The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-01-12

lion motion, the following Committee was
appointed to prepare suitable address EN-
bracing the opinions of this meeting upon |
the political issues of the day. with Hon.
John b. Stoll as Chairman, to-wit:
First DIstrict-G. W. shAnklin. Evansville
second District-Royal T. Purcell, vincennes
Third District-Josiah Gwin. New Albany Ledg-
Fourth District-wIlliam D. II. Hunter. law
rcnceburg Register -
Fifth DistricI-M A. Barnett Hendricks County
sixth District-George H. Puntenney, Rushyille
Jacksonian.
seventh District-A. seidensticker. indianapolis
Eighth District-T b. Collins. Charlottesville
Smith District-J. C. Doblebower Lafayette
Tenth District-Jere Collins. Logansport Pharos
Eleventh District-W. j. Hilligass, Huntington
Twelfth District-John b. stoll Ligonier Ban
thirteenth District-Henry A. Peed, Plymouth
Democrat
The next meeting is to be held in June,
and Michigan City has been decided upon
a. the place.
Just before adjournment the following
letter from jeremiah s. Black, of Pennsyl-
vania. to Hon. John ID. Stoll, of Indiana,
was read:
YORK. Pa. December %. 1850.
MY DEAR sIE-Your letter was duly received
containing the printed programme OF a movement
agreed 70 by the Editors OF Northern Indiana, IN
favor of certain reforms and asking my views, par
ticularly in regard TO the election OF President ana
Senators of the United States, both OF whom You
would to like chosen BY direct vote OF the peO-
ple without the intervention of Electoral Colleges
| In one case and Legislatures in the other. As
differ somewhat on your fTst point ana appre,,
bend serious evils from other causes, you will
excuse me for stating some of the reasons on
which my opinion is founded.
The method prescribed by the Consultation @.
choosing President by State Electors Is not open
10 any serious objection the score OF principle.
| Its machinery does not always work well; II has
when honestly handled may result unfortunately.
But all hunaa institutions are detective. The
founders OF the Republic adopted this system. not
any other would be worse; and now thirk we
should rather bear those Ills we have than ny 10
others VIII sh we know not %.
/ It was put into the Constitution by curious
/ compromise, which harmOnized conflicting views
almost at the last moment OF the convention
I In that body States were represented, and on all
/ propositions each State han an equal vote They
I met TO arrange the terms of Federal compact by
| which however, no State would be bound With
out its own consent freely expressed by the sepa-
rate and independent action of its own people III
State Convention assembled ~ he states were TO
| be constituents OF the new GOvernment-not the
people acting together in consolidated body and
controlling il bya mum rcal ma Orty OfindIvidual
voters. This being fundamental principle. uni
versaiy assented TO- the States naturally and log
cally claimed each for ITSELF an equal representa-
! ton in the legislative councils and an
equal vote in the election of its Chief Executive.
/ IL was vehemently cOntended by some that in
/ confederation of states the power OF each should
be equal, without respect to its wealth or popula
| ton Just as in Government composed % indI-
viduais. the vote OF one man should count as
much as anOtherS, Whatever might be the differ
ence between them OF family or fortune But
| against absolute State equality there were argu-
| ments which could not be resisted The large
States would pay most OF the debts and expenses
of the Union, aud furnish most OF the men 70
iuut its bSftleS in The power to control the
/ Government and the duty TO bear
its burdens, ought TO be proPortioned
| agreed that laws should be passed only by the
concurrent vote of twin bodies-a Senate in which
all the States great and small, should be equal,
and q House OF representatives IN which their
/ relative weight would depend on the numbers Of
their whole population of every class, voting and
nOn-vOting but excluding twO-tfths OF the slaves
| To carry out the idea of Federative Government
il proposed that the President should
| be elected by the senate and this for a
| time the favorite plan; but Ii would
not do, because the Senate. with a
veto on Executive appointments, with a
negative on treaties, with power To arrest legsla
ton, and with judicial authority 10 try impeach-
ments- would become OmnipOtent ii. in addition
to all this. il had the exclusive and uncontrolled
right TO name the executive. On the other hand,
an election by popular majority voting directly,
would Obliterate the States Besides. IL would
operate most unfairly: i'm some States the right of
suffrage was more extended than in Others, and it
could not be equalized unless they would give up
the right to control that vital subject for them
selves ne rear OF CONSIDERATION, NIacn the
weaker States would be put under the absolute
domin on OF popular majority pOlled
in the S Others. :, was the dread Of
Others was that no Union could be permanent
which elected its Executive Ruler by the naked
and that Charyhbis avoiding at once the rock
and the whirpool-the present compounded sys-
TEN was devised, and adopted on the last day but
one of the session. Look at it, consider It. and
see if anything better could have been done.
Each State shall appoint its own Electors accord
ing to its own laws Members of Congress and
Federal officers not eligible. The number il
may appoint shall be two for It's sovereign snthor-
ity, and as many more for its pepula'
ton as il has members of Con
institution which assemblies at home and sends
its vote to the seat of the Federal Government.
II. upon counting all the votes so sent II appears
that no candidate has a majority for President,
the election devOlyeS upon the House, which rep
resents numbers. but II votes by States. IL the
Electors fail 10 choose Vice President. the SEN
ate, which represents States will choose the man,
not by States but by a numerical majority OF the
members who happen to be present. The power
somewhat curiously compounded of State
supremacy and popular strength. Whether this
succeed In improving it ii we try is certain. The
smaller States will hold to their two Senatorial
votes and the larger ones, as long as they wish 10
be just, will content themselves with the addi-
tional weight which their representation nov
, gives them.
But we do want honest elections. according 10
the Constitution as IL is. Men who defeat the
vote of a Stale by fraud forgery should be sent
TO the Penitentiary-they and all their accom-
. pliees-inStead of being rewarded by lucrative
places and high power. Officers of the General
Government who corrupt the ballot
box by means OF money drawn from
the Public Treasury. should be con-
dignly punished. A Federal Executive who
claims the right to be represented at State cleo
, tons by the bayOnets OF a standing army should
be driven out into uttermOSt shame by impeach-
meuf first and by criminsi prosecu ton afterward.
amendment of the Constitution, would make us
reasonably sure of fair play
These salutary provisions could all be made by
acts of Congress History will record il the
great shame of the Democracy that for four years
II had majority in the popular branch of Con-
gress. and for two in both Houses, vet no we'll
directed and persistent effort made tn protect
popular elections against the violence, the fraud
and the corruption of Federal office holders.
But there is one reform which Is much needed,
and which nothing can accomplish but All amend
our free institutions the perpetuity Of the Union,
ing the operations of the Federal Cove rnmeni
within the limits assigned to IL by the letter and
spirit of the Constitution. Experience has shown
that party in full possession OF legislative and
executive authority becomes reckless and oppres-
sive See If you not devise some check 10
this tyrannlcal spirit which is Fastening US 10 de-
struction.
Suppose the Electors, chosen as they are now
vote for only one man as President, and let the
highest in votes be Presto snt and the next high
est Oe Vice President. If nobody has majority
by the House. let the President be chosen there
nv majority of the States and tho e0ndfds 70