Jenks' Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1803-1805, 1804-01-14

ter ana any attempts 10 dettroy TINS Dali
ance, under whatever fpecious names or
pretences they may be prefented, fhould
be watched with jealous eye. Perhaps
fair definition of the conltitutional pow
er OF amending is, that you may upon ex
pertinent 70 modify the contribution in
its practice and operation, as to give It,
upon its own principles, more complete
effect. But this is an attack upon fun
damcntal principle eitabithed after long
delibsration, and by mutual conceilion, a
principle Of enential importance to the in
itrunent itfelf, and an attempt to wreit
from the fnall ifates, vefed right and,
by it, TO increafe the power and influence
of the large fates. l ihali not pretend,
fir, that the parties to this conifitutioaal
compact, cannot alter its original and ei-
fential principles, and that fuch alterations
may not be eff.Ged, under the name of
amendment; but, let a propofal Of that
kind come forward in its own proper and
undilguifed ihape let it be fairly ftated
TO congrefs, to the Fate legislatures, TO
the people at large, that the intention is
! TO change an important federatiye feature
in the contribution, WHICH change in itlelf
and all its consequences, will tend to a
Capitalization Of this union, into fimple
republic le, it be fairly itat-d, that the
fmall !fases have too much agency in the
important article of eleeting chief ma
citrate and that the great Aates claim
the cHoice and we illall then have fair
decilion. 1.-THE senators Of the fmall itatcs,
and if their fate legislatures will then quiz
city part with the right they have, no per-
ION can realonably complain.
I Nothing can be more obvious, than the
intention Of the plan adopted by our con-
ititut;on for chooiing preiident. The
electors are to nominate, two perfons, Of
whcm they cannot kndw which will be
proficient this circuma{ace not only In
dues: them to felect bo@l from the bet
men; but gives direa advantage into
tie hands of the fmall lfa,es even.in the
electoral choice; For they can always fe-
let from the two candidates fe. up BY the
electors OF large Rates, By throwing their
votes upon their favoriAe, and CT courfa
| giving him a majority, a., if the electors
Of the large Hates hould, to prescns-this
effect, fcatter their votes for one candi-
date. then the electors Of the fmall fatcs
would have Il in their power to elect a
vice-preGdcnt., So that h any. event, the
| fmall ltatcs will have sosnGdsfable-agen-.
| cy in the election. But if the difcrimina-
ting Of designating principle is carried, as
contained in this reiolution; the whole or
nearly the whole right and agency Of the
Enall ,Aates; in the electoral choice of
chief naagiarate is deeroyed,. and their
chance of obtaining a fcderative choice by
ltatcs, if nor 'detfroycd, sis very much d.
nliniihed. / A. -
For this Identical purpole is the princi-
pie Of electoral determination and .defig-
| nation, introduced into the refolution be.
fore you forthefamc purpofc is the num-
| Der IF candidates reduced from Ave to
three, from whom the houle Of reprefen-
tatives may elect, in cafe of electoral fail
| ure ofchoicc; that is, to deisoy, or di-
miniF the agency of the fmall ltates,s in
the c5oice Of prefident.
Fot wha, pprpole ellie, ale We perpesu-.
ally told and fron all parts Of the fanatic,
that the public smlYis oppoled. by the pre-
| cent mode, and the pubic will cannot be
| gra,ihed,l without the Introduction of the
discriminating principlel!Skn sr' assaeo
Blythe public will thus mentioned, the
gentlemen mean, d the will1of popular
majority, or, the willicftllc great ttatcs,
which, in this cafe. Il repeat it are the
Ilamcn How is it poAible forcthe gentle
men to increafe the chances OF gratifying
this deicription of the public swH without
Edecreafing the agency ofrthc fmaN itatess