Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1804-03-07
eoNGREss
or THE
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HOUSE OF REPRE- SENTAI.YES.
Thursday Dec. 9.
Debate on the amendment 70 INC Gossssl'1'so'1'
1outimeaJ
Continued J

cbanoa in. the existing provisions or the con
.stif,fion IN the mode Of electing the CHIEF
MAGISTRATE and also important as It had
long occupied the attention q the states
and Of the people. When, SAID Dr. Eus-
rio T consider the resolution from the Be-
nate and compare it with that which pass
"a this house, / find several marked diff
fprences. 1t contains three provisions.---
The first provides for a designations OF the
persons voted for IS President ana Wee
President, which is a modlflcatlon rather
than change of principles, and IS n uni
son with the amendment sent from this
House and with the general sentiments OF
the people. perfectly SO with the sentiments
ofthe. state have the honor To repre- sent.
While on this. point it may be proper to
state that when some time since men,
toned the instructions given by the legs
lature of that state.on this subject. ] did
it to shew that the greatest principle OF this
amendment had betn sought Tor by all
.parties In the United States. SO Tar then
as il embraces the discriminating principle
| I am IN favor Of it. find that the nstrac-
tons alluded to leave some Latitude with
regard 10 the modification Of the amend
ment. sc. as to conform il. to the opinions OF
the two Houses.
/ do not,conceive that the amendment
sent FROM this house effects any alteration
in the essential features OF the constitution;
for when the constitution provides that
| two nersops shall be voted for, it follows
| that one must be voted for as President,
and the other as Vice President, and the
discriminating principle only tends to car
| ~ this view into effect. So tar this reso-
lation meets my entire appreciation.
| The second provision ofour amendment
was that this House should choose the Pre-
sident from THEY'VE highest on the list; by
the resolution from the Senate the mum
l.ber Efue. is. struck cut. and tire inserted !,
/ rious inconvenience resulted from the prac-
| tice under the existing rule in the consti-
! tuition as to the number of persons from
whom choice shall be made? We have
heard ofnone. The Inconvenience -e..pe-
rienced arose from another source. This
provision, therefore, Of the amendment ap-
pears to me exceptionable on this account.
IS also exceptiopable on account of the
language used, which appears to me not
to partake of that precision which at pre-
sent characteristics every part of the consti-
tuition.
The third proviGon, contained in this reioluti
on, is more objettonab;c than he iecond, becaufe
tlis predcated on the preiumption that the Houle
of Representatives will retufe TO make choice
in cafe the election of Prefdeat IS Z volyed on
them. Il goes, in my opinion, to provide fora
contingency that will never happen.
/ am inclined 10 think thar tie deGgnatiac
principle viii remove every Gid objection to4he
prefent pTovifo,s of The conf ifntioo. with not
TO touch the principles Of thai init ,amcw- Nor
changing lis principles. with he electors to
remain as h,fe,ofore, with this fole difference,
that the perfon voted for as PgeGaent fhall be
dsfgnated by the electors. A abjra aIfo TO this
proyiiion, as countenancag and inviting irtr que,
and becsufe it removes fiom the Houfc of Re.
prelcntatives the ratonfbliity under which they
arc placed by the contribution. 81 appears to me
that in cafe two rival candidates are preGntee 10
the Honfc for a voice, by means Of the influence
of the Vice PfeGdcnt, the elect on may be pro.
sra6ed till the fourth Of March, or thar, in
other words, ihc Vice PseGient Will become
sPrcGaeut.
i am fenGbc that ibis is only a psopodtion nssdc
to the feveral fates, and shaisi, mutt be fubmit
ted 70 their deciGon before it becomes part Of
the contribution. At the fame time / am con
WINGED, that going forth as at of this govern.
mem, il twill have great Influence with the fate
legislatures Itought therefore, before tits fab.
mi,tea TO them, to be 70 correct and cx plicit,
thai rhe collected wiaom Of the country may be
prefumcd TO adopt it
repeat it, the frf part of this amendment,