Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1803-11-01

Il fa0
to meet the appreciation Of the House. Tn 49,
select committee variety of propositions had b.eo
offered; the committee reported one, to which
tthcy had ayr eed; there were still endless AMEND
nents offered, which he was convinced worIS
continue TO be offered until some principle w..
fixed by the Honie. In making 40 amendment 70
the Constitution on this point, they ought -
guard against all possible difficulties. The
amendment ofthe gentleman from Peansvlyan;a
goes to guard against those difficulties Butcases
may sarise, in which the amendment of the selea
committee will not be adequate. II says the e.
lection shall be made from the three highest Der.
sons voted for; bat there may be cases, where
there are 10 three highest, where four, ten. or
twerty of~the persons voted for shall be equal in
number of votes. This case is no, embraced in
the resolution. For this reason, Mr.. N. said he
should have been pleased in having the question
taken on the amendment of the gentleman from
Pennsylvania. Bur as that amendment had been
withdrawn, he would move another that the prio-
ciple might be settled. He said he could CONCEIVE
Of no obj:aion TO giving the House of Represen-
tatges the right of making choice of President
from all those voted for by the electors. The
case stated some days since by the gentleman FROM
Virginia, Mr.. Copton,j of one candidate hay.
ing s7xne'.sa secossl candidate having IS vote.
and three others having one vote, was extreme
and # ii should occur, he could Sc no inconyes
Denee likely to result from ttsc House of Rep,e,
sentatives enjoying the right of making choice
from the whole, 1--WE. II would be remembered
that the House were chosen by the people, and
would in the selection they made, express the
public WILL as we'll the electors themselves,
The feelings of the one weud be in unison with
those OF the other; nor could he conceive that
House of Representatives would ever exist thas
would dare. to chusea person having but one vote.
None would lie found hardy enough to violate tn:
public sentiH!snt. He therefore moved to strike
cut from the report of the committee all that
part of it which confined the choice to the three
highest. 1t the maj ,rity of the committee should
not coincide ~sh him in opinion, he should wish
the gentleman from Pennsylvania to renew his
proposition. And If the committee coacurcd in
neither. he should wish some other gentleman to
bring forward another principle. For if the prin.
cipe were not fxed there, he was convinced they
would be involved in endless difficulties by the
reports Of select committees. MIR. N. then NOV.
ed to strike oay these words, sand if there @aK
be M sxlb majerity the PRECEDENT Fall be chair
J,em 'bt bigbef asm5e,s, not exceeding tbret, &C
f6eEf far Pysfdtut, BY tie Hosjt efRtSrytata4
tfves''-and insert in lieu thereof the following
words; " AID i'm fae5 Se,jon baye a majority
fbtx The Haye IF Retresextatives %aN immtdiatt-
y e6ost a Pr5fatst from am0.g sbsf Ptysm cpds
haze 6sen voffdJor as Prefltnt."
Mr.. Dawson said that when the geutleman
from Maryland moved the appointment of a Sc
lect committee he had voted against it, and for
the very reason now assigned by him. As to-
the propositions, at present offered, they had
been seyerally reflected upon by the select
committee; and if referred to that committees
the House ought, in the FIRST instance, TO decide
the principle. As to the amendment offered by
the gentleman from Maryland, he conceived ie
scarcely necessary to max. single remak upon
it, as the House was disposed to reduce rather
than to extend the number of persons from whom
choice should be made. If adopted it will give
the House of Reprek ntatiyes right to vote ter
I76 persons, as no candidate might have mora
than one vote.
Mr.. Nicholson believed the proposition Of the
select comnftttee wnnld reduce them to the san2
sitnaton,sas if Of the 10 votes given, one was
given to each candidate, no one would be hlgh'
er than another. The proper reply to this re-
mark Was that il was an extreme case not likely
to happen. Mr., n. SAID he was not so ANXIOUS
that his amendment should succeed, as that the
principle should be fixed in that house some way
or other.
Mr.. Goddard said, though he would not pledge
himself to for the proposed amendment to the
Constitution in any shape whatever, yer ne was
in favor Of the amendment offered by the gen.
telnan from Maryland. He thought with hm'
tina, there ;eat danger from thes la'''u1s
allowed the House of Representatives, as tney
were chosen by the people as well as the eieo-
tors; nor could he perceive why they were inoFs
20 be distrustcd than the electors. but INC