Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1806-12-16
proceedings Of Congress.
MORSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Friday, December i2s

,sesiyed information from the clerk OF
n s a,,bhc buildings that ne was ready TO
'ns I'D il securing the ceiling OF the cham
h.r Of The house.
ss, H. = MOTION of Mr.. Bidwell, the house
..s0;ved itself into committee OF the ,,
Tn IN. MIR. Basset 10 the chair, on the blu
.,ve and make permanent an act TO
s,,,be the mode of taking evidence In
E pr. ii contested elections tor members
- ,he hoase of representatives OF the Y .
,s;,sd States, aod TO compel ths attend .
ao,e Of Witnesses" and IN addition 70 siae
SAME. m -
...,,d elections winch had been eonductea
H. ballot. considerable difficulty had arr
..o n sscertaapirg from which OF tae cans
d,d,,es The votes given BY unqualified per-
cons should be deducted. Fer she purpose
&c removing, or at least lessening this diff
scaltv he had drafted new sections hlch
=. nnrnosed 10 submit for consideration.
The objection heretofore made t@ examln-
mo the votes, TO determine tor which eau
dicare they had been gwen, had bsen
founded on the opinico that IL ia;erteFed
with the sacredness Of the ballot. This.
;f q sound objection, could onty apply GO
persoos legally qualised 70 vote, as prin'
chile fitted 10 save The rights OF electors,
and no, of persons not legally qaallhed to
vo,e. Mr.. Clay said his object Was 10 au-
,horise magistrate 10 examine on OATH
psrsons who had voted withou; being qua,
ll6ed fox whom they had voted; thassoses
thus given mightbe deducted from the can
didale for when they were gwen This
would obviage much eflbe difficulty arpre
sen, esis,ing. Iaieoding 70 ohsr such a
proyision, he moved that the committee
shouse rise and ask leave 10 sit AGAIN
Mr.. Bldwell ob.erved ,hai .he principle
Of ths aso,leman from Pennsylvania was q
new one, that they should undertake. 10 dc.
eide BIZ law what votes shall noi be examin.
cd. appeared 10 him useless, as 1t was
settled b, the Constitutes, and aolrss cen,
se;leslona! evidence vas given TO he house
of the existence of unqualified votes, this
provision would sbridge rs constl,urional
power. A decision sn she qualification OF
electors was expressly yessed by he constl-
tuition in the house. II, therefore, ap-
pearsdto him improper by staiuss TO de.
eide this po,ns, which was the proper pro
Il vince Of the house. A provision OF thai
n kind would go TO put a construction by STA
j tule on the meaning of toe constitution, or
4 TO iotrtfere with the constitutional powers
/ vested 10 The house. SUCH being his pre-
sent sentiments he felt a rspngoaScs to the
| proposition.
Mr.. !, Clay sa;dis was true tina, they
could not BY law decide what were the qua
llGcations of eies;ofs. But he would ask,
If in cases Of voting eipa voee, where the
votes given for particular candidate were
proved net TO be good, they were not de.
dac,ed from, him. His object was that the
same process should be pursued where the
election was Big ballot They had unques
iionabiy right TO say thai Gian who votes
without being emitted, shall say fsr whom
he voted. Soch provision would not be
putting construction on the constitution
not at present attached 10 IL. Il would cn
" require those not entitled 10 vote 70
declare on oath for whom they bad vot.
ed.
Mr.. Smile aaid he had no objection TO
the committee rising for the purpose Of
more fully considering the suhJsct. He
rscollec,ed that in the state ID which heliv.
ed this poin. had often bee o d'seassed.-
Where votes we're given vsvd Ooee there
was no diRcalsy. But where ballots were
received, they coulo nos compel the vote'
tosay foKwhom heyoted. heasrsed witt
y has colleague, tha, it would be no yiola'ior
4 St principle TO compel the inequalities vet
Sf 10 say 90 oath for whom he voted. ahs
priociple was so plain, it coold MOI be de
MED. He hoped, however, that ,he com
mlttee would rise, that his colleague NIGH