Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1823-10-03

n, good
people. Are the obec,ors afraid thai their own u-
elligence and Ermness would be oyerborne by cor
rupi recomnio nda,ion? n" They proudly declare
that ~ shall produce no effect upon them Wbs,
,hen They apprehend that we whose uuds rstapJ-
me they so highly exo!, will certainly be dupeI ~
| case, where their own modest selves are free frow
all danger. The I" iic,aon'' would be harmless 10
thom bat we like simple, credu,ous children c.uuo
safely listen TO n Recommendation Now be IT known
to these our generous patrons, and pancgyrical ad-
m,re's, that the people entertain horror Of
advice because they are vain enough TO believe
that when II is bad, they have sneac,,y TO appre-
c'ate and courage to reject it. II they refuse
nearing, II VIII the To those iorky tongued counsel
Tors who represent them sages at GA. time and
oots al ano,her. according 10 the exi:ences ot their
crooked logic The secret Of such politicians eau
not he concealed. They imagine thar their local ,u-
n""nce may he converted into private property. They
thhN thrt they possess lIuls ocks of eau
lie sold as livestock IN the market and therefore
shrink from Il general republican Caucus, in which
All inuividnai speculation must succuu,b the grand
'nte, esis OF the parry.
The persons whom have repliet nj Ie az u,,-
less wish that the first magistrate may be chosen y
maJnri;y OF the people. But the second class OF
obJecfors, To whom must attend, differ an hi.
respec entirely from their conductors and think \,
s"gran,'y unjust that ANY preoauiion should he taken
to prevent minority of the nation FROM eeciAs a
President,
Strange that such difference should be-
According to the Constitution, every state appoints
number OF Electors equal that offs Senators aud
Representatives, "nd consequently pronortiopale In
its population The of .iori,y of these .lec,
President. But II no candidate receives a maiori-
w the choice Is then made hy the House Of Rep.--
senauves, whose members do give their suffrage
individually, nut by states each great or small
having one vote. la fine the first mode gives choice
TO The majority oil the people the other leaves il IN
me power OF n''nori'y. is contended that III.
latter provision is 90 edera,ive Ingredient, of th,
Constitution which ought to be respected and there
lore no particular exe,ion should be made 10 prevent
It iron operating. Without discussing p, essen, the
intrinsic merits of this ederative Ingredient, we adj
init what nobody denies, that being a part of The sp-
preme law, IL must w obcyed however objectionable
but tho the trainers OF the Constitution allowed the
Chie Magistrate TO he chosen by majority OF states II,
particular contingency did they no, uneo uvocaiIy
mWk their preference of popular election hy resort
Ing 10 ~ IN the fist instance And are we MOI trnr
coniorming 10 the spirit of the government, when we
auoi,, mensu es 80 make that mode operative which
he constitution so clearly has indicated as %, efera-
NE iet mere Is Glamour that this federatiye
p''"clpie "hi never be brought into action, md is
therefore virtually abolished, iT we always cn,pIpy
means ot securing popular majority so eTrclusl q.
mat OF general nomination. We are bound ti,en in
inc spir OF This objection, to let every provisional
article oil The laws have actual effect Because n
substitute has been provided for those cases m which
HE best means may happen 10 fail we must sot in
every insianca9,ievent The best from failing
test The substitute should never he employed A mnn
u IS true eau lawfully defend himself but he sbnnII
sometimes submit to beating. that the remedial nc
!Ion OF Assault and Battery may have entire efTec,
ne inventors ot the argument must certainly blnsh
when they consider its real scope for of
all legal provisions are evidently con,rved for tboss
very occurre ncts which the Iaw-piyer is anx;ons 10
prevent. public spirited person resolu,ey deter
"iheu 10 bring all the laws OF the land INTO actual
operation, would run singular career of fine i'm
prisonmeni and stocks and end il by "a catastrophe
wn ar cannot he wished TO any true patriot.
lhese obJectors are not salts fed with specuIating
on The theory OF government, but stisma,ize gene,u
nomination as an absolute wrong. They tell ms tha;
II the iir'i election fails, the power of choosing he
longs t}the minority, aud thar any extraordinary
cane TO prevent the failure, of course be regard
ed as virtual robbery of this contingent right Sure
ly tho gentleman would be faceous and only intend
IN make the pleasantly more exquisite by the soeo,
MY OF iheir manner. Suppose that on some raw
Gay al Ndshington (where there is often congress,
OF clouds as well as OF statesmeo) Mr. Tompkins on
seeing Mt Monroe carefully buuoned TO the chm
should exciaim-" my dear sin that is neither pener
ois nor iaIr-you know that according 10 law if YOU
drop of take your place-be lberal-len,e ,our
great coat and oversoes at home like good citizen
aud run the constitutional risk of pleur-y and
catarTh. Could the Presidential gravity itself with
stand so pathetic appeal!
The general objections 10 "a Caucus are declared
ny the same reasoners 90 he peculiarly wrong,
cause is composed Of Congressman who are iable
10 he intrigued with by person that may afterwards
VOC me hrst aiagsiracy This is singular logic from
potcians, who desire that The election itself shosd
be made, by those very individuals so much exposed
10 the influence OF intrigue. They think that me M
oe,s oil Congress may safely elect President: but
~ IS nonsrous that they should recommend ono
hey suppose that a candidate will he unduIr in
inenced 10y word IN hisfsvour, hut not bv an actual
vote that he will exert himself more TO procure q
perceive this inconsistency and still urge ha argu-
men must entertain little respect Tor the under
standing oil others and those who DO no, perceive il,
can claim very little for their own Ano,her v;e,v nj
mus pari 0i The subject renders il still more persDcu
GUS here are tico hundred end srfy-O1e Senator.
bnd Representatives therefore an effsciual non,ius
non must receive the sanction of nbont one hundred
ana Wpty-oNe. but when an election is made by The
House OF Representatives, The oase US we lnye al
ready seen, is totally different The dc cison is The
made by majority of states, and not of memhers-
o. npftk .,..s...
d"d h'rtee" members Now there are thirteen States
Ga majority OF the whole number) whose Representa-
ives do not exceed torty-fre So hist even iT ye
suppose all these fortj- IRE TO be unanimous n Presi
dent might he shosen by less than one fourth of The
House Bui as the vote of each state depends not
o" the wh"e, nut simple majority Of its representa-
"on Is evident that the election Say be decided by
SIN smaller number. On reference 10 the propet
documents 1t will appear, that hrty-one is msioruy
oi Tue representation o those thirteen states ak-n
separately and therefore this handful about one
sere"h OF the House, might elect tho Preside Mt
Coucediug that they were all persons of immac,la,.
purity they wonlJ assUredy be rather TOO few IN
make ruler Ton the nation aud with respect to the
danger OF Intrigue, these calculations are Irresistible
Does any man believe that II would he more ditiicuI,
TO corrupt thirty -oH than dand thirt- one
hrhnmehG IS not iallacy, tis part ofihe objection
mgnt ne considered at rest But there is another re
htcou TOO Important 10 be ouiited IL improper innu-
ence SHOULD produce vicious nomns ion there will
he time to expose and reDder it Intellectual bun
corrupt election IS at once copsummaed, and the
peope are ieit without resource
Inc expectancy IN general nomination being esa,-
shed, II would be turtle to advance even befier Oh.
Jfcuons 70 the performance OF that service by Mem
bers OF Congress or on what other persons can !,
deVove To propose an election OF delegates for
ms particular object is entirely chimerical a |
thousand difficulties unnecessary detail are opuos
ed TO The measure and only is the substitution
impossible, bUi il IS probable that we could choose
none 80 well qualified Senators and Represen-
laves. They arc men who already possess the con-
lence oil ihc people,, and many oftIem after repeat
ed trials. Iboir means Of learning the general sen