Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-12-05

ing hs ra-eecuon Gepenu on bpeciA OSuJ VI tslP!e
ssntaves depuad by society Tor tue single purpose o.
making the important choice
IL the plin has secured this advantage, IL j
bas rendered the President perfectly free agent
70 pursue the behests OF his country according to tht
dicstes Of his Judgment; II II has secured him
from improper Influence from prominent political per
sonages aud from the Calling OF party shackles then Tor
this also it IL entitled 10 great commendation. Tie
Convention Justly deprecated it Of the worst la
that could beiA the country that Presidents
should babtuay become either the toos the avengers
or the remunerators OF party; or that they should
have the inducement TO amper with inhaenal popular
leaders 70 obtain reelection. II, therefore, Gu the
other hasd the effect Of the plan has proved sef 10
be generate patty feuds, 10 render every election
strife betEeen parties and by consequence, 10 reader
every President the hesd minion of party II It
causes him 20 depend upon party tactics for Bis esyG-
ton and reelection, then this supposed merit OF the plan
must be totally denied 10 il. IT. az tho same time,
other plan can be devised which shall truly and
ourey posless this merit which, from the mode of hs
eleciion whilst il takes from him all motive 10 become
4 mere purity President, or other than the truly inde.
pendent President Of the nation, will also remove the
grca incentive all these heated party sres and corrupt
political cl5as with which the plan OF the Convention has
eened so frui.lully, how fearessy may not compari
sou be chslnged OF the respective merits Of the
plans in thi' particular.
Sixth. This procssof election affords moral Ger.
tailty that the Office of President will fall TO the
10. Of any man who is not 10 eminent degree endow-
Of with the requisite quA ticltions Talents for low
intrigue, and the little arts Cf popularity viii no. suffice
make him successful candidate for the distinguished
nfce OF President. II will be TOO strong say
TIN: there oiH Jsa constant probability of Sssing the
station filed by characters pTetD'e for dJiiitS aud
viriis."
How sadly may great men be deceived, as to the
practical operations OF system Of Government, the
theory Of which bad been elaborated TO the utmost OF
human wsdom II need rot be asked whether this
ssnguine patriotic anticipation OF the grea. has
been fulfilled. There Is 10 purpose Of iaiermeidling
with tha personal predictions ard antpahies OF
one II belongs not TO abstract dissertation the
fitness OF particular feature Of the Constitution 10
weigh or disturb existing political pTSudices. BUTT
may be allowable to look into the future, ard ask wbs
OF any party anticipates such result for tie next
aay future election long as il remains dependant,
It does UPON the effect Of mers party combinations.
Such may not be the result of the next or any
future election bu. man looks for il nov,
sIry consequence Of the system. man may be pre-.
emponly qualified for the Office OF President without
neng at all qualified for the head Of a. party.
The latter publication ia the principal requisite
to attaining the Presidency t was vain for the Con
ven,on to have anticipated such resull from the avs
tom, unless tho Influence Of parties had been better
guarded sglinst
Les Us now uirn to som, Of ne rcasonines used
It the time OF the adOpd0a Of tha Constitution. TO
prove that the election of President should
not bo COnBueu 10 bOnetesb. IL viii Oe
found still farther TO illustrate the reasons for adopting
the present pan and point OF tho evils Il vss
supposed would thereby lie guarded against For bTevi-
y, those arguments will be given condensed aud ab
r3gad by another.
"one motive was esc Pc those intrigues and cAbas
which wOuld be promoted In tho legislative body by art
ul and designing men, long before the period OF choice
With view tc accomplish Their own selfish ends. n
sould De Ia he Osr Of dnbitoa, candidate, by hold
inn o., the TsvoTds Of Office Other Of profit
silently bH. irTsSisidbty 10 Influence bCjorfy Of votes
aud thus by his Tsprineip,eS condtes choes 70
tbs e1c'ioH Of he puresi ard mos. enlightened Of
IA. country The very possession of the elective power
would cause II to minge itself with all the ordinarv
OF legislation Compromises and bargains would
DE made, and laws passed TO crafty particur members
concste particular interests, and thus disastrous
irhneuce would be cast over the whole Government
Tas President would become the mere tool OF the don
nant party in Congress they would become his tools
no measure would be adopted which was not 10 some de-
gree eopnpcted with the Presidential election and no
Presidential election made but what would depend upon
artificial combinations and a degrading fsvOritism."
TO modern ears this language sounds very much like
philippe against present system Of Presidential
elections but ID trub they the argumens used at
the adoption Of the Constitution, against confiing the
election to Congress- and what were pointed ou. in
those days. as OF the evils which It then sup
posed tho ent plan 20 obyate II that plan ba
es VIC al k2ow it has instead Of obviang actually pro-
yucca al luC cNS utplcttc, HOIe Cah Dc ne
cesslry to satisfy every one Of tho nperious necessity
for an immediate and radical change?
There s nothing better calculated 10 lower our esti
mate OF human intrlisity than hc total failure OF ths
feature Of the Constitution work 10 practise according
20 the theory upon which it founded and the antc
patious OF s projectors For there certainly
much political wisdom, so profound knowledge Of
the science Of Government convened together In any
semby that which formed our Coupstituiion. If such
deceived in tho adaptation Of means 10 ends
IL. -. "A Al
worthaegs Of human forecast Il perhaps should teach
at the same tine, tho insuiciency Of all pap.r
guards checks and balances, and that the best II no.
ae ouy reliance for the purity aud perptua.on of
institutions rests on tho purity and intelligence Of the
people, II such be only surest trust for the
psrpetua'icn Of this glorious fabric Of Government how
sadaously should We weed from our institutions every
thing tending to corrupt our population.
The fsacy Of the whoe plan proceeded from not hav
lug duly weighed or understood the uausnco Of plrty
ism on the elections. The practical operation Of the
tom ia not merely not 10 allow the electors that perfect
freedom Of choice which was intended, but to allow them
no discretion whatever They in no instance elected
for their individual worth aud merit or capacity TO make
choice bu' esause they have already pledged them
selves to votsfcr particular candidate. Not one
voter 10 ten knows even the names Of the electors
for whom he votes MANY never know that they are
vttiag for electors OF all It is common practice in
hose Sa.es wherc the votes taken yva poc', for
The voter merely 10 uame bis candidate for the Pres-
e cy ard his vote is recorded in avcr Of the whols
electoral ticket that stand, pledged to vote for that
psron Thus mas The whele schema which was devised
Tor the cXprcss purpose Of avoiding the evils Of direct
popular election been set az nsugh, asd the election
become literally well as in effect, directly aud purely
popular The electors have ceased 20 ba anything
hin useless unnecessary pIrt OF the machinery which
might safely be 0sst aside altogether withost producing
any important eject upon the system. l
But even f the people Weie 20 fua what ths theory
o. tho par requires from them and unqaalfedy
for to the electors thtir poRer Of choosing still the cleo
orsou.d h. 80 necessarily liable lo,al or sectional bss
ths; gcud seliom that the election did rot de-
sciye on tho House of Representatives. This however,
ss constant mode, IA Ite within the cnn.empli.
ton of the fraers OF the Constitution tint Of d.
rect popusr election. Il vas barely provided TO meet
contingency which It was sGppossd would be of rare
ouirenoe Yet there are few at this day who>nro not
convinced that, from this time forth il will seldom. II
ever happen that the election is not devoved tho
House, eIcep, wtere Il is the result Of contest be-
tween prsexisinepartes.
II such IA to be the constant result it would be far
hotter AT cuco 10 DO away with the oumbfous pTep1ra
tory machinery Of elsciing electors, With all iti accom-
nj ard afrf apd riva ths