Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1803-10-31
CONGRESS
OF THE
UNITED Sta TE 5.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
CO N Es S
MONDAY, October "a.
Amendment ofhe Constitutions

t1INtCftLkHtCItb
The House resolved itself into COM
ETaittee of the whole on.the report a Sc
lect committee On propositions OF amend
ment to the Constitution.
Mr.. Varnum in the chair:
The report was read as follows:
Resolved, by the, Senate and House OF
Representative of the United States OF
America in Congress assembled, two thirds
of both Houses concurring, that the follow
ing article be proposed to the legislatures
of the different states as an amendment to
the constitution of the u. States, which,
when ratified by three fourthss of the said
legislatures, shall be valid to all intents and
purposes as partof the said constitution,
viz.
In all future elections OF President and
Vice President the electors shall name IN
their ballots the person voted FOR as Prcsi-
dent, and in distinct ballots the person vot-
ed forsas Vice President Of whom one at
least shall not be an nhabitant of the same
state with themselves; the person having
majority of ali the electors Tor President
shall be the president; and if there shall be
no such majority, the president shaHb DC cho-
sen from the highest numbers, not exceed
ing three, on the list for President, By the
House OF Representatives in the manner
directed by the constitution-the person
having the greatest number OF votes as
|Vice-President shall be the Vice-Presi-
dent, and in case of an equal number OF
votes for two or more persons fer Vice
President, they being the highest on the
list, the Senate shall choose the vice-pre-
sident from those having such equal num-
Der, in the manner directed by the conssi-
tuition.
Mr.. Dawson observed that at the time
of the adoption of the constitution, that
part of it which related to the election of a
President and Vice-President had been OBJ
iected'to ;Iand!evils, likely to occur, and been
foreseen by scrne gentlemen that day.
Experience hal shewafhat they were not
mistaken. Every gentleman IN that house
knew the situation in which the country had
been placed by the controverted election of
chief magistrate it was one which he
trusted never would return. 1t had been
subject much reflected on by the people,
and by the state legislatures, several Of
which had declared their appreciation Of
the principle contained in the resolution
reported by the committee. This house
had two years since ratified asimilar amend
ment by constitutional majority of two
thirds. At that time no objections were
made to the principle of the amendment.
All the objection then made was onaccount
of the lateness of the day and thinness Of
the house. Mr. Dawson considered it
unnecessary to make anv further remarks
at that time, as he could not anticipate
any objections that might beurged. He
moved that the committee should rise
and report the resolution without amend
ment.
Mr.. J. Clay, though in favour Of the
principle of the amendment, was of opinion
that, as to some of its parts, it required al
teration. He therefore moved
6 But if no person have such majority,
then the House of Representatives shall
immediately proceed to choose by ballot
from the two persons having the greatest
number of votes one of them for President;
or if there be three or more persons having
an equal number of votes then the House
of Representatives shall, in like manner,
from the persons having such equality OF
votes, choose a President; or if there be
one person having a greater number OF
votes not being a majority OF the whole
number of electors appointed than any O.
Their person and two or more persons who
have an equal number OF 'votes one with
the other, then the House of Represent
ta,ives shall, mike manner, from among
such persons having the greater num-
Der of votes and such other persons hav-
ing an equality Of votes, choose the Presi-
dent"