The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-10-28

i ''poAN fotSe't- SIsSNl tit@ islCrG C1DNDic clcl
Tor electors. and leave tbs free unbiased
| choice of President to them. The fact, how.
ever. has always hsen otherwise. No cleo
tor is chosen un,il he has pledged himself to
| give certain vote; and tl.ts what was al
| most universally esteemed 4 WISE Sc profound
political Invention. has provcs. To lie II bang
ling cchtrivance cf doing bv two elections
what May as well be, and in fact is, virtual
iy tl,s... by ono. Whoever wishes to- see more
ct this curious example of the difference be-
tween political theory and experience. is re-
tcrird TO No. GS of the Federalst.
as then the Presidential electiot, is in
saoSfaHcc. made immediately by the people
Unless consultation or cuucms takes place
AMONG the leading mcn Of the several par
ties, no person would be likely to have a
majority 81 the whole number Of votes, in
which case, the election constitutionallv de.
wolves upon the House Of Representatives
It was TO prevent this TIA, the cancns NJ
washington was formed; and thus 50 far
were Congress from evincinsa disposition to
arrogate ii power prohibited Bv the constitu-
ton, that tae direct tendency or their eau.
io"s Was To prevent the exercise of "a pow
er which the CONSTITUTION had expressly
vested i'm them
Bat why is so much stress laid upo. this
congressional recommendation IF the!mem-
\
n'its prescribed to them BY the Constitution,
'iie Fault is with them. and not with the un.
offending object of their choice, and though
1t is admitted that it furnishes no argument
IN tavor OF Mr.. Madison's election, it surely
FURNISHES none against it. I therefore hope
1t VIII have no influence Whatever, and
while the Committee invites the people
not to acquiesce IN the nomination of the
caucus, 1 invite chem to vote aus though
they had never heard it. / shall follow this
course, and in SO doing shall give my votes
for Mr. Madison.
prefer him as the ncxtpreside.it, not be-
cause he has been omnended by this or
that caucus, but because His talents and cx-
pericnce precraincntly lit him for the office,
and his long course of patriotic services pre-
eninently enttle him to it.
His reputation for talents does not rest on
the blind Partially of friendship or political
zeal The evidences of them are at once
numerous and indisputable. He has not like
Mr.. Monroe, derived any advantage from the
sympathy of his countrymcn for what they
believed unmerited injury. Nor has he
scars to boast of But. b. devotingh une-
quaiied talents to the benefit of his country,
he has rendered sevices. which the zeal of
Mr.. Monroe, however ardent, and the patri-
otism however pure, were never able to be-
stow.
From the formation of the constitution to
this time our annals are illuminated and a.
dorned by the displays of MIR. Madson's ge-
MUS.
When the old confederation was crumb-
Ling 70 ruins, and the country was threaten
ed with all the evils OF 6iscord and disuni
on, he acted principal part in forming the
present constitution of tile u. States, and
mere than any other man, contributed to o.
IL. Il
and personal ambition had thrown in its wav.
Nor did he stop here. His pen gave more
extended circulation throughout the other
states to the argumentshis tongue had enfor-
ced in his own. He aided in producing Sc
ries OF essays, which discover more political
sagacity, and a more profound knowledge of
the principles of legislation than perhaps a
ny single work extant
Having thus ably contributed to form the
machine OF the federal government, lie has
also assisted in putting it i'll opera tion.-He
became member Of the new congress, Ito
which if mistake not his election was op-
posed by MIR. Monroe,) and mere it was soon
his fortune, rather his choice to differ
from his former coadjutors as to the spirit
of administering the government &C. their
formation. He conceived that the Presidents
proclamation of neutrality was an unwarran-
table assumption OF power, and he wrote an
able reply to the defence of the proclamation
by Mr.. Hamilton. 1t was then that the par
ty was formed, which during the adminis-
tration of Gen Washington ard Mr.. Adams,
thought the weight of the federal executive
prcponderatcd in the political balance. Mr.
Madison, as true to the principles of repub-
licanism and liberty as he had been to those
of order and regular government, soon
sided with it, and from that time to this, has
been its steady and most able supporter.
When more direct attack was made on
the constitution by tine alien and sedition laws
he went into the Gen. Assembly of Virginia
for the express purpose of opposing them
by the weapons of dispassiCnate argument,
and there drafted in the form of resolutions
that fine piece of irresistible reasoning which
carried conviction to the farthest parts of the
union.
While in the discharge Of the duties of Sc
cretary of State, lie has in the form of an
onymcus structures on the proceedings of tn.
! British admiralty, produced most master
| ly treatise ofinternational law, and the abies
vindi cation of neutral rights that has ever
| appeared.
! TO conclude this honorable catalogue Of
! ratriotic services, his recent instructions to
! Messrs Monroe and Pinkney, and his dipo.
matte correspondence shcw that no mai IN,
soclcar = thorough knowledge of the right
! & interests of his country, & none is 50 able t
defend them What services has Mr. Mon