The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1822-08-27
fNNcpBuRG, AUGUST 81, 1899.
80 - rREslnINT.


10 paitii OFT The ma.i eligible mode 81 desie-
natins tlie man who Is mot Likely io unite
the wi,hes a. msi1fis ~ the people tpi
President, do - loa mush hanos. Who're The
,nsi .inion oil the nilrd States hselt IS 81
~, and when public opinion aud attention
directed 70 tbs subject with intense interest
for thirty live years, hive failed TO SELECT q
means to accomplish this importhh purpose,
which i satisfactory 90 the nniion, NC may
vol despair OF succeeding. Nevertheless, we
VII not shrink from nsowing our views, such
as lhsy arc, with thr hope that ii they do not
meet The APPRECIATION of The Enquirer, that
able paper vi undertake tn lnsk Itself which
IL ha 50 politely referred 70 ps
II Is admitted on ell sides, that the termina-
ton Of the Presidential contest, Oh the floor
of cangress, is an evil which ought, il praeti-
cable 70 be avoided and one which, from
the present aspect or a1tirsl IS mpeli 10 be
unprecedented The crisis Ct ls4s, and the
fatal consequence which had we'll niel result
ted from the eontes,ed election of Jefferson
and Burr, The withdrawal of the privilege of
election from ,hc body of the people, and
Vesting II whore the largest states Of the union
hhyc no more influence than the smallest, all
concur 10 create IN every rejecting mind an
anxiety 10 nave this great event decided by
the electoral colleges. To produce this dc,
sired result, II Is evident that an express or
implied concert must take place among sui
feent number ot The members Of the Union,
TO give some one candidate constitutional
majority of votes II cannot be expected
that this CONCERT will be tacitly agreed Gpon
because the history of the country, since the
commencement OF Mr. honroe's odministGn.
ton, shows too plainly that the political feel
ings aud principles which united certain OF
the states on oil questions oi moment, hive
been unfortunately forgotten or dissolved
because every section OF the union, and many
Individual states, have Candidates Of their own,
whom they are exclusively resolved 10 support
and lastly, because public opinion, however
fted may be the sentiments of individuals, is
81 yet unembodicd, because The wishes of the
pnrts are unknown 70 each other nnd % the
whole, The sort oi concert we speak of is
surl, as existed in the country preyiou, TO Mr.
Jcifersou's second election, aud 10 Mr., Mon.
Ioes first, and which was sufficient TO deter
mine their choice without the aid Of a caucus
To effect this concert, therefore, 1t - plain,
that an express understanding, the result OF
negotiation, must be acknowledged between
enough OF the states 10 carry tie election
or the old alternative of II caucus nomination
must be resorted 10 In other words, the re.
prcsefiatises Of the people, In their national
or state capacity, must necessarily perform the
task ot designating the President No other
expedent cah 6e devised by no other can
The wishes of the people be even guessed -.
II IS impossible that the people eau assemble
aud formally express tirir preference Of any
Individual ned any voluntary association OF
associations which would undertake 10 express
their wishes IN this particular, would Justly
mcer the appellaIion of factions They would
be Influenced by feelings unknown 10 the great
body OF the people aud they would IL truth
speak not with the voice of the people, but
with thai Of some political leader, who. for
ambitious purpose, had assembled Them, TO
add sIccions weight 10 his own pretcn,ions
Since voluntary expression Of The will of
The people, from themselves, cannot be hoped
II dcyolSes on their representative, though
without constitutional sanction, 10 do for them
Whht, 10 the nature OF things, they cannot do
for themselves. The most important point to
a>ttlt IA the investigation is, whether il is most
tiigioie that Congress OF the State legislatures
should errrci.r this doubtful power Of desg
nation which IS. IN reasily, equivalent IN most
m,tanccsto an election itself II exuC dioncy
would refer IL 80 n Congressional canrnr, con
sti,1onal sernpies wasld rather conhne il te
TIA hands OF the Legislatures If Congress
exercise the power of nomination, many con.
cPive II 10 be violation al the constitution :
and II they do moi interfere in the matter,
there Is great danger, thnt from rontrariefv Of
u,
the election ilsel bu ultimately made by that
body. In this dilcmma, we are free 10 confess
that, sacred rs we hold the constitution OF the
United state, we should prefer doing possible
viulsnce % IS tplrit, rather than the country
should intnr the danger which il most likely
10 ensuo, il the election y nat made IN The cr.
binary way if tho ao,ujuation of Presiicn,
is made only by the states, il is papab.e t,,s,i
the same want OF harmony may continue aftnl
the nomination that is now supposed 70 exist
~ ny OF the states nro 80 welded to their
own supposed Individual interest, that !,
wcai he iolly 10 expect them To sacrifice tina,
for the common veal Ii the di.nterest,
states, or ouch as have no feeling apart from
the welfare OF the whole, combine IL kcer
ne election nom the Moor of the House ni
Representatives, as has been suggested in New
losk, II Is easy 10 sec, from the clainor thai
Reasonable proposition excited that mach len.
lousy ana indignation would he created egains
them IN those states which felt themselves az
krieved by the combination On the either
hand. without this association, we are left IN
the game predcametd we already stand in :
The ,rll'i j., thm e.iher mode ha; #, inconve
aiencics, and is attended with much unfair
ness 70 HE people.
We are driven to choice of evils, and we
olgh. 10 wci2h them with cautious delibera
tioa 70 escertaiH u possible which /. leas
i,iu.ical TO BE irdeieasible rights Of the peo
PIE AL Il thc sine time competent to eirec,
tie object IN yicw-For our own paUs ~,
have never been able TO discover any thinu If
the i0rmaiion or functions Of n caucus, nosi
liTsly in viola,on'of the federal cons,tiien
II iniringes ncne OF It's provisions and nttbe
EXTENDS as limits or nodihc. its operntion-
Iisnt il is unconstitutional, We are forced II
admit, because II is tle almost undivided oni
mon q tia. party IN this country, 10 which
weare RON feeling and convic,ion attached
But is there, Without an amendments 70 the con
stituUon, aud new mode of Presidential ap
Rintment, any other eSpedient 10 collect. /,
eoslcentrate and direct public op.nion' Isl
.possii.ie, without the weight of caucus nom
nation 10 prevail ca the confederation 10 re