Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1860-02-25
Presidential Electors.


preaching State Convention-since the time
has been designated by the State Central Com
mittee for the session Of that body. These
comments, however, have been exclusively or
mainly directed towards that preroSativO Of
the Convention, authorizing the selection Of
delegates to Charleston, where the representa-
tives Of the great Democratic party Of the
Union assemble on the 23d Of April next
Little OF no attention has been attracted to
the point, that the Convention may make
choice Of Presidential Electors, for the ensuing
campaign. In fact, many intelligent Demo
Gratis with whom we haYe conversed, have been
surprised at the assertion that Electors would
probably be selected at Sacramento, next
Wednesday. In the apparent absence Of in
terest in any other quarter in this question,
We have concluded to submit a few sugges-
tons to the Democracy, bearing upon it.
In our opinion, the matter Of selecting fit
ting persons for the position Of Presidential
Electors, is Of more gravity than tho choice Of
Delegates to the National Convention. Indeed.
it is a consideration Of great moment. both to
the people at large, and particularly to the
party whose standard. bearers they arc to be.
So far as Delegates to the National Conven-
ton are concerned, any man Of ordinary res
pectability can supply the place. Certainly,
it is advisable on all occasions to have men Of
the best talents Tor the performance Of any
function Of public character. But as a prop
osition, it is perfectly safe to assert, that any
citizen having fair share of common sens,
can play the part Of delegate with propriety.
Especially will this be admitted to be the case.
when it is remembered that in-many,- not
the majority ofnstances, the State Convention
instructs its delegates to cast the vote Of the
State in the National Convention for some
particular individual. When this course is
pursued the delegate becomes nothing more
than mere automaton. Any person with the
most limited power Of speech. or mute. even.
under such circumstances, has capacity suffi-
cent to express the will Of those who deputed
him.
The part Of q Presidential Elector is far
moro difficult to fll. 1t is true, that he, too,
acts only mechanically, when he executes the
strictly official trust repoSed in him. In the
electoral college, he cuts no greater figure than
the INSTRUCTED " delegate, in a Convention
He must cast the vote Of the State, as the pop.
ular voice has commanded, or he violates every
obligation Of common deccncy, and is guilty
OF species Of treason. But Antecedentto the
period when his constitutional duty is to be
discharged, the highest exercise of his mental
powers is demanded from him. By tongue
and pen, it is obligatory upon him, to strive
to make converts to his own political faith
An apostle Of q given political creed, it is in
cumbent upon him, to go forth into all the
land and preach the gospel to every people. "
He should be thoroughly imbued with the
spirit Of the doctrines to be advocated. If u
Democrat, he should be n sound and reliable
Democrat. If a Republican. he should be
equally dyed in the wool" And further
too, he should have high appreciation Of, and
profound admiration for the individual, who
is the nominee ofhis party for the Presidency.
But we deem it needless to dwell upon the
serious import Of making proper selections for
Presidential Electors. 1t must be conceded
by every intelligent man.
This much promised, we declare opposition
to the idea that Electors shall be chosen by
the Convention at Sacramento, on Wednesday
next, for these reasons: First because an un-
necessarily long space Of time will elapse, be.
fore the Office can be fully fulfilled by the
nominees; in which space they, whoever they
may be, will be subject, not only to all the ils
that flesh is heir to, but the changes peculiarly
incident to residence in California. Second
and principally. because the nominees, il dcs
ignated at this early day, may be, some, or al
Of them, men who will enter the ensuing can.
vass with no spirit Of friendship towards the
man chosen for the Presidency by the Charles
ton Convention. The first Of tho reasons We
have assigned. may seem 10 lack weight, be-
cause men are accustomed to disregard the
uncertainty Of life in all calculations and ar
rangements for the future 1t is however
not without merit, when it is recollected thai
the death or change Of residence Of any on,
Of the Electors chosen now, at any time with
in the next nine months, would entail upor
the party the necessity for the convocation o
another State Convention, or would confer
upon the State Central Committee privilege
to fill vacancies, to be regarded with jealous
eye by every true Democrat But it is on th'
latter Of the reasons we set forth in the out
set, that We base our objection to the choice
Of Electors, on Wednesday next. The Charles
ton Convention does not assemble until thu
23d day Of April. Who will be the nominee
Of that Convention, no one can now safely
predict. 1t might we'll happen, that he ma,
be some prominent member of the Democratic
party, who has bitter and incorporating
enemies within the limits Of his own party il
this State. Should Electors be chosen 10 ad
vance Of the Presidential nomination, som'
one or more Of the enemies Of the nOmine
may be elected as the standard. bearers Of thu
very man whose elevation to the Presidency
they would most cordially deprecate. Witt
what zest, with what eArnestness would AT
Elector in such a contingency prosecute thu
approaching campaignf None Indeed j
might turn out, that for an Elector to advo
cate the election of q particular individual t.