Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1804-04-26

/ voting against IT.
Mr.. Holland. | am not surprised alter
| hearing the declarations of the honorable,
! T MIGHT add the venerable member from
| Massachusetts (Mr. Taggart), that the re-
! solution on your table proposing an amend
ment to the constitution as it respects the
election of President and Vice-Prcsldent,
will not obtain his support. he venerable
gentleman states that he has taken an oath
to support the constitution and therefore IN
fers that he is under sacred obligations not
to admit the alteration or Amendment, as
it would violate his cath. Ii tae venerable
member had read certain provision in the
! constitution, he would nave there found
that in cases of amendment he would be
completely absolyed from the obligations Of
his oath.
The venerable member has also said
that the reasons offered SO far as respects
the will Of the people in favor OF this a.
mendment is Untitled to little weight. That
the will of the people is:unstable, versatile,
fuctuating and not to be relied on. Sir
am one Of those who have been early
taught to respect the will Of the people, and
notwithstanding what has been said [ still
retain an opinion that the public will is of
binding obligation, and hope shall con-
time to regard it. The constitution IT,
self is predicated upon the will of the peo-
pie and IN order to ascertain this will at all
times, the trainers were obliged to resort
to elections and delegations of power by
which agents were to be appointed to ex-
press and execute their will whether acting
in legislative Or executive capacity. But
this delegation Of power ought to be impos.
ed only in cases where the will of the people
cannot otherwise be known. Under these
impressions have not admired the plan
adopted in the constitution of electing those
high officers by electors. | should have
preferred an immediate suffrage, to this
indirect mode of electing by electors but
as the trainers OF the constitution have
thought proper to ascertain the public will
through the medium of electors, am un-
willing that they al.o should be under any
unnecessary trapmels whereby the will Of
their constituents should be impeded.
The Gsntlerean tbat I have alluded 10 has ac-
knowledpcd shst or The fri residing the conlti-
tuition ne did 30. difco.et the policy Of oonfn-
inp he tlc6tasa 70 what he calsa double vote,
bur is now wilE,rg % iuppofe than il was intend.
ed for wife 4na good Pprpoles. nuf conftfs
ft, that TOO have labs.at.d under the fame df
fculty, neycr underitood he policy that die.
ta,ed this prov!fop. |. was doubtleis intended
for the bcft OF pl,pofes; am far from implicat
lug the moti.es--butit appears to be an effort
to conceal in midnight ilence and iecrecy the
intent OF she electors as to the person intended
to be preGlsnt and the perion intended 10 be
vice prefeicnr # This was the intention of this
pyovihon let me ak gentlemen if it has been
eF.6fcd-a recurrence TO all the elections for
o1etidcnt and vice pssGdent iince The commence.
nscns Of the government viii loIyc this quefion
ard fully demonstrate thar the perion intended
by the electors 10 fiji each Office was we'll under.
food ard knownto all the e!esgors and 20 all o.
Tier pe,tors thss wlGled to know the fecret
which has not been kepr, from which it follows
thar the end has nos never will anfeer the
original deigp, and TOR what purpole lhall we
continue il any longer.
I his uode takes more Of the nature Of a lot
terry than an election, the electors are compelled
10 put two perlons names in box deprived of
the liberty of exerciGng their nationality as to
the application Of either petion to any fpecifc
Office, and mutt leave the event TO blind fate.
chance, or what is worfe, to intrigue to give him
Preflent. Experience hath ihewn that difficult
ties have attended this mode, and that it has not
aa{wefcd the original intention, and it is ca(y
to forelec that it may be 70 ptatticed upon as 10
defroy the fra incipie Of our government thar
of,he will Of the majority in their election Of the
chief msgitrate.
I i WI not fay tha, there is faction now ex