The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-11-10
EN- OUR Err.
RICHMOND =:
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10, lao..
h'5.s Is ~ 6sR mode Of appointing the Elel7oral


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hisss is az 6sP mode Of APPOINTING the Ele7oral
College,
TIE P-efdent and Vice preGdsnt % The rJr;,ed
States are c1oden by body of men in eol6 fate dele
gated tor that and for no Other purpcc This body is
called an Electoral College. There are a, many coll
eg.s As 4tcs Cor each Rafe mas ore of its own with
our interfering with that Of any other An inhabitant
OF Maryland does not vote for a member of the Elcc
toral College ofVirgnia does the Virginian pre-
tend TO interfere with the appointment OF the eiettor.
OF Maryland In conceiving therefore, the different
ways by which any eleetor may be appointed we
mutt contine cur imagination the limits of Jingle
fate.
BY the federal contribution the legifature Of CT Oh
ate has the power OF directing in what ,-zaa.r thef
electors are to be appointed The variou. modes in
which thispower will probably be exercired, NAV be
reduced to iinple Qualification. Either the le,riGa
ure might alume to ittef the privilege Of appoint
ing the electors, or it might deyove it upon iome Of
the continued department: Of the tate as upon the
governor or 1t might by very complicated nechar-
lin, form new body for appointing them; or devoly
ing that power upon the psople, it might ditrbute
the late iiito dtrcts and give each contituent the
nsht oil voting tor one ceeor in il, or it might allow
20 each conitituent the right of voting for one ecor
IN airy diitrict Of the Rate or it might have conbn-
Cd aee different fyems together, as for in1ance II
Tered the ret TO be choicn in ditriGs OF theTe yor
Gus methods fome only have been already praai,sd
ard the ret Will not perhaps he brought into ope
r"tIcE Ihoie which mott worthy Of inve(liaati-
Oh az the Preicnt time thoe oniy which have b-ap
already developed Thief, are the appointment, b,,
the 4egR1fn-t it;c, by yitF., by genera, ticket, and
oy f9,s5iraficH Of an indilminae and the general
ticket mode. Vermont is an example of the firt Ma
ry'aud OF the tecond, Virginia Of the third and Malta
cnu.etts, blythe law Gifts lae Legislature is an example
Of the llt
Which OF thefe ~ items is the mott perfect is 4
'ebect, Whole importance may well recommend it to
TIE confederation of the I ea politician, OIL the fpe-
cniatiYe fhRo.oFher.
To gjTltiet appointment Of the electors, two We.
r. inbtan's! otjeetions heve been offered the fir
regarding the words sfthe contribution as now itands
and the iecond founded upon abfrat principle of
Pohcy' Tie contribution DAYS Franklin in hi, III
Fo1 having declared that each Rs.e hould appoint
electors N uch manner the Legislature thereof MIGHT
direct eens to have given the legislature, not the
actual appointment, bug only the power of prefcrbing
the manner IN which the appointment fhl be made
ti!at IS to lay, whether 1t hall be done By genera,
ticket or by dittr6ts publicly or by ballot Between
'ne'e two things, the power of appointing electors, and
the power OF directing how they fhall be appointed
thee appears 20 be ,ubilsutal difference. which
ought nor TO be diregarded by Iegilature the mem,
oeTs ct which have taken oath to fuppor the con-
ittuton OF the U. s. The force of this objection r
reiiitible i the coDtuor in the reced cl,uCe means
~ the word late the people Of each fate in their
gheit iovereign oapaciy (See she report of the ie
lecS committee, p. O.
The other objection is founded on principle in
poticai icence, which is not perhaps fufhcicntiy re-
g'tdsd III the Htucture o. The general government
Ire principle IS, chat in al ,4es whatever, thofe who
are to act for the psJPle, other words their fer
wants and agents, ought be choCen by The peopl.
tlpf lit-1c yfrslaf .l- r
conveniently and properly excrriied. Now the con-
itltution OF the United States certainly not HAVING OK
end q the people from the appointment of electors
aiil tie power OF appointment being one which they
car as experience proves conveniently and properly
eXsreile, the right Of elcc}ng electors ought o remain
unnPAired in their hands If ticy eoerclfe it, The
minority viii prevail, and the minority unlels deni-
tute Of principle, which cannot be rupuol.d. viii feel
dhpotsd to acquietce; but if the legislature exer,ife
1t, they may APPOINT fe; Of electors, not che Of
whom wouf nd chance to be choien If the cleo
ton depended ca the people. Il i, fad that in the
tate OF Nsw-YorS, the lac presidential election all
the electors chofen by the leglature were not ap
proved ofby the majority Of the people"
We may now then proceed to an examination of
the three other iyiten5 which have been reduced to
practice the appointment by Sidri67S bv 4 g-s.yqf
ticket law and by two modes 6elSeI together thi,
latter iyfcnl however will be found to contain rnoN
OF the prominent parts with mott Of the ADVANTAGE.
and disadvantage, which are incident to thele III
meutary modes, it is proper to acertan their own d,r
tngdihirg consequences before we make any enqul-
ry into II. peculiar mer'.--For a more fiti,fl,rory
comPariion Of theie two fylems is nece,ry TO fg-
Set few general obfervatons which may lead to i9ne
concluiiye principle Of graduation.
Inc form OF our government i, peculiar one Il
IS a con'ederatcd republic. We have general yo-
yetnnent Tor the luporuendance general concerns
We have Rate sovereignty ior the luperinteudinc,
Of more limited Affairs. Ia the adnnitraton of our
ita;e government, our lyten h dcfgned to be purely
republican. Every competent p-rlon ha, a right To-
vote Tor the officers ard every determination VIII, er
IT IS the eetion Of their officers, or their own iub-
iequfnt mealures intended % flow irons a.. Nil
Of the majority. But u our federal machine new
principle comes into play. lh, the loye-cignty Of
the tates. Thelc independent itat,s would no. COS
leie. until ione power had been iet apart BY Heb
'hei' own overcigny equally per,eG in a lnsn O.. N
sgfsit:ttc IN nCrOcOl,nor in world ,ihould y. a-
now-dS-d dirUntie eucroaohmt its Goth os
each otbsr X ofthe generalkead ILcn-e TIA, we OBJ
erge 70 much drveriity in the Appointment and Hru,-
turc oi the different federal departments fone BEING
The dsPoli,cries Of the viii Of the people, and o.her,
Of the overegnty Of the Rates ion1c In aa ernaa.-
ing from ths true republican psncy. ~ viii Of he
majority, "h'lc ths oilers ocorporsted by fs-