Jenks' Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1803-1805, 1804-01-21


ICoatirseS Jrss t5e C-xssss n Id? SAB, lay
The fact certainly was, that the lat
election the great fates brought forward
the two cancidates--tliey were both or tn.
fame political ientiments--this they had 4
cenItitutional right TO debut Il now
feems that their language TO the fmall
.tates was, becatfe you will not give up
your constitutional rights to Us and lee
Us 60 on & de.ignateS We viii Fir UP civil
war and lay the blame to you. Andof ,hi.
improper conduit of ours we viii take the
advantge and obtain an alteration OF the.
contribution which will hereafter aratisy
US in every tefpea.' A gentleman frons
Maryland (Mr. Smith has faid, that he
heard, though he could not prcve'it, ,her
the federal majority atthe time of the lat
election, contemplated making law, au-
thorilias or appoiating iome prtfon 70 act
as PRECEDENT, in cafe no choice had been
made, by the houfe Of representatives.
was then fir; member of the government.
aad know nothing of fuch projett, il
might .haeye been 70, but fuppoiing il was.
what then ? Why fays the gentleman. the
perion thus appointed could not have kept
his head on his fhoulders III holrs--and
this would have made civil war. IF thcs
majority now .hould contemplate meat
ure, which the contribution does not au-
thotile, as it clearly did not ap.iioriie the
rleaiure 1ifpectsd by the geptleman, tho
he cannot prove 1.-THE beii thing in the
world for them TO do, would be 10 give it
up without any attempt to effect it, as il
ieems the federal majority did. But what
argument all this can afford in favor ofthe
amendment, or why it was mentioned IL
this debate, is beyond my comprehension.
In the refult of the ,aa election, the great
Gates and the ru.ing political party, were
certainly gratihsi, and there does not APP
pear the least fcaionable ground Of com-
plant againa the FINAL Gates, ia the u:c
Of their con!titutional rights 81 the occa-
iion. All fupport therefore to til amend
ment, drawn from that tranfattion, mutt
fail.
lhasc faii that tie article fxing the
mode of ele0ing Chief magi.trate, was
culties. A more itriot enquiry into the.
conititutonal mods, and companion Of
it in iome other, and more particular points,
with the iropoied alteration. vii! be ute-.:
ftlih forming an op ihion Of their relative
merits.
AS the contribution aands, each elec-s
tor is to write the names of two perfons
on piece Of paper, called a ballot. FL.
ther of the two perlons voted for may F7-
the PRECEDENT, and the e!sttor cannor
know which this affords the mott pow.
erful indictment to vote for two, Both Of
whom are qualified for the very isnpor-
tant Office. For it is NOT only uncertain
upoa whom the choice viii fall at fritz. bur
the one remaining will certainly Be psen.
dent, upon anv contingency which i,asll
remove or ncapaciate the figt. Ih4ocon-
vention feem to have ielesssd mode ii
proceeding the inof iimple, the leaf La
Bile to accident, and the beit calculated tsg
inlure the main Object, that iS-that both
Mould De really worthy OF The fruf. re
one candidate wines to make inserenwith
the electors, as each mutt Sot: for two, il
will be impohible for bribery or intrigue
to fucceed |; for without corruptiug the |
whole or certainly many more than ialf, |
he may be defeated by the other candidate
on the ballot. This, is, perhaps, tn.
mott efeeual bar to intrigue that was
ever contrived for un!eis all, or a greats
proportion Of the eleaors are corrupted,
an extreme cafe of aepravity not probatlil
III any country. intrigue can have no az