Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-06-20


We tnd AZ . ate number Of the London Ec0ao0,i5t,
an article entitled Amere-a Platforms, from which We
make liberal extract It shows the absurdity of that
mode Of forming popular opinion touching any broad
policy of government and We commend to those of our
politicians who think that party must in order to emit.
de itself to public confidence, put forth elaborate
declaration of lis principles instead OF simply enuncia-
ting its Loyalty 70 the Constitution and the laws:
AMERICAN PLATFORMS.
Why it that there is so little intelligence in England
Al 10 the political discussions in America? There are
none In Europe of greater moral practical moment
and vet cur interest in their final issues faint and our
ignorance OF the political causes which produce these re-
sults almost absolute. We know almost more concern
ing the political crises in Pehin and leddo than con-
corning those at Charleston and Chicago; and this,
though China and Japan have no constitution and no
representative organs while the constitution aud pohu-
cal discussions Of the United States are open TO all the
world
one great reason is that the great turning points of
American policy the quadrennia Presidential elec-
tons and that the which determine these fresl-
tal elections scattered in the most perpexlng way
over the whole surface OF the United States instead OF
being concentrated in the discussion OF any central DO
dy whatever The representative assemblies at wash
ngton sometimes thwart and sometimes sustain the poll
cy of the ENecutiyebut they do not and cannot really
determine t. The President once elected the general
tendency of United States policy is traced out for the
next four years and the event OF the election the
usiOrtes in the Senate ami the House oil Representa-
lives can exert but very slight influence The real de-
erminng power lies with those extraconSttuuona pc
cal organil atoms which are called Conventions and
Caueuses Il is at Washington but at Charleston,
AZ Baltimore Al Cincinnati, at Chicago, and so forth
that the ranks are mustered and the battle fought Aud
these extrcOnsttuton assemblies gre affected aud IN
hueneed by motives Which can never be clear to the
mind of ans lOgeigner They not responsible de-
lucrative assemblies in which We see the operation
Of political motives. Their strings pulled from behind
by mnudes OF hands of which know nothing,
aud the Gual result is determined most complicated
question OF compromise between parties representing in
6nitey varied shades OF political interest Experience
proves that the shades Of party opinion generated in vast
popular electoral bodies such the primary assemblies
for eecung the President Of the United States are Infinitely
more subdyided more difficult TO distinguish more hair
splitting than those which result from the discussions OF
deiberatVe assembly Half the distinctions which are
so carefully multiplied and vaIiousy combined by the
political agents who represent the various party interests
in country like America, would vanish away in the
light Of intelligent discussion in representative ASSEM-
bly,. Il be certain that the result of submitting
tn choice Of general Executive policy to the people AZ
large, BY 81 h an election the American eteton for
fFsdei -s TO break up opposing principles into an al
mos un ied number Of varieties Of political eompso-
uss Which SOud resolve themselves into two OF three
simple ioE|s, II instead Of being manipulated BY party