The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1816-07-17
'rrsn Ms Frss..i.nes rasriss
THE LATE SENATORIAL
ELECTION.

Tbs Constitution of the United States 1
c'ares, Art. !, Sec. 4, that the nues, nd
ana manner OF holding elections for Senafi
and Representatives., shall be Prescribed
each State by the legislature thereof"
ihe indignisy offered the freemen OF q
State on this point, by the General Asser
oiy at the late session, is in these words =
In General Assembly, June 2i, "A. ID. ls h
Resolved, That ihis General Assembly WI
| proceed, IN Grand Committee Of both House
al tue hresenf session thereof, TO make choic
Ola Senator 10 represent this State in N
United States for the term Of six years,
commence on the fourth day of March merit
ms resolution was hro6a6ly passed to carr
me affearaner Of compliance with III
constitution. i has, in fact, all the appea,
ance ottrick aud chicano about il, bccomin
Pettifogging junto. Ings the dominan
party have frescribed the time, and hlaer an
ma""er, OF clec,ing Senator to Congres.
nat Is, they have said--tbc law, the rons,i,u
tuition, and tho fundamental. principles of on
s-a%s1s s. g 5Aep prsssssSs.atr sssS.trIy S no'wirhsan
Senator, because we have ,, eao'ce o
choose ous own man, shh-~b. sheD Legis'
iatofe will intervene 5etore our Senator
time OF Office will commence, and although
this procedure bs illegal and unprecedented.
But z,hy was this resolution passed! Has
IL to wear a semblance oi compliance wrh
the constitution o. was il to gel rid Of 8
difficulty This State have nos b,en so un.
mindful of heir duty, and the public peace,
as TO leave The subject of election 10 a sea, in
Congres unproviced for.
In the 36th page OF the Statute. Book, in
the act providlng ior the election Of Senators
and Representatives In Congress, and Of f.
lcctors OF President and Wee President ei
The Unned States, ii is sale :r-H Whereas
The Ho'es, hiaees'and manner of holding eiec.
uons Tor Senators and Representatives shall
be prescribedIn each State bythe Legislature
thereof, be'ft therefore enacted, rha, Scna
tors quaiiheda Us aforesaid, TO be siected by
the Legislature Of tbis STAG, shall b. elected
aggreea6ty 10 he, usage. thereof nsAe ehoice
or State o6ieees, by the General Assembly, in
"a Grand Committee, and not in separate ,hou.
scs." Did the General Assembly bere:lcg-
islate on all the subjects itcy nrefcs,ed tc
legisIate upon '--Did they provide for every
case which they hrc7eSsed to provide fr,
which tho constitution required they shoaid
provide fo-, and which they recned in be
preamble Of the ac. as their mieasioo 10 o. 0.
vided for ? II 'hcy did, they provided for the
nmc Of the Senatorial election, as the place
and Danaer, and thorein declared their sense
OF our constitution on this subject: a sensc
which has never been controvetied, nor even
qaesti,ncd, till the late usurpaton.
But wha, Is the usage OF the Legislature
OF this State. IN the choice of State officers
Is 1t 10 elect 10 Office those whose term of
Office Is TO commence after The term of Of.
6cc for which the Legislature is elected
shall have expsircd! Do they OF tho frs.
Wednesday OF May, or at any other legal
meeting OF the Legislature, The time and
place OF which is appointed by law, elect %
office those who are 10 come into office
the year following Do they cvcu on the
hrs, "wednesday of May, or at the adjourned
meeting in June, choose officers whose term
Is TO Commence aFer the last Mondoy of
October Or, at October session, do they
choose officers whose Office is to commence
after the first Wednesday of May! The
UNIFORM usage Of the Legislature afford, an
unequivocal negative 10 these qucs,ions.--
And what has the usage of the Legislative
been, under this act, III The choice of Sena.
tors to Congress, and wha, is the construc.
tion which their uniform conduct has put
upos this act, and their constitutional powers
The usage has been Invariably, not to choose
Senator, when new choice of the Legis-
iaturc, or either branch Off will intervene,
between the time of choice and The CON.
mencement of the Senatorial Office: Or, in
other words, that Legislature chooses the
Senator which continses in Office until after
the commencement Of the Senatorial Office.
This is the Usage, aud thi. is the contraction
which all parties nave heretofore put upoG
the law and the constitution on ,his subject.
Ihe federal IA, y. therefore. an their late cho ce
of Senn.or, have nor only pio,a4ed hrtrciniess
61' eonfravened ahe very iener and sfirit Of
The tav. -stEs
The sense Of the Legislature or this sub.
Ject Is not less ezphcii, as eon.ained in that
part OF the act relating to the choice Of Rep
resen,a,ives in Congress. The fseeme give
their vote, for these Representatives, a, the
same time they choose iheis Representatives