Jenks' Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1803-1805, 1804-11-19

HlJ having III i,afional exiendtture. IL could
only have bcrn a pretence, for in every nation,
governed Iy the !eaf principle, it could never
5e ga Alton of ferrous elaboration, whether
tts faith fllould be violated for inall fun Of
money. None but the French maxim "the
end utilities The neans," could be an execute for
Zach dcberatien. II is pra6tifng according
TO the rules Of tina, philofophy which pronour,
ces regard to principle and integrity, TO be whim
and caprice, unworthy the pref,nt enlightened
age. 1t is one among other a6fs for placing
the national revenues in the power Of Mr.. JEFF
,ferfon and few OF his friends. that they may
more eaGly effect pcrfonal deligns under the
fpecious covering Of public good, and a demand
of the public will
Blu thete are not the only meafures OF fimi-
lar tendency. The ruling party have openly
and unequsocally avowrd, that the contribution
mutt be amended, to fui, their views. Corgrefs
have adopted refolu,ion for an amendment,
etabifhing the principle of designation in the
choice Of pr-bdcnt and vice rreiident max
irg it the duty of the houfe of representatives to
choofe from the perlons having the higheft num-
Der of votes not eding three, when no choice
is made by the electors; and continuing the
vice PRECEDENT in cafe no choice be made before
the fourth Of March. i his amendmen. is cal
cuated 20 promote intrigue and corruption, is
uncertain and obicure, aud places the election
under the CONTROL of the large hates. To ex-
anime theie topics at larg: cannot be requi-
fse, Gnce they have been amply difcuaed by
thoie great and good men, who have inceflamly
labored to preierve inyiolsse the conti' utioa.
If the Amendment be finally ratified, fuch fate
OF things mu9 enine, as to determine either in
difolstion of the union, or an acknowledged
fuperority 10 few large over the fmallcr itates.
1 his, though FERROUS, is not fancied evil.
In cafe the electors do not choofe, which may
often happen, will it not be the insereif of the
vice proficient to prevent choice Of PRECEDENT,
until the fourth of March, when the adminiA-
ration mutt devolve on him And when 10
| vice PRECEDENT is cho(en of the denate to elect
one, who may attempt the accomplishment of
fuch an object Is there here no prcfpca,
that bribery and corruption will be ul.d to graf
ify ambition Examine every elective govern
ment, which ever poAcAed one eight as exten-
five territory as the United States, and the re-
fult will convince, that ambition has prompted
pen to abandon every principle for the attain
! ment of power If four or more perfons,
sould have an equal number Of votes, it is
doubtful whether consrels can pfoccedto choofe.
or.the Amendment gives them no power to ie-
leet out of greater number than three, where
there are equal claims. Though in this cafe
iuch an expedient ihould be reforted to, as to
prevent the evils of an interregnum yet man
who has made his way 10 the vice prefidcnoy,to.
tally unfit for the office of prelident. may be
called on to adminiher the government. But
theie consequences are trihiny, when compare
with another relulting from the amendment,
that the choice Of cong ELS nun be made from
the three perfons hasingslhs greateft number of
votes. This is that itate,aft rhings for which
Virginia has been 70 long iighipg. tbs a fatal
blow ieyelled at the influence and power Of the
fmall tates. 1t is placing the election of pref
ideHt in a few Of the large fates againf any
combination which the lrnaIler can form. The
check, which the conftturion impofed on the
former for the moderate exercife Of their pow
er toward the latter, is gone forever; while
! thefc will be forced, or n.utt willingly become
| obiequieus dependents on their more powerful!
nsighbors. behde, what imperious neceihty
has demanded this alteration of the charter Of
our liberty /? No necetIi,y, mot an evil have
the United itates experienced to require it The
to!e reaton for the amendment, which is pro-
feiledly calculated for the next election only,
and which mutt BE- amended by future amend
mcnss, has been openly declared to be to fe-
cure the election Of Mr. Jefferfon, as if the con-
ftitution was made for him, and not for the
country (; TO prevent the election Of federal
1 vice prclident, and to cruih and annihilate the
minority Is this the Language Of man. who
| fhorty told U.s., !" that the minority ponraed
their equal rights and !" that the will Of the
majority to bc'rightsal mutt be rcafonable p
IS he period Of unrelentiag periecution and cx-
/ terminating proicrip.on 20 foon arrived Are
we 70 quickly tuGnk IN the calm OF defpotfm
What would be the language of Wathington
were he to arte from his tomb He mutt fay,
/" Alas my ceuntrymen, toon have you loft
fight of thofr principles, which alone can rem
der you prosperous and happy. Soon have you
entered the paths t-avelled by all republics he.
FIRE you in profcribing your reat friends, the
friends of viz. WIN have dared nannf yolr