The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-06-24

within "a days then next precediny."-
The day you propose to adjourn to. appears
to have been fixed upon under an idea that
the iesfsiaiure viii direct thatthe manner of
appointing the electors shall be BY the Senate
and House OF Representatives, and not BY
the People; because there will be no time
between the day you propose to be adjourn
Der, Tor provision to be made b. law for il,
and for the people to choose in either districts
or by a general ticket. This mode of APP
pointment has no other authority but these
words IN the constitution " each state shall APP
Popt, IN such manner, as the Legislature
thereof shall direct, a number of electors"
The legislature of Massachusetts, in 1888
by resolve in usual form, ordered the ap-
pohtment 10 he bv the choice of the people
in districts. In 1872, the appointment was
was in the same manner. And the same
manner was adopted by formal resolve in
1736. AT giving in the votes, the seec,men of
thetowns, & the assessors of plantations pre-
sdhd, and counted and recorded the votes
in }pen town meetings. In 1900, 4 resolve
waS passed by the senate and house of repre-
se,fatives, and approved and signed by the
governor, that the " General court, on the
| 10Th of November, Chem next, being then
in session, will by joint ballot of the Senate
and house of Representatives, elect and
chose sixteen persons, as electors of Pre-
sidHnt and Vice President of the u. States
lTle election or appointment of electors, in
tho year 1904, was by the votes of the peo-
plein a general ticket throughout the state,
! in which the sclectmen and assessors were
to warn the meetings, and preside as before.
This was done by formal resolve, taking
force In five days, as the governor neglect
ed it. Should now accede to the adjourn
meRt you propose, without making anr sug-
gestions ct difficulties that may arise from
the mannerin which you may find Yourselves
obliged to appoint electors it might be con-
sidered, that / ought then to be foreclose ed.
because consent to the adjournment, would
by fair implication, be proof of my having
previously consented to the mode But should
you continue your request to be so adjourn
ed, without having previously provided for
the appointment of electors the wav will be
fairly open for any objections which l shall
then feel myself obliged to make.
do notattempt to state any objection TO the
appointment Of electors by the two Houses.
or even to say that shall make any but h av-
ing been always an enthusiast in the principles
of an elective republic, ] have regarded with
pleasure the barriers placed round the cleo
ton of our national Chief Magistrate by the
constitution and the law. The constitution
provides that the electors shall give in the ir
votes on the same day throughout the Unit
ed States" The law provides that the day
" shall be the first "Wednesday i'll December,
and withinthirty four days after the electors
are appointed. This is evidently intended
to prevent foreign influence, as we'll as COM
binations between the electors of different
States, and the parties under whose influence
they are. There can be TO doubt in the
mind OF every one acquainted with the pre-
sent General Court, but that the exercise
ot The power 60 appoint electors themselves
would be with great fairness and impartial
ity; but it is an old and useful observation
that the doing of good by incorrect or wrong
means, has more dangerous tendency than
doing wrong can conceive that if we should
be continued under an elective republic,
strong parties may produce & Senate and
House of Representatives, who in the month
of June may know the Strength of each side,
and who may then, under resolution to APP
point the electors them selves, ascertain the
names OF the electors, as accurately as thew
shall! be known after thei: appointment. In
this way the benefits intended by the CON-
stitution and laws, for guarding the purity
of the election OF the first National napis
trate, will be subverted
There are many towns and plantations
which could not choose Representatives, and
therefore are deprived of that privilege, which
they would have according to the manner Of
appointing electors in the four ior.ner cleo
tions. Nori there, that know of any reason
to believe that when the present Senate and
House were elected, their constituents had
an expectation that the general Court would
appoint electors themselves.
JAMES SULLIVAN.
Council Chamber, efh June.
BALTIMORE, June 10.