Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1803-10-25

tn e ar1enQlHGLt, WHICH TIC was aUouI W Oh
fer, that although he might be mistaken in
the opinions he had offered, yetthe safest
course would be to adopt it. He was anx-
ious to prevent all possibility OF doubt on
future occasions SEto make that clear & une-
quivocal. whichin his opinion would other
wise be involved inobscurity. He then offer
ed the following amendment, to theIproposi-
ton originally moved by Mr.. Dawson.
s. The person voted for as President, having the
greatest number OF votes, shall be the President,
if such number be a majority Of all the electors
appointed andl if no person have such imajori-
ty then from the five highest on the list OF those
voted for as President, the House of Representa-
tiyes shall immediately chuse by balot one Of
them a President. And in every case, the per
son voted for as Vice President, having the
greatest number of woes shall be the Vee Pie
sdent; but II there should be two CIR more who
have equal votes, the Senate shall chuse one of
them for Vice President
f-.r. Dawson observed that the resolution, Of
tered BY him, was, in his opinion sufficiently clear
and precise. But as the gentleman from Mary.
land (Mr. Nicholson thought otherwise, he had
no objection to the amendment proposed by him.
Mr.. Clopton said, that be approved Of the prin-
ciple introduced in the amendment proposed by tie
gentleman from Maryland, Mr.. Nicholsop) but
he considered the amendment as liable to some
objection; that it was susceptible of Objection in.
asmaeh as it proposed to extend to this house
right of deciding the election, by chusing Pre-
sJcnr amongst five persons in case an event should
happen so as to render their decision necessary
and thar the same objection might be raised to
that part of which related 10 the election of
Vice President, in case the nterposition of the
Senate should become necessary Tor that purpose.
He said that, if the gentleman from Maryland
would permit the word fus TO be struck out, and
the word tzv0 to be inserted, he thought the a.
mendment would then be more comfortable TO
the principles of representative government,
Mr.. C. said that he conceived the reason, which
induced the extension of Alright to make legsla-
tive decision from the FIVE highest on the list,
in case no person should have majority of cleo
toral votes, arose from circumstance, which
could not happen if the proposed amendment
TO the Constitution should be adopted. He said
the circumstance he alludcdHto was that under the
existing mode which requires each ele6tor to
vote for two persons indiscrininately, without
designating whether for President or Vice Presi-
dent there might be 4 persons each of whom
might have a rumber of votes But little less
than majority Of the whole number of electors
appointed and it might so happen that persons
might havea number equal TO two ffrhts of the
whole numbe. He said that therefore it ap.
peared proper TO him the right of chusing from
the five highest on the list should be extended to
the legislature under the existing mode, as two
hfths were 50 considerable proportion of the
whole number /; but, ifthe proposed amendment,
(which requires that the persons voted for should
be designated whether voted for as President or
Vice President) should be adopted, the reason,
which existed and heretofore render the provision
proper one, will then entirely cease for each
Of even two persons cannot then have,s majority
Of the whole number Of electoral votes either on
the list designated for President or on the lis. de-
signated for Vice Presidsnt.
As, therefore, the operation of the resolution,
if agtced TO and adopted as an amendment TO
the constitution, will so materially differ from tic
operation of the existing mode he thougbs the al
teration he proposed to the amendment Of the gen.
tlemen from Maryland would be expedient. He |
said he begged leave to state case, which might |
happen even at the next election, If that amend.
ment should be introduced into the resolution |
without the alteration he proposed. He said that
at the next election there will be l76 electors
ADD it might so happen that one person night |
have Sc votes, second person might have 81
votes a third person might have vote a forth
person might have vote, and fifth person might !
have vote. IF therefore the number FIVE as
proposed By the amendments Of the gentleman
from Maryland, should be retained, either of these
persons, to whom only one electoral vete had
been given, might be chosen, and both of those
persons, one of whom had IS votes. the other
81 votes, might be rejected. MIR. C. said that
he oonld net conceive that any member Of this
committee would agree that such decision could