The Camden Journal

From the Charleston Courier

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS

Having admitted that the Legislature might constitutionally appoint the Electors, and having also shewn that there is no regular constitutional objection to this power being exercised by the people themselves - the question is narrowed down to one of mere expediency, and if we can succeed in proving that the people ought to exercise it, the argument will be at an end. No body will deny that in an election for President, the sovereign voice of the people of the State ought to decide. The rights of the State; and that this voice would really be expressed if all the qualified voters in the State expressed their opinions at the ballot box. This would be a fair expression, and it would be the duty of the minority to submit to it. But if by any mode of election the voice of the majority is stifled, and that minority has the greater force in the state or The case in South-Carolina as regards Presidential electors, and it is an injustice that the majority are not legally or morally bound to acquiesce in, for although they may have marched with none of those rights in the local legislation of the State an the scarce of taxation, yet this right of appointing Presidential Electors is not one of them: eThere already shewn but as a general rule the majority can decide the entire :of the while. Spartanburgh has 17,84/ inhabitants and six votes, so that a freeman of this Parish in- voting for President, is more than equal to 29 freeman living in -habitants and two votes, while Edgefield has 15,000 Spartanburgh. Christ Church Parish has. 386 in- inhabitants and seven votes, sq that one. freeman who lives in Christ Church is only equal to about 1 freemen living in Edgefield, when they. go into an election for President,
That such great differences in the distribution ct political power should exist in the local legislation of election for President, the State is not complained of and it is perhaps right that those sections of country which pay the. most taxes should have the greatest Influence. At let it stand. They who have it, pay or it. But let all events, it jis held under the Constitution. and so this influence be confined to its legitimate. bounds. and acquiesce in its disproportionate power in mak- ing a Chief Magistrate for the State, we protest a. gainst the exercise of the same power in making a Chief Magistrate for the Union.
A DEMOCRAT.
.In the Presidential election. Charleston District' with votes, and Pendleton has. votes, so :that a freeman npntclationfz afbasaixyotes, and Georgetown Aithypgag Maast. haxthesud pamherhy humbera which-lsndtaobod: for it only makes one vaikcomparaiYorkman with ane-Som-Colleton vou yill find that, in a Presidential: election, it takes District with a population of 5gis has avotes, while Xork hisonta5 vctes with more than twice the in: habitantscBarnwewjdh a population ofpgre. has 5 votes :by which g: freeman living in Beaufort has four times more influence in electing a President than one living in Barnwell although in electing members for Congress, a Beaufort. man has no greater account than a Barnwell one. The same thing takes place in Colleton, where one man has no more power in electing Mr. Rhett, than his. neighbor in Barnwell but when they come to the Presidential election a Colleton man is about equal to three from Barnwell. In fact, living in Bar well is almost as bad as living in those outland ish Districts of York and Lancaster.
These are the results obtained by a comparison of several Districts in the state, but if we compare some of the Parishes with the upper Districts, the contrast will be more striking. St. James Santee. with 2s8 white inhabitants has two votes, and Pen. dleton has eight. votes, so that a freeman of this Parish. has more than twenty-one times the influence in electing a President than one living in Pendleton.
St. Thomas has 207 white inhabitants and six votes, :