Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1804-03-10

It will, presume, be admiteeu' tiia' ~ al
s.a Governments, the will OF the majority
m,.t be considered, for the purposes OF
na,,,ernmentas the will Of the nation, and
That it ought, therefore, to prevail, and
eontraul the will Of the minority, when OPP
oosed to it. This conceive, sir, IS
fundamental principle in our government.
am therefore Of opInion, that whatever
VAR ofour constitution is found in It's oPe-
rations to contrayene this principle, ought
10 be altered, and SO modified that the VIII
efthe majority of the people should bePu.-
sued. fhis / conceive, sir, IS the case.
with that part ofthe constitution prescrlp-
inr the mode of exciting the President and
Vice President now proposed to be amend
ed; puts it in the power OF the minority
10 controul the will of the majority, and
elevate man to the Presidential Chair,
who did not receive7a vote from the ma]o-
r;tv for that Office. According TO the pre-
sent provision of the constitution, two per-
SONS are voted for by the electors ior Pre-
sident and Vice President, without deslg-
mating which of them is voted toras Pre-
s;dent and which as Vice President. Sup
pose the majority nominate two candidates
the one intended: for Presidentand the O..
fher for Vice President, and vote for them
accordingly. It's well known that the e
leetors, who are presumed to express the
will ofthe people, have in view, atthe time
they vote, which ofthose persons they IN.
tend shall be President, ara which Vice
President, though they are rot permitted
so TO designate them in voting. IN this
| case the minority, by voting for the person
intended by the majority to be the, Vice
| President, and not voting tor the person
| by them intended to be President, will COZ
travene the intentions Of the majority, and
place in the Presidential Chair, person
| not designed by the majority or by one Of
them Tor that office, nor III most cases a.
| ereeable to the minority, but preferred by
/ them in consequence OF not possessing,
/ in SO high degree the confidence OF the
! majority, as the person by them intended
i for President, and therefore most likely to
/ favor the measures Of the majority. And
! the person thus elected would, Iii all pros.
] babilitv, become suspected by both parties,
!; and possess the confidence ofnelther.
/ !3eaee very f-fiou iocon ensnce YOU'D a'ifr,
! RE m3iolity, being difsp2oated, would become
! oiaa.isf.d, and The minority would not have the
man of their choice bus one from whom they
eypcG fone favos, cenlequencc OF h7vlng
contributed TO his elevation and it's confidently
believed. the peace at the nssion would IN fach q
cafe be nofe endangered, than ia pcfou decided
IL the choice Of the minority. as Ptedl-nt, had
s eleeed to thar Office. To avoid shefc AID
ms, at5er lnconycnlsnces likely to srde from
,ie prcfe.,s rncde Of eetticg the Chief n.2gRfate
Of the ia,ioo, am d-c,jedly Of opinion, taat The
cleaors ought { ief3nase by name the Pcrion
,bev vote s,r as Pftficar, and tie perion they
vate for as VIC. PlcGdent Ey this mode
fair ADD untqa;yu,a expyetian OF tie pubic
viii may be oovained, ard WI have rs due
weoht--;he man declared beit qualified by the
general vc,ce of me nation, to dretf the govern
! nent, wiil BIZ thar voice be placed Ill the pref
dental chsil--he will be more likely than any
o,E,cr 70 give general fatisfatton in conducting
,he aRai, OF Gate; and this will very much con-
tribute 70 promote ihe general welfare and hapqi
| nefs of the people.
4 w,llnotice another reason here, which have
! not heard mentioned, thae in my view has consi-
d.rable weight in proving the expeditncy ct a
dopt,ng the designating principe. 1 am ct OPT.
,,;an The election Of the chief magistrate OF
nation ought nof to be left in such uncertainty,
ria, il would depend on ncrc Casualty or
change. who shculd be the person chosen to that
cf5,e. This is tie case, according to the prescnt
constitutional provision for eetting the President
/ difference of opni u among the lnajority, With
regard to the person who shat! be Vice President,
or greater uuanimlty in their choice OF person
as Vice President, than in that Of President, may