Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-02-20

ne vue>t"U was tdEtV on 'He lfSt re
snlalion. ami agreed 10 withnui divis
ION. though several noes we're heard.
The question being stated on the Sc
cord rrsOlulinn-
Mr.. Edndoiph said lie could noi consent
tn this special verdict, as il had been
called, IN the case Of Missouri. He could
not reccgn'z' IN This House or the other
House, sing'y, or coujointly, the power
To decife Oh The votes of any stale. SIP
pose. he sad, you strike uui Missouli
and insert South Carolina, With also
has provision ia characterization, repug-
nant,o the Consliiutil!u of the u. States;
or Virginia or alassao hustiis, which had
test, he believed, IN iis constitution;
Was there any less poWer 10 decide on
their votes, than on those OF Missouri
lie maintained That the Electoral College
Was az independent of Congress, as Cun-
grfss of them: and We lave 40 right,
SAID he, To judge OF their proceedings. :.
MIR. X. said. he would rather see an in
terrognum, or see no votes cuumted at all,
han 10 see principle adopted which
went 10 The very foundation on which
the Presidential Office rested. Suppose
case, In which some gentleman of one
house or tho other should cllonsp 10 tirn
up his nose al The vote Of some state, and
say That u 1t be so and so, such a person
is elected. aud II so aud so what you call
EN- ~ elecieh-did not every body see
The absurdIiy of such a proposition? Mr..
H. added other remarks Illustrative OF
his opinion of the course proposed by
The resolution -dccniing IL mol orly erru~
npous, but erroneous III a matter ct vial
imporiance--in The ascertainmrni Of tie
person Who had been elected by the p.o-
pie Ctief Magistrate Of This nalun--ti,c
most Important officer under The consIr
lniion-ibe monarcli-ior, whoever, in
any country, commands ihr army aud
navy, and collects and distributes the rec
venue, is king, cali him what YOU will.
The time ct The House was precious, aud
he would moi consume il, by saying al
lie thought and f. ON the subject.
Mr. Irmbie vas far from desiring 10
consume the time of the House, or 10
eu barrass The House, but ,e could not
give his consent ia this resolution. II
ANY thing was due 10 stall. rights, this
resolution ought not to be adopted; as
II would, however imniaicrial III the pre-
sepf casr, be cited hereafter as a prece-
dent; and prccedenis were becoming
important things in The public transac
lions. The HOUSE might set an example
ny this vote, ~ rn!nouS III It's c0ns1QueD
ces az any DECISION which could be made.
II was about 10 declare, not what was
the true vote for the President Of The u
STATES. but to state il hypothc!icaIly..
Mr.. L. argued at some length against
surh a course. Suppose some member
IN joint meeting should ask The Pr,si.
den' OF the Senate how many Yates were
given-he must answer IN Tie words cf
fhe n anIptint, A
state The fact, according 10 The law. II
was the duly of the two Houses 10 enun-
cia'e The true state of The vote for Presi-
dent aud Vice President, and the propose
ed annunciaiion would mol be The fact.
He concluded by saying that he would
rather that tie votes of Missouri we're
lett out altogether, than adopt the course
proposed.
Mr.. Randoiph observed ,la, tic gentle
man was under some mistake on one
point. The Constitution Of the r. States
provides, not that The person having
majority 81 vnfes should be President,
bnt majority of the votes of the Flee
tors appolnied. Now, lie dssired to know
whether the Electors OF Missouri were
appointed or NOT.
Mr.. FIoya said he WAS aware shat The
question 10 agree 10 the resolution, Was
tan'amount 10 motion 10 ri Pci, but lie
would prefer The latter shape for The
question, TO shcw more strongly his OPT.
mon OF tit wOnId sui bis feelings TO-
wards IL better. We lave been going on
Tor several years, said lie, accommodating
power until scarcely any is Ic!i bni in
Congress. 1t they had any power over
The votes ef Missouri al all, he said ii was
when her votes were first received; but
no such power existed. The voirs Of
Indiana, al The last election ioT President,
were counted When pre- iseIy III Tie same
situation as those Of Missouri now. lie
protested against this assumption oe au-
thori'y on HE part OF Congress, aud
wished 10 sbew his di~spprGbalion of The
resolution ~ The slrergts, manner.
Mr.. Clay said Tie constitution r, qurcd
| OF lie two ilpusrs 10 assemble and per.
form The highest duty that could dev0lve
on public bOdy-iO ascertain Who had
oeen elected by The people 10 administer
theiT national concerns. In a case oI
votes coming forward which could no
ne Counted, the cOn4lIiuilOn was silent
but, iDfiunalcly, Ike end ia That case
carried WITH the means. The tuo Hous
| es were called on to- enuDicrate tie vote,
Tor Precedent and Wee President q
course they were called on 10 decide villa
are votes. II being obvious That 4 diff
Guilty would arise ~ The ioist meeting
concerning the votes Of Miss our. som,
gcnllcmCD thinking they ought TO h
counted and others dissenting from iha
OPINION, The committee thought " best t,
prevent all difficulty by waving the ques
ton ~ The manner proposed, known!
that IT could not affect The result oil H.
eleciion. As To- HE condition of Mleso,,
ri, he himself thought her state, with
perfect moral tight 10 he admitted ini
lie Uniop, bui kept out for the want n
a cefcmoDions act which VAS deemed b
| niheis nrCeasarN 10 cnliile Ler 10 ID mi.