Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1805-05-10
Washington, Dec. 10, 1903
SIR,

SIR,
duly received a communication
from his exrellencv the Governor, CO.
yrrins resolution Of the Council and
General Assembly, instructing iht Sc.
majors and requesting the Representa-
tives Of the people Of the state, IN Con-
Eress, to use their exertions "a Obtain
an amendment to the Constitution Of the
United States, providing for a distinct
designation of the votes for President
and Vice President. PREVIOUSLY to tn,
arrival Of this communication, Artsnlu,
ton providing for that object had passr'
the House Of Representatives by Iarg'
constitutional majority, and was sent t.
the Senate Tor their consideration : toI
that resolution my vote was given he
Senate did not at upon the resolution
but originated new one, contr mplatinE
anoth>r material alteration in the Constl-
tution, connected with the principle 81
designation. The alteration to which |
allude is provision that in case the
House Of Representatives shall not make
q choice Of President, whsn the right of
m liking such choice drvolrrs upon them,
b, fore the fourth dav of March, the
Vice President elect shall be President
for the next four wears. TO the rtsolu.
ton from the Senate, mvseh and six o.
Their members OF nv own p0.llCal stnu-
ments, four from Massa> husctts, one
from Pennsylvania, and One from VIr-
ginia, after making frultIcss attempts to
amenlit, were com ,,elled BY the dictates
OF c"n>eience to give our decided dis
Scnt: And It becom s me, in the pecu-
il 'r situation in viii, stant, respect
f1t1v to "fcr to the Les, ,Aturc of the
St'te which h ave the honour to repre-
sent, the reasons for my conduct.
We were all attached to the great
prinrirl-s of de s'gnation, but We thought
the additional provision OF the Srn'te
calculated to Reproduce the same evil
which that principle was Intended t re-
m we, Ov creating new pro aNhtles Of
the introduction OF a mln TO the Prcsi-
dencv, who was never contemplated rs
. suitable candidate for that off t, either
BY the people or the electors We urg
ed that the dav woull probably soon ar.
rive, when new political interest, would
arise in our country, and numrrO4s cam
didates would be presented for the Pre-
siArncv. That upon the establishment
OF III. principle of Discrimination, the
OF OF Tce PRECEDENT 1vouH br:>ne +
7uia9r c2n>jd.rd'i5n, and the pubic at
tentlon would be tnrned upon all the
most promin Mt characters in the Union,
mtrrl> as candidates for that OF Prrsi-
d, nt. Thr two large states, ca,h in-
vptving sever i SIN al states within the
circle "tits maAen {, might presen; two
candidates, equal and pre-em'nc nrlv
Gu4lhrd ior the IF OF Pr, sid It, and
co ,al, or nearly GO III in the nnnorr of
elcctoriA. sutfrag $, to the HOUSE of Re-
personalities Thar c4, h OF III i've great
states might b. OBSTINATE In it, pretrnsi-
Ons and that several SIN III states might,
as happened at tbs last election, be tlivi-
drd an give no vote. that it would be
in tht power Of two or three inIivrduAls
to prrvrnt an election; thu the Vice
lent, AlreA y chosen, ether bv the
electors or the Senate, woul he enabled
to promise III lse individuals tht first Of
E IS IA IL: power 81 The txcIUuIr 10 be-
Stpr, although they might be as totally
eaq'tath7d tor them as himself for the
P,.ai i.nrr, ana that he might make this
pr'mise with peri, Ct certainty of b, ing
able to perform it, if they should pro.
tract the election until the fourth dAv "f
March. We urged that This could not
be considered as an rxtr, me case, be:
cause it could no. be considered as inn
;. probable thai the American people, al
though now vir,uous, would be at no re-
mote time in SONG degree corrupted,
ami woulI ALWAYS posses, ambitious AMI
unpr'ncipled' individuals OF talents and
influence. That the proposed addition
10 the constitution contained language
Inconsistent with that comA 4nding ofte
nj i -. h, !, u,