National Republican., 1888-04-09
The Unit of Ppwpi,

The founders of the rcpublic-the men
Who formulated the the constitution--so sought
10 establish government in which the dl-
rect voice of the people would be the most
potential element of control. This is cyi-
lCnccd in the formation of the House of
Representatives, whose members come di-
rectly from the people and to whom is given
greater power than 10 the representatives of
the states.
The representative was made the unit of
power in the national government. The
idea clearly outlined in the wording of the
constitution and stated in the debates in the
convention which adopted it was that the
representative chosen from the vicnagc by
the people among whom he resides could
hest know and express the will of the people.
Congress itself was given power to pro-
vide for the manner of the beloction Of It's
avn members under the limitations pre-,
scrbed by the constitution, and il has exer.
rised that ps~cr by prescribing that repre-
Sentativcs must be elected on a certain day
by districts which shall be composed of
contiguous territory, and that the voting
shall be, by ballot.
These regulations, to carry into effect the
intent of the constitution, were not adopted
until party came into power whose princ,-
pies were modelled upon those Of the men
WHO made the constitution and founded the
system under which we live The Republi-
can party made the laws which rOguire that
representatives shall be elected by districts.
Anterior to the passage Of that law the
states controlled the manner of the election
"i representatives, thus enabling them to
dcIea the intention of the constitution and
give the states power which the constitution
reserved to the people
But for this regulation the state Of New
York might direct the election Of its thirty
four representatives on single ticket, voted
for hy all the voter, of the state, and the
Democratic majority of New York city
might thus send Democrats to misrcpresent
the Republican district, Of that state.
The Republican party, rs soon as it had
restored the Union, inspired hy the true
principles of republican government. pro-
vidrd against any such pcrycr,ion of the
intention OF the fathers aud founders Of the
nation.
Allegiance Ia The same principle which
'"usrd me parry 10 Iogislatc In favor of the
rights of the people, establishing the repre-
sentative district as the unit Of power In
the affairs OF the nation, has caused it to
establish the same rule for the government
ui the party organization,
The same reason existed for the establish
mcnt OF this party law that existed for the
making Of the national law. \ state organ
izalion in the party might, aud in some in
stances had, ,ilcnccd lhcyoicc Of the people
in particular districts, and rs the party had
lcgisI0tcd against such contingency for the
rational legislature II very properly legi,-
lated against a repetition of any such acts
in the grand council Of the party.
"Ihcyoicc Of the people Is the voice of
God That Is the rule which governs the
Republican party, That was the rule which
The founders Of the government sought to
establish when they gave power to the di-
rect representatives of the people, which
Has denied to all other branches Of the gov