Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1860-06-21
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We propose to offer only few suggestive
hints at present, upon subject which ought
to expand into u thorough discussion. The
Union Convention at Baltimore showed an
instructive feeling of the truth concerning
these modern Innovations, and in what ii
said, and what has been said since by some
members of the party, several OF the grounds
of a right opinion are indicated. Still the
subject needs a more thorough discussion than
we can give it at this time.
The practice of party platform making we
conceive to be in contravention of the very
spirit of the Constitution. The Constitution
OF the United States commits the question.
whether Il certain law shall be enacted, to
the decision of the Senate and the House of
Representatives, in Congress assembled. The
members of Congress are to be chosen in the
manner prescribed by law, for the purpose of
deciding all such questions; and the achole
power Of deciding such questions is, by the
Constitution, vested in them eIciusiUeiY, with
! the power OF veto in the Executive, under
certain liked limitations. No other body of
men has any Constitutional right to deter
mine any such question. @
In other words, the making of n platform
by a political party, is an attempt to usurp
tue legislative power of Congress: and il the
party is successful it is a successful attempt
AN actual usurpation. A body of men I'M
known TO the Constitution, chosen in a way
not prescribed by the Constitution or by law,
III whose election only part OF the legal
! voters participate. or are allowed 10 partici-
| pate,-these are persons who thus practically
decide what laws shall and what shall not
be made. This, We say, is a usurpation of
| the Constitutional power of Congress. Or il
the same thing be done by the convention OF
| party in and for a single Stale. il is usur-
patton of the Constitutional power of the
State Legislature,-and in both cases it is
contrary to public right.
Ii Is mere evasion, TO ullegc that plat
| forms have not the force OF law, TIL they have
passed through the formaliIies of enactment
by Congress. The Constitution intends that
| Congress shall act freely, in view of the con-
siderGtiOns before il when il acts, and not I'M
der dures;. Platform making takes away
| that freedom. and places every member of the
party which made the platform, under duress;
| since he must vote according 10 it, under pain
of political death. He is Obliged to subscribe
to that condition, in order TO get elected, and
he knows that the penalty will be enforced.
Massachusetts has had abundant experience
within 4 few years, of Legislators voting I'M
der this duress. for laws which they did not
personally approve, and voting thus with ex-
treme reluctance; and of Legislators lodging
votes on bills which they would have voted
against and have defeated, had they been free.
Under Julius Caesar and his successors the
Constitution Of the Roman Republic, GU pa
per, remained unchanged. The Consuls were
annually elected; the Senate went through
the form of deciding all questions that con-
stitutionally belonged to it, and the other or
gans of the republican government all con-
tinued to perform, externally, the proper tunc-
lions of government. The only change was,
that these bodies must all act as required by
Caesars "platform.n Cesar held no Office nm
der the Constitution. authorizing him to gov
ern an empire. He was merely the head of
successful party in the Republic. That
party had its PLATFORM" not drawn up in
specific resolutions. but yet well enough I'M
eerstood and every Senator, and every pub
lie functionary, must act according TO that
platform or be prescribed" 1t is the
The same now; except that the heads OF the
prescribed are not cut off literally, as they
were then, though the one practice naturally
tends to the other. While party conventions
act the part of Caesar, it is mere evasion to
plead that the Constitutional forms Of legisla-
ton are not yet abolished. Our forms may
continue, as did those of Rome under the
Caesars; and yet our Constitutional freedom
may be as stfrctuaily put down as was that
of Rome by the great usurper.
The history ofparty platforms" in Rome,
and their influence in destroying Roman
liberty, ought to be carefully studied, begin
ming at least as far back as the Gracchi, with