen candidates run, and 10 one
receives majority of all the votes vet the people
have indicated at The hallot-box whom they prefer.
Every State of the Union might run candidate;
che people might vote for few or many as thew saw
proper, aud the preference Of the people would be
indicated in reference to men, whom by service by
association, By merit and by their public acis had
got their esteem and confidence even though in
particular localities Suppose dozen should run,
and no one should have a majority Change your
organic law, send the two highest back to the poo
PIE, aud let it be settled by them just as it is now
settled by the House Of Representatives | would
tomorrow prefer 10 see election made by the
House of Representatives, much as repudate that
provision of Constitution Ia her than hy an ir-
responsible 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 safect-men who have merit in their
districts, and have found their way as Representa-
tives Of free people to the other Hail. and there
voting by States, or irresponsible national conven-
TONS
have gone thus far to show that do not recog-
nize every thing that may emanate from an irre-
sp5nsible convention, as having binding force
upon me as an article of the Democratic faith. l
look on these conventions in fact az in violation of
the spirit if not the letter. of the Constitution of
the United States. Why do I ray so? One cons
veniion OF one party meets and nomRates its man,
AID The other convention meets and nomnates its
candidate There only two candidates before the
country and the people, as remarked before, come
forward and ratify what the conventions have done;
but when we come to look to the Constitution of the
United States and the views of those who framedit
we find that that instrument, at, er declaring the
mode in which the President shall be chosen By the
electors, goes to provide:
The President Of the Senate SHALL the presence of the
ate and House Of Representatives, all the certificates and
the votes shall then becounted The having the greatest
number Of votes for President shall
her be majority OF the Whole number CT electors sppohtedi and
if person have such majority them from the persons having
the highest numbers not exceeding three, the list Of those ot
ed for President the House Representatives shall
The original provision was that in the event of q
failure TO elect by the electors, M more than five
names should go before the House Ct Repre- ssnia-
tiYes. The COnstitu ioE was amended and the num-
Der narrowed down to three. What does this con
template? What is the idea held ou,2 What is the
theory iDculcatd? II is that you shall have great
er number TO vote for than two; at time five and
az another time three, according TO the Constitution
But the convention system Gays no, the people shall
only have two TO choose from. look upon the pros
ceedings of conventions, especially when there are
only two, as coming directly in eonfict with the
spirit if not the letter. of the Constitution by de-
prviDg the people Of the benefit Of choice from five
or three, as the case may be- when election goes
before The House Of Representatives
repeat, have ed with conventions because
there have generally been but two in the country
Sometimes, to be sure we have had an outside can
didate nominated; but have acted with my party
and gone for the nominee Of lis convention. l do
nOt however admit the correctness of the princi>
pls, nor do admit the orthodoxy Of the resolution
laid down at the Cincinnati convention, which look
upon irresponsible to a very great extent, and as
being q resolution to control the Democratic party.
Mr. President, after this depression, will return
to the line of my argument. shall go against the
original bill, and against all the amendments.
may vote for some of them in lieu Of the original
bill as preference between the two. First, l con-
oeive, under the war making power, it not being
necessary to exercise that power it is necessa
ry 10 exercise any one of the incidents necessary
and proper to carry it into effect In the next place
when you attempt 10 impose it upon me as measure
of the Democratic party, do not recognize it as
measure Of the Democratic party. / do not recog>
nize it as tenet PARTICLE of faith of the Democrat
ic party as laid down by the Cincinnati convention
But, if these two grounds we're out Of the way,
should be opposed to it the ground of eXpedency
Instead Of reading the sections of the bill, shall
read from the remarks of the distinguished Senator
from California, in which he explains the sections
of his bill, and take them being more lucid and
conclusive than the sections themselves. He says
in his speech made during the last session Of Con-
gress in explanation Of this bill:
THE fifth section requires the contracting power proceed
without delay to locate the Of the road and furnish
the President with map Of the who shall cause the public
lands for forty miles each side the road be surveyed
the Indian titles thereto any eNtngushed lasO gives he
right Of presumption to the lands not granted to the contracting
are selected"
Now, propose, in my way, TO examine that prop
osition. The President is authorized first, to make
a contract with a corporation or individuals, and
then he is to cause all lands to be surveyed within
forty miles each side of the road On this point
let advert to some other features of the Cncin-
nati Democratic platform if l may dignity it with
that appellation. There are some things laid down
in it which approve heartily and cordially. 1t ad
monishes the country against mOnopolies; it admon-
ishCs the country against class legislation in sub
stance; it admonishes the country against corpora
tons, and against the exercise of doubtful powers
Well, what do we find here? According to this in
depreciation Of the fifth section Of the bill, what
does it provide? That you shall make a contract
with parties and if the contract is made forty miles
on each side of the road shall be surveyed.
Another provision of the bill grants to the party
with whom the contract is made each alternate sec
lion for twenty miles on each side Of the road 1t
further GUARANTEES that even where the Indian titles
are not yet extinguished this government is to go
forward and extingush the Indian titles to mote
and advance the interests of the company with
whom a contract may be made. Is not this a mo-
nopoly? Is it not an enormous grant? If the land
is of account they cannot make the road; if the
land is good it is too much to grant. What is the
supposed length of this road? According to some
surveys it is twenty-five hundred miles; but be-
lieve by none is it less than two thousand Let US
take the shortest distance-two thousand miles.
We are TO set apart and commence eXipgaishing the
Indian titles to the land for twenty miles each side,
giving each alternate section TO the company. A |
grant of the alternate sections for twenty miles
each side would make solid belt twenty miles wide
and two thousand long. Well if it of no account;
If it is barren, STERILE arid unproductive land they
cannot make the road with it. If it is rich, fer |
ile good land, fit for the habtation Of man. it is
loo much 10 grant. Two thousand miles long and |
wenry miles wide of the public land, are to go at
'ne single sweep! Here isI grant to a company
IF forty thousand square miles of territory equal
% twenty five million six hundred thousand acres
hink of it. We would go to war, we would fight
France, England, and every other maratime Power
IpOn Gods hsbitable globe, if they were to make
lemsnd upon us for any Of our territory; and here
We propose to give away forty thousand square
niles. There is not much difference between mo-
lopolies and corporations at home, and foreign
lowers abroad, especially if they are monsrchicaL
Iere is grant Of country two Thousand miles long
nd twenty miles wide-forty thousand square
niles Go TO the State from which l come, with
population of million, and what is the area of her
erTitory? 1t is only forty-fve thousand square
niles Go TO the great State Of New York, with
population of three millions, and what is her area!
'orty-seVen thousand square miles. Go to Ohio,
nth population of two aud half millions, and
er number of square miles is only thirty nine thou
and. Here, at a single grant, at single dash of
be pen the Congress Of the United States is to
rant to corporation monopoly of enough terri>
Ory TO make sovereign State larger than the great
tate of Ohio, and nearly as large as Tennessee or
lew York.
But, does the enormty of the thing stop here? No.
fter you have granted them absolutely forty thou
and square miles-snd some portions Of it is said
be the best land on the face of the earth, but
Their portions, suppose are not gOod-yOu grant
lem the presumption Of the remaining sections. So