Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-12-27
CONGRESS.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TuslIru Dc..,,hcr. IL
TUESDAY, December II
tNr. Hammond, in conelasion from our last.l

come from great state. But, sir, when
this question comes to be fairly submit
ted to the People of the state of New
York, have the fullest confidence that
tlieir patriotism will induce them to make
sacrifice ofany advantage they may de-
rive as stateunder. the present provis-
ons III the constitution, for the purpose
ofplacing the union. independence and
liberties of the United States on z frmer
basis. Sir, the question of who stall be
elected President is not a state, bat IA
national question. The President is an of
iicer who exists for the benefit of the Peo-
pie of the United States, and not for anv
one state or any part of the states. lie
ought not, therefore, TO be created by the
states, but by the People. The personal
merit and political principles of the cam
didate are the only objects TO which the
attention OF the electors oughtto be di-
rected. A great State therefore cannot
claim because she is great that she should
| furnish chief magistrate for the nation.
But so long as the legislatures of the res
| pectlve states choose or direct the mode
| ofchoosing the electors, so long state claims
as they are called, will enter more or less
| into consideration in the selection of the
President. But sir, alter your constitute
on, cause the Presidential Electors TO come
directly from the people, and they will
| bring with them the public sentiment I'M
unbiased and unauthorized. We shall
then hear no more of state claims. The
great mass of the people will pay homage
TO talent and political virtue-and whe-
Their the man who challenges their prefer
ence for these qualities is found on the
heights the green mountain at the nor
! thern extremity OF the union or on the
banks of the Mississippi to them it will
4 h..r r,Ir i l. l.
| ther objection against the choice of cleo
tors being made by order of the state le-
| gislatures. 1t was the danger arising
from the influence ofthe Executive of the
| United States on the state Legislatures
exerted for the purpose;of continuing him
SET IN Office of or selecting his successor
In the few remarks wish to offer TO the
committee on this subject, (said MIR. H y
| protest against the inference that I in
tend any allusion TO transactions in rela-
ton TO any past Presidential Election. 1t
IS not so. mean to state what, in my o.
| pinlon, ViN be the conduct of the execu-
tive, taking man as he is. Sir, the per-
son, who will fill the Executive chair, will
have his preferences. He will have views
OF ms own, III relation to the great questi-
on respecting the first office in the nation.
iie has right TO them-and his opinions
oi any other individual, possessed Of e.
quail experience and Judgment But, he
has no right to make use OF the official pa
trOnage, given him by the constitution
for other purposes, to aid him III carving
those views into effect. But, possessing
an inclination, like all other men. to carry
into effect his own wishes, are we not to
presume, that he will call 10 aid in accom-
plishng his views some of the patronage
OF which he finds himself possessed He
must be more than man not To do so. If,
then, it be desirable, that the free, unbias-
sed judgment ola majority of the people
Otthis nation, pronounced at the eIecfi-
or, should determine the momenfOus
question, asho shell be the First MAGISTRATE.
every thing which tends to give one citi-
zen an undue influence over the opinions
of other citizens, ought 10 be guarded a.
gainst, ought to be resisted. And, Sir, can
il for a moment be doubted but that the
state legislatures present bodies of men,
on whom the executive influence can be
brought to- bear, with more effect than on
the whole mass ofthe American people E?
think not
practice (said Mr.. H. has been re-
sorted to, and will probably be resorted to
again: practice which, on this occasion,
! beg leave to mention, without either cen
/ sure or appreciation, OF designating the
Presidential Candidate in a Congression-
al Caucus. Putting for moment cut of
view Executive patronage, surely no one
will deny but that the political friends of
the Executive. after residence for SOM
time IN his immediate neighborhood, will,
at such meetings, be greatly Influenced
by the known wishes and views Of the Ex-
ecutive. And, Sir, when you add to the
influence which political partialities and
Court Establishments will necessarily have
on the minds of the best of men, that in
fluence which is produced by the power
to dispose Of all offices of honor and pro-
TT, it is not to be presumed, that maio
rity of the political friends ofthe Execu-
tive will ever be found, who will designate
a Candidate i'll opposition TO his wishes
The moment the designation is made, the
minority in such Caucusses will, from a
respect 10 tie great political party TO
which they are attached, and from at
least an implied honorary engagement, be
disposed TO give their support TO tile ex-
ecutiye fayorite. Thus, the personal in
fiuence of the members of both Houses
of Congress is brought 10 bear ia con-
junction with the executive influence on
the state legislatures.
Cau Electors, chosen by the stafelegis-
latHres under such circumstances, be pre-
suned 10 denOuncc the wishes Of ihe ma
jority of the pcople2
| No Sir fhey xvill I,p e.,oc;os e ,,,.,