Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1805-08-31

that atightin the tsobie collectively to enact
laEOs, ~ myority gfv0ices, is of the .es-
sence ofa democracy. shall aow close
the.dIscassion with a few observations.
Cqnsiderlng the Interchangeable nature and
incuurable defects of this kind of govern.
ment, with what attention and energy
should every considerable man watch its aD.
proachss, aad resist its introduction. Is
there any severity of comment, that might
not with proprie,y be applied to those per-
sons, who would persuade the people of
the United States, that they already Hve
under a democracy; that curse of repubIlcs,
that volcano of RIGHTEOUSNESS, that galph
of liberty, that prolific mother of faction,
injustice, seditlon, revolution and tyran
ny!
Is the constitution of the United States q
democracy! Examine II thoroughly
The constitution is compact. Try it
by that compact? By it the people have no
right 10 assemble collectively, either in Sec
tons, or IN districts, or IN de,achm nss,
tor giving their votes to enact or make
'aws, respecting peace, war, alliances, IN.
posts, commerce, ar any OF the o,hcr grest
national interests. They have no rIsht 20
meet in assemblies for hearing Of causes,
and Furnishing criminals. They nave vest
ed in few men I'll sovereign Dsver, The
numhrr and description Of walch, they can
neither augment, nor change, nor diminish.
! They have vested N enc man the executive
power. They have vested the Judiciary
power III mea whom they do net cheese,
and who hold their Offices during Ifs, or
good behaviour. They havs<ilkewisc vest,
ed IN ten men, whom they do not choose,
the rights otjurors. They have vested IN
the stale legislatures, the right 70 appoint
senators to congress. They have vested
In congress and the state legislatures the
right of proposing amendments or alters-
tons III the constitutions and in the state
legislatures or conventions, the right Of a.
doping or rejecting them. They have
vested the 7Uhoh legislative authority ofhc
nation in their stare legislatures and in can.
gress. No s'Vereign poeOer, therefore, re.
mains to be exercised, or can be exercised
by the people, successfully, collectively or
individually.
What are the rights which the people
have reserved, or which hey may lawfully
exercisel
These rights are chiefly of the elective
kind To the people it belongs to elect a
definite Number of men, of a particular de-
scrlpton, members of the house of repre-.
sentatives of congress. TO the people it
belongs to elect, The whole or part of the
persons who elect senators to congress.
10 the people, or to the state legislatures,
it Belosgs, to elect the men who elect the
President. In the persons thus elected,
and not in the people, Is vested the sove.
reign OF supreme power; from them, when
exercising the legislative or executive func.
tons, 1t flows in various acts, and by them
only can it be exercised. The compact
has settled these points. 1t leaves 90 So
vereign power to be exercised by the PEG.
pie. (26)
The powers only rot delegated to the
United States by the constitution, nor pro-
hibiled by it to the states, are reServed to
the states res2ectivety, Or to the people,
(27)
It must be evident to those who will con.
slider these facts, coolv and impar,ially,
that the constitution of the United States
is far removed from democracy. 1t re-
fuses to exhibit It's great characteristic. 1t
is republic which contains, as has been
observed, due mixture Of the principles
ofdfsrent governments, nicely poised and
accurately adjusted, Psrtaking only of de-
mocracy as the 0ssI partakes IN its aature
f,he circle
Thus-In the singleness of the trecuti0e,
we are to look for the energy, secrecy, and
dispatch, of Monarchy. In the senate, the
wealth, virtue, stability, experience and
wisdem of Aristocracy. In the house q re-
tresentatives, as the Immediate choice of
~. 81 DF I)eD11rYIcIy