The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-10-14


Pennsylvania
Delaware
Maryland
Kentucky
Ohio
N. Carolina
S. Carolina
Georgia
The confequencei S, that in ele7en of the
ttates, the menbers of Cougrefs are elected
pre1,iOnJ to the expiration of their contributions
al Duties s, in fix Gates, the election is held af-
| terwards.-itis obvious that both modes of
appointment have their peculiar disadvantages.
1.-THE election be pat off till after tine di1o-
| luton of Cnngrefs on the 18th of March, the
people will not be obliged 10 cleo their repre-
tentative upon truf: the whole term of official
duty will then have expired, and they are to
! judge of their laf representative, not by what
| he las been for one felton, and he NAV be for
the next, but by what he kas been during
the evboh term for which he was elected.
So far the benefits tbs mode of appointment
| are clear and rreiiitible bur it is liable to
this objection, were it brought into general ufe :
that there would always he a certain interval
between the end Of the laf Congrefs and the
holding or a nslv election, when there would
| be no Houie of Representatives in exihepce
| Yet cafes may be eahly conceived, in which
| IT would be neCeiiary for the prehdent at fuch
| a period, to convene an extraordinary friiion or
congreis. The fame objection however may
he made to the period for eleGting the Hou(e of
Delegates of Virginia, tho il mutt be confened
that not the ilighteR Inconvenience has yet been
iuttained on this account, 6nce the adoption OF
our fate contribution.
! The elettng of the members of Congrefs in
the fall, completely removes ibis obj ction, but
| 1t leads to another of much greater fore
which is completely removed By the preceding
| arrangement. 1t the people re-eleet their formC,
representative. they will have TO take him part
| ly Abon trnf they will have to re.ele6t a man,
| who, let his political conduct he ever 70 yrtu-
| Gus during he frft f.fion of his iervice, NAV
! 6etpay item during the Hext a man, who is
actually to EerVe for three years, when ne is
elected for ongy two. Under fuch circumttan-
cee II 10 ot putfiittsc g believe that the chui
of the people themlelves can We e. differ, e. :;
or the refponGbi!ity of their representatives 10
| ftrongiy and 70 ufefully felt
| This difinction between preqiouJ and /ub
(eqMsnf election OF conereis is not always nleer
matter OF speculative cHriefty. The next zvin-
ter or GpiRg will demoeit ate to what bra17i-
eai Importance 1T may be converted.
/ The principles of the Republican, minority
of the taft congreis are no, yet fuificientv deqe
iops6. |, is not yet afcertairled how far or now
: lurs they will carry their opposition to the adj
mnttra;ion whether the points on which they
differ are few and temporary in their occur
renee, or whether their mott efficient nrinci
pies are at war with thoie of the government
and the nation; whether they have fimply diff
approved OF certain n1eGjnrr5 of foreign inter
courie adopted durir 8 the Ian congrefs, or vine
thtr hey have changed their opinion of the
principles and TiezvS OF the administration,
he decihon of thsfe quefions will depend
upon their ipeeches and their votes during the
next Seifion of Congrefs. 1t will then be feeu.
whether they are the determined foes or friends.
the counteractors or cooperators of govern
rnent IN fuch important meafures, as the nation
may deem efentiaI to its PROPERTY. Il will
THEN he mlF c0nelyfUely determined, whether
zach men are any longer worthy Of feat in
Congreis.
But bad the congregational election in virginia,
taken pace during this fall, as will be the cafe
IN Penntylvana and North Carolina, the u, o.
pie would have been Obliged to brejnIee thcfe
queRions. They would have had an alternative
rtfore them, on both fides of which it would
be difficult to decide. They would either have
had to re-eleet men, who were ready to range
themieves among the fyftematic opponents
Of Mr.. Jefferiou, or to dfmifs men from
Office, who were ready to repair their tenn
porary deviations from the caulc of the ma
ton. by returning to the banners of the admi-
niitration The pofponement of this election
TO the IbriHg will confequenty relieve them
from this dilagreeable alternative.
Such then is the ground, on which tbe re-
publican minority Of Virginia nozv faDd. Du-
ring the next winter, they will have their final
trial; and the next yIbriRg will pronounce their
fautence