Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-09-01
ADDRESS

actmp undeg The autAorify Of the General
Committee Of Correspondence q me state q
Ae9v. York, in suhhort OF the nomination q
the hon. DE WITT CLINTON, 20 the
Presidency fthe United States at me fnsu-
ing election.
CONTINUED.
IF the heads of departments, with thelr
clerks. and the other persons holding dhce
of trust and profit under the U. States, were
TO assemble in thir indiUduai cafaacstzes5 at the
capitol at Washington, and nominate a.presl-
Dental candidate, would you hot be disguised
and shocked? and yet do you believe that
thew are passive spectators OF regular Caucus
uoapinatioas ? Mark the danger at least, that on
some future occasions, men whose station and
standing, nay, whose very bread may depend
upon the continuance OF the same adminlstra-
ton, will cultivate the opportunities OF private
friendship, of official intercourse, OF familiar
hospitality, Of public magnihGnce; will la
Dor the understandings, engige the hearts,
work upon tie weaknesses, ard perhaps tam
per with the purity Of your representatives,
collected as they will be, in the very focus OF
executive influence - and having made them
fitting instruments, will remila IN the back
ground, but in fact promulgate the nomina-
ton of their own peculirr pitron anu protect
or, or perpetuate the succession, it not In the
some family, at least in the same dynasty
How far the germ of these evils is already
observable, we do not wish to INQUIRE out
rather proceed to indicate another danger
which would grow out of this change OF sys-
tenn, and become daily more imminent from
the increasing Importance OF tins country -
AS yet, we hope no foreign power has attempt
ed to influence the election OF our Chief ma
gistrate The thing is impossible, SO long as
the provisions of the constitution are observed
in spirit as well as letter. While the chQlce
OF that officer is in truth made by the states,
no foreign agents can approach them, or BIAS
their sufrages; and thus calamity hat has
harassed Poland, Venice, Genoa, the Papal
See, almost every other people having an e,ec-
tive executive, is effectually guarded agapst
But as we rise In the scale of nations, should
we concentre the real electors Cor at least,
those whose nomination is to be received as
the first regular step to an election) In the one
place, and that too the residence OF foreign
minister, whose diplomatic Office 1t ottenls TO
conciliate and corrupt, can we be SO foolish as
to suppose that the opportunity would be neg
lected by them of obtaining hold in our
councils, and control over our government!
These are our convictions respecting the
unconstitutlonality and dangers OF congress
sional nominations, Were We not restrained
by roe Meet for many ef the individuals con-
cerned in them, we would eXpatiate on them
as public offence; and did we not hope that
general reprobationwoudhc nceIorwrd abolish
their use, we should urge their prohibition by
law. Very different indeed, is the nomination
by individual states. Though not en- jolned by
the constitution, it is perfectly consistent with
its principles, and can never produce any IN
convenience but the number OF candidates,
which would at least be accompanied with the
advantage OF afording greater opportunity
for iudlcious selection. The Inconvenience,
however, is merely imaginary, and would ne
yer have practical existence. Mutual forbear-
ance, reciprocal intercourse, and good under
standing, would be established by the common
interest. Circumstances would almost always
determine which state should nominate The
acknowledged celebrity or worth OF some pro-
mlnept character, the propensity TO rotation,
the importance of some members nt the
confederation, and other similar consdera-
tons, would combine to indicate the state from
which the chief magistrate FIR a term should
be taken. If any one among them should be
perpetually urging pretensions and claiming
superiority, or should seek to retain to itself
a monopoly Of honors or power, the spirit oil
dependence, equality and participation, in
the other states, would check its pretensions,
and teach it moderation
The state of New-York has now, for the
first time, put forward its claim; and examine
We request you, whether some considerations
do not strongly mark the propriety of Its CIV
ing the next president to the union.
The state of Virginia has, for twenty out OF
the twenty-four years of our present govern
ment, enjoyed that honour; she seems deslr-
Gus of possessing it for another term, and, per-
haps, for as many more as the patience of her
sister states will permit. We cheerfully &C