Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-01-12
Amendments to the Constitution.

Amendments to the Constitution.
respected correspondent asks the insertion of the
following article, suggesting the call Of convention
for the purpose Of making various amendments to the
ConfederaIe Constitution Whether those proposed will
remedy the evils may admit Of doubt The election Of
President BY the State Legislatures would very soon
amount very little than the present election by
Electors just as the Electors are now, cyphers, the
Legislatures would speedily become. Members would
be elected pledged to support some particular individual
and the Presidential election would in effect be made
BY the people themselves at the polls. BY the COns
tuition the college of Electors designed to be indie
pendent and free to exercise its own will in making
selection. But in practice, it soon became mere in
strunsnt for registering the decision already made at
the polls While the office of President possesses is
present power and patronage election 10 that Office
VIII indAGs passion and excite ambition "The only de-
vice 20 parry he evil which has occurred to u.s. is
either TO strip the office of its patronage make the
election by i If each State Legislature required
70 elect three, not member thereof and those thus
elected 10 choose President by lot out Of the number
might possibly get rid Of the vicious and demorazng
effects Of general election. If experience is worth
anything, il there be any conneIon between and
eject nothing is certain than that the same sys
ten Of Presidential election by popular vote which
eHsts win subvert our Government as it did the old
United States
II our statesmen are not able to profit BY the lights of
the past and Of passing events, make this and other
changes necessary to salvation this war with all its
expenditure Of blood and money, viii have been in
vain:
WIG.
AMENDMENTS OF THE CONSTITUTIOS-ELEC-
TlON OF PRESIDENT, &c.
The Legislatures Of the several Confederate States are
earnestly entreated 10 provide for the assembling OF
Conventions in at leat three Of these States for the
purpose of ca;sg upon Congress 70 sammonla Conven
tiou OF all the Confederate States lin conformity With
Article 5;h section l5t Of the Constitution to take into
consideration amongst others, the following most az
pOrtsn amendment Of the Constitution viz To provide
that tue President Of the Confederate States shall be
elected BY the Legislatures Of the several States each
State have but vote without regard 10 its pop u
ston and that the election of Electors By the people
be prohibited and abolished. The system of eectug
the President as nov prIctced in the Unted States
hAseonvsrted conicieracy Of independent sovereign
States into a mere democracy Of numbers aud finally
into a military despOtsm. The odious and corrupt
caucus system Of the old Union will inevitably be reYy-
ed n these States uuder the prevailing practice of elect
ing the Electors BY Pe people aud will be accompanied
BY al the deporabe evils attendant upon popular cleo
tons Il should therefore be IA, effort Of srcry
patriot 70 effect the adjustment Of the old system of
sleetng toe Electoral Colleges by the people aud in
proportion the population Of the different States
There other amendments Of great Importance that
should be submitted the general Convention of the
States amongst which are the folIowing
ID To provide that general Coayeution for amend
ing the Constitution may be called on tie demand Of
the Lsglataess Of three OF these States or on the de-
r5lud q COu7snii0n ia one STATE loo Il IS clearly eS
pedisnt that every facility should be afforded to all res
sonable propositions for amending perfectng our
Constitution, and Tor satisfying the and serious
objections OF every State to any particular provision of
our confederate compact,
Sd To provide that each State shall judge for herself
Of all ATTRACTIONS Of the Constitution and be entitled to
demand general Convention for the consideration OF
the same.
4th To provide that each State may peaeesby secede
from the Coniederacy upon her decision to that effect
through Contention of her people
5'h To provide thSt the basis OF population in cleo
tons snail include al the slave population and not the
basis Of tbree-6fths.
9Th To provide the Congress shall not have exclusive
Jurisdiction of forts magazines arsenals dOckyords
&c.
7sh To provide that Congress Gke the British Parlia
nenD shall have the privilege, b. t7-O-shrds Eote to
require the resignation removal ofanJ Secretary vho
should be deemed unsuited to his position
OGher amendments would doubtless, be suggested and
discussed uPOa the assembling of the Convention, but
acae can possibly be 50 vitality important that of pre-
Guiding the corruptng evils Of the system and
Q. popular elections for the PresidencE
JUsTINiAN
Yankee Lies.