The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-07-23

total OF oZO.
Upon this statement of the question
it proceeds to show in support OF its
position, ~ that Congressional Districts
are not mentioned in the Federal Con
stitution; (2) that they were unknown
to the Federal laws until 1912; (3) that
in the choice of presidential electors
Congressional Districts are still I'M
known either to the Constitution or the
laws, and (4) that as a matter OF fact
"every one of the States actually chooses
its own electors by general ticket the
people voting en- masse throughout the
State, the State casting its vote in the
electoral college as unit and strictly
under unit rule and State minorities
not only being unrepresented, but their
strength being actually counted to swell
the strength ,of the State majorities
against theml'
The argument on the foregoing state
ment of the question and references to
the Constitution, laws and customs, is
that since party conventions are entirely
unknown to the Constitution and laws,
the analogies of the principles and
methods of the Constitution should be
followed as closely as possible in their
proceedings. 1t is thus stated by the
Times Democrat:
Now, under the principle already laid
down, that party convention-especlally
the convention of distinctly constitutional
party-should follow as closely as possible
| the principles and methods of the Constr
tuition, nothing can be clearer than that
convention assembled for the purpose OF
nominating candidates for presidential
Offices should closely adhere to the prinei-
pIes. precedents and analogies OF presi-
DENTAL elections, as prescribed by the
Constitution. If the States vote as States
| in the one case, the representatives OF the
Democracy in those States should vote as
State representatives. Ii the States exer-
else their own option, whether to east their
electoral votes as units or to permit their
minorities to be Representatives. we have
seen they do, always, however, in part, ex-
ereising the option in one way--ilis man
ifestIy proper that the same principle
should prevail in the voluntary party con-
yention which. meets to make nominations.
Major Burke, of this State, In his speech IN
the convention, showed very clearly thai
the terms of the call for its assemblage were
IN strict accordance with this constitution
Al analogy which we have been pointing
out and II follows just as logically and
Inevitably that the principles and methods
al its proceedings should conform to the
same.
The first error which We note in the
Times Democrat article is its statement
of the question which was presented to
the Convention for decision. The
amendment of Mr.. Grady, as will be
seen at glance. presented no such
question, and while it may be true that
1T was contended by one or more of the
speakers that State Convention was
without power to instruct delegates
selected for Congressional districts, it is
! safer to look to the question itself rather
than TO the speeches to determine what
was to be settled by the Convention.
So far as Mr.. Grady's amendment shows
lit had reference as well to the votes OF
delegatesat-large as to the votes Of dele
gates from districts, and in this view it
must be considered. The real question,
as we understand it, was whether a
National Convention ought to enforce
the rules of State Convention, or, as
applicable to the particular matter under
consideration, whether the Instructions
given By the Convention of the State Of
New York to its delegates to vote AS q
uniton all questions, should be enforced
by the National Convention against the
win of the delegates; aud in this view it
throws no light upon the question: to say
that the delegates were all elected By
the State and not by Congressional dis
tricts; because the point atissue WA not
whether the National Convention shonld
enforce State instructions TO district
delegates, but whether it should enforce
State instructions at all.
The Tines Democrat is wide of the
mark when it says that .'the delegates
sat in the Convention, not Is Individuals
but Is component parts Of State delega-
tions--the only aiaits that could Be recog
nized in that body" The convention
vas convention Of delegatea and not
of States. The SAINT vas ; delegate
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