The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1917-11-04
Trade regulations caused great dis

slaves was peTHlltI0u uHllI 1oUo. COF
gress was allowed to control naviga-
ton laws, and fugitive slaves were
returnable to their owners. The
questions of State representation and
slavery being settled, the Constitu-
ton was finally evolved and signed by
members from all of the States, but
not by all Of them Congress refer
red the Constitution to the various
States, who called conventions to con.
slider it. Delaware led the way and
Pennsylvania and New Jersey soon
followed Georgia and Connecticut
ratified in Jeauary, 1888, and Massa-
chusetts in February. Then there
was lull, and fears were entertained
, that the necessary nine states could
not be secured. In the interest Of rat
ification aseries of publications called
''The Federalist" were issued which
argued strongly the merits of the con.
stitution and have ever since held
high rank among the commentaries
OF that great document. These pa
pers were by Alexander Hamilton,
James Madison, and John Jay. The
| rise of political parties was based on
the issue of ratification Those nav
oring the strong Central Government
of the Constitution became known as
| Federalists Those who objected to
ernment and preferred to reserve
more to the states, opposed ratifica
+. ton and were known as Anti-Feder
| the Republican, now called the Dem
I ocratic party. 1t was not until June
that New Hampshire, the necessary
| ninth state, ratified, but New York and
| Virginia soon followed North Caro-.
Il ina waited more than year, and
| Rhode Island was not admitted until
| 1890, blu which time she was treated
| as foreign power and was about to
feel strong pressure.
| It is noteworthy that the choice of
President by Electoral College was
| deliberately made after once propos-
| ng to have Congress perform the duty
| No suggestion was made that the cleo.
| lion be by the people. Such a propo-
| sition would have received no support
| The Constitutional Fathers were not
believers in democracy. They feared
| the masses, and believed that only the
learned, the wise, the wealthy, and the
well born should govern This is the
less remarkable when we consider
| hat in all the states except New Jer-
| icy the franchise was very considera-
ply restricted. Property qoSners, OF
hose paying a. certain amount of rent
u, alone were allowed tesv6tes for as
emblymen, while the State Senates
| we're chosen by much more exclu-,
i've class of voters. The Fathers left
he choice of President to body
# electors, who%were) supposed to be
he wisest menTin the country and fit
or the solemn duty of choosing a
hief magistrate, It. was intended
hat they should be unhamDered, but
his theory soon broke down 1t was
harged that in the first real contest
or the Presidency, three electors cho-
en- in Jefferson's interest, voted for
adams and elected him Since then
20 Presidential elector has dared to
-ote other than for his party candi-
late. There was no constitutional
/ reason why the Presidential electors
in SO should not have chosen Will
liam j. Bryan, Thomas B. Reed, Rich
lrd Bland, Benjamin Harrison or Gro
yer Cleveland President, yet to have
chosen anyone else but William Nc
<inley would have brought about a
evolution If in the winter of 1867
Ind non-contested Republican elector
had voted for Tilden it would have
elected him. Any elector could have
legally done SO, but the consequences
would have been notwithstanding
to the elector. The result has been
hat party government has displaced
he proposed rule Of the wise men of
he Electoral College.
The Congress was sitting at New
York when it adopted the Constitution
t ordered that electors be chosen lin
his case all by the Legislatures) on
he first Wednesday in January, that
hey vote on the first Wednesday, and
that the inauguration take place on
he first Wednesday in March, which
IN that day fell on the Fourth. Wash
ngton was unanimously chosen Pres
dent and John Adams was chosen
yice-President, but the inauguration
lid not take place until April 80, 1888.
Nevertheless the term was held to be-
yin on March 4, and has so continued,
much to the distress of the people VINO
gather on that date to witness the GER
L. 4lrt