Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1823-12-18
RICHMOND, DECEMBEk 10. 1923.
WHfCH 2

in 1900 when the election of President was
made ny the House Of Representatives, there
were not less than SO baO,tiDgs Yet at that
! time, the ii of II. had tn choose. between fro
tndiridudts only One Of them Aaron Burr.
whom no electOr had actually designated i'm any
way as President Of the U. Sand whom the
people DID NOT once think of for that oifice-the
olher, In. Jefferson, whom decided majority
VI 'he electors and of the people had unequi-
vocaiiy marked out as their President In fact.
the contest before the PeopIs had not been at
all between these two persons but between
Ihomas Jefferson and John Adams. Yet in
spite OF these indispulable facts, so strong was
the hostility of the federal members of Con-
Sress to Thomas Jefferson so violent is thu,
pertinacity ofparty spirit and Of personal feel
ings on such occasions, that the election was
spun out through SO ballottings the repre-
sentatives OF the people, and the people them.
selves, were thrown into violent excitement
by The protracted controversy. IfMr. Bayard
IS 10 be believed, some of the Federal Re-
representatives. declared, that they would risk n
dissolution of the Union, sooner than vote for
Thomas Jefferson. A proposition was even
thrown out, TO elect a President by law, thus
usnrping upon the principles of the constitu-
t!on. The scenes of that day; the intrgues,
lne as'tations, the dangers, which hung over
the country, are memorable warnings agai at
the repetition of such scenes To such
pitch may the feelings of men be wrought up,
when all their fa,orite objects of party or
amoi'ion, are made 10 depend upon single
event.
In 1891, another scene of this sort occurred
IN INT ii. OF H., but on much smaller scale.
The House had Ia elect Speaker-an officer
of some dignity and importance in himself
Dut Infinitely Inferior TO the Chief Magistrate
ot The Union. Yet even this election occu,i-
ed day and half and was protracted thro'
IL ballotings.-After all, the controversy was
only terminated by selecting one entirely new
person-who was not even in the view of the
House, when the first ballot was given.-But
IN the case ofeiectng President, tins sort
OF compromising expedient is out of the uues-
ion. You cannot drop all the first candidates.
ana 'ake up an entirely new person. You
nave before you the three highest men on the
polls of the electors. To these only. YOU arr.
bound by the constitution 10 narrow the range
OF your selection.
And now stapds the case at the Presidsnti-
al Election OF 1894? Much stronger than
mat 0t 1921, because the Office is infinitely
more important THE means of compromise
Infinitely less.
Much stronger than the case of 1900 be-
cause instead Of two candidates only, YOU will
'a'e 10 seiect from three-because instead of
W. 10 WV va 'utSf tHiuktu and Clarac-
ter'zed by the unequivocal voice of the peo-
pie, neither of the three candidates will carry
with him fhe majariy of the electors. The
people nave not dPeisvely spoken and each
may interpret their wishes in his own favor
In tact, let us not shut our eyes to our stu
alton. Five individuals have been named for
tins important Otiee-who can pretend Ia saw.
that 9th ar IA 9TH may not be hurried on by
ms own wishes pr those of his friends to SEEK
the gathering prize? Each ofthese candidates.
asprants, call them what you please, has some
state or states Ia support him-some presses "a
hSht ms batties-sOmr friends warmly attach
ed to his Interest," and jealous in his success IN
Mood enough has been called up Already
Attacks have been made DISCRIMINATION has
tn5nrd innocent Individuals have already be-
come me objects ofthe rankest calutnny The
Z"alOuS partiBans of three of the candidates
na'r 'asirn pelI-mell upon the character of w
H. Nrh"i"rd: aud symptoms begin To- mani.
itsi themselves of division and hostility he
tween The parIizans Of Adams and Calhoun.
n"nour too speaks freely Of the expedients
mai nave already heen put in Jequisiiion. The
Washington City Gazette dares TO speak of
le''erS mat nave been written and speeches
mat have been made by Mr. Calhoun to pro
mot" his own election Rumour hint, of TIN.
hnesSe that IS employed of entertainments
tha' are To be- given, al Washington, for the
benefit of the parties concerned
lhese exertons will be- multiplied; these ali |
eha'ons VIII become more and more bitter. as
me election approaches. Without some con-
cert among the peopIeno election " III be- made
ny the colleges 1t is transferred tn Tn. "A ol
IL. The election comes on; the friends of tn. |
three highest candidates, embiitrred against
each o'hrr-boih their attachments 10 their |
Ir'ehus ana tnelr antpathies to their ad, ersa-
God hxf.,
partlsans of each flock to the city. What IS to |
be the result? Can any man calmly autici- |
pate 1t e! Who is TO abandon his Candidate
we kno" that one most respectable Represrn-
laiiVes mas declared, that he will nail his Gag 20 |
the mast, rather than give up the ship How |
long Is the struggle To- be prOtraeted WHAT
means are to be used? what trick? what 6nesse2
what intrigues We will not calculate the |
consequences which these 'intrigues ar Tins |
excitement may produce. II no one is elect |
ed, then the Vice President mounts the chair |
which The voice OF the nation had never az
signed him.
If the Il. of K. should eIecta President. n.
will be elected by the majority # The states
not Of the people. New York, Pennsylyanio,
Virginia, are reduced TO the same level win |
Delaware and Rhode Island. l. this right |
To elect Chief Magistrate by less perhaps |
than ODe-tbiTd Of our population? How win |
he sit IN the chair with the incensed msiori- |
ty of the nation, arrayed from the very frs, |
against his administration Is this the time |
for such an experiment, when the whole force
OF the nation may be wanting to resist the de-
signs Of the allied powers
How can these consequences be avoided |
By concert Corporations among the Repub-
lean party by the nomination of one candi
date add no other scheme Of conceDtra-
ton can now be organized, by the old mode