Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-03-25

, rederal vicc-president i'll the presidential
| chair ;" because the amendment of the con-
stitution which guards against that danger
had then taken place.-These are your
| palliating circumstances; circumstances,
which are not true in pointfact; and which,
if they were true, would form no paliations
of your offence. Such are the grounds on
which YOU choose to place yourselves be-
fore US. Such the pretezts under which
you poorly attempt to SHELTER yourselves
from our resentment, while you strive to
direct the storm against tie innocent.
! Again: You accuse the members of con-
lgress who formed the latecaucus at Wash
Iington Of attempting to produce "an undue
bias on the presidential election-by the
sanction of congressional names" Now,
pray, what was the objeu of your protest;
OF your indecent and unfotnded invective a
gainst Mr. Madison Was that intended
to produce no "bias on tie 7 residential e.
lection" and to produc, it too, " by the
sanction of congressional names :" Blush
TAT the Inconsistencies in which YOU have
involved yourselves Inconsistencies, which
prove the pure and nobk policy by which
you are actuated, and which, rely upon it,
will not be shortly forgotten by your coun-
TRY.
! But what is all this camor and uproar
about caucuses, and Which, all at once,
have become so fraught With danger to the
country! The people ofthe United States
see nothing in r caucus, but conference
among the members of congress to ascer-
tam eFfavori,e of a majority of the peo-
| pie. The presidential election is prevail
ing topic Of conversational every quarter
OF the union, for considerable time before
it takes place. The rre1nsions OF the Sc
veral candidates are every where publicly
and freely discussed. The members of
congress, then, will have learnt the senti-
ments o. their respective constituents, be.
fore they leave home. The object of a
caucus, is understood 70 be nothing more
nor Tess. than to bring those sentiments to-
gether and by comparing them 10 ascertain
who has the preFonderance of popular fa-
vOr. What odds does it make how this
conference is called; whether by an anon
lmoIs card, or one signed with the name of
Mr. Bradley. (2) The. essential object is
the conference and SO that one be fairly
obtained, the people care verv title about
The forms and ceremonies which led to it.
As to the assertion that the notice was hri-
Uafe, we require evidence. We have seen
a very different statement Of this fact
card hW5hsheG IN the name of Mr. Brady;
and counter-card inthe name of Mr. Some
oody-eise. And rs 70 yeu, gentlemen, we
presume that :. would have made very
little difference whether the notice was
public or private; since your rew-born re-
ligion on this subject, you would have been
too scrupuious o. too stately to have attcn-
ded, although the notice had come to you
IN the form of a subhoena ad testifrandum,
and, that, on the solemn call of your coun-
try.
AS lite weight is there in the objection.
thai enc ofthe gentlemen who attended the
caucus was delegate from one of the ter
ritories " a man who in elections has no
suffrage and in legislation no vote" For
the business Of the conference was neither
to elect a president nor TO make a law. 1t
was simply to colate and compare the SEN
timents of the people in the d fferent parts
of the union, as to the person who should
he the next president; and we presume
that the delegate from the territory was as
capable of reporting the sentiments of his
constituents upon this election, as if he had
'Ea Suffrage in elections" or vote IN legis-
lation."
Where, then, are all those tcrrors which
ere supposed to exist in caucuses? Accor-
ding TO our apprehension of them, their
conclusions will flow from the people will
be the mere echo of tie peoples vo ce.
But should il be otherwise should they
misrepresent the opnionof the people, they
have spoken as a caucui, not as congress
thCir conclusions have no obligation.
no coercion in them they are not laws
which the people are 1ound to obey on
thc contrary, against tie conclusions of
corrupt c9ucGs which Should misrepresent
their opinion, the peope would not fail to
viudicate their rights. You seem to think
that a congressional Caucus has the power
Of forcing ON the people whomsoever they
please as president; that by brides in one
shape and another, caucus composed of
members OF congress night be induced to
place any candidate in nomination, ard that
such nomination would bind the people like
magic spell that from 1t they would have
n" possibility Of appeal or escape Do you
really believe all THIS, gentlemen? If YOU
do, We are sorry for YOU. You have lived
TO very little purpose and know but little
OF the independence ofthe American cha
racter Waving, at present, your remark
on the corruptIbihty Of congress, and Of
which IT is hoped you co not speak expert |
mentally let me ask you this question !
do you suppose that, IT one of you land let |,
IT be the most prominent character among
.ycu) could have prevailed on the last !
caucus To- pus him in nomination. the peo- /
.plc would have had m choice but TO have
made him a president? II is impossible TO /
read the question, without smiling at the (
supposition q an answer In the affirmative. I.
The uOuiua ton ,voufI have Ieon f..,L.d