Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1806-04-07
.CONGRES SIS
on THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Saturday., March 20.
U NITED s. Ia e ES.

Mr.. Dawson reported bill authorlsing
the proprietors Of squares and lots 10 the
ecity Of Washington 10 have the same sub.
divided aud admitted 60 record, which was
3 referred TO commttre of the whole
Mr.. Newton alluded 70 the tate ,experl-
encea Yesterday by the resolusion declar-
2 ing the tenure OF seat 10 the house ineom-
paslble with the holdiog contract under
tse government of ,ht u. States. FROM
I abe fate experienced BY this resolution, ne
said ne was induced 70 offer an amend
meat 70 the constitution, WHICH he consi.
Hdsred as of great importance. lie SAID ne
would wish 10 see an American congress
composed of very dlfferen, materials irem
d British parliament. He did not wish to
see contractors on tina, floor. When the
1rednhers OF fhas hoase came to perform
the duties of the people they should pass
themselves into o5hvea. NO Suspicion
ought 10 attach 10 then. To preserve the
character of the representative body from
reprcach, he had prepared an amendment
20 the constitution which he would submit
: TO the house.
The amendment was then read as fol-
lows:
Thar no person holding contract under
q the government of the United States, or
who shall directly or indirectly participate
In the smolemen.s of such contract, shall
7 be capable of holding eeat in the senate
or house of representatives OF the United
States,
Ordered to lie on the table.
Mr. Thomas said he wished to submit
aresolutioH, also, to amend the constitu.
tion. Ifwas forthe purpose or dissflctinG
the several states for the choice Of electors
of presider, and vice president, by the
peopla.
He saio he had had the resolnti an for
some time in his drawer waiting for "a ia
vorable opportunity 10 bring the subject
. forward. He would not say that the pre-.
sent was the suspicious moment to call the
attention of congress and the nation to al
ter that acredinstrument for ne believed
it ought not 10 be approached with inneva.
tions, but for strong ndcogent reasons /;
nor then, only when the public mind was
free from collisions, and unernbarrassed
with other questions of great national Pc
icy. However. as several propositio1s for
amendments were before them, If they
were to be called upon at this time to cons
slider any, he wished to draw the attention
of the house 70 one which experience had
proven to be really necessary aad proper. (,
The object of distrieting the states aud
vesting the choice of electors Of president
and vice president in the people, was one
which he had frequently urged, aud advo-
Gated in the legislature of the state which
he had the honor IN part to represent, un-
der the constitution as il now stands, which
left il optional with,he state legislature, e!.
ther 70 appoint the electors themselves, or
TO vest their election with tbs people at
large.
sadeed he said he always did think, and
stiIl thought that the mode of chesing e..
lectors, for the chief magistrate of this
counsry, osght to be by the people and THAI
too IN aniform mode throughout the u.
States. This he considered the only pro.
per wayto obtain fair expression of the
public will IN the choice OF this high
ly responsible officer, andin order to have
this subject before the house, he would sub.
mis the following resolution:
Thatthe State legislatures shall from
time TO time, divide each state into dis
sfsicss equal to the whole number of sena.
tors and representatives from each state,
In thescongress of the United States and
s shall direct the mode of choosing an cleo
tor OF president and viee-president, IL
each tof'the said districts, who shall be
chosen by citizens having the qualifications
requisite fer electors of the most hume.
ro1s branch OF the state legislature, and
shasthe districts so to be constituted shall
eeonsis,as nearly as may be, of contiguous
territory, and OF proportion of population,
except where there may be any detached