Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1823-12-23


es 10 co-operat" with the people in pieserv-
iio ther right of choice aud uf executing I'll.
primary design oi the CONSTITUTIONS.
la ITS origin the system otcOngressi onal cau-
Gus must have sprung from Il Gispusiiiup to
consult the will and subser,e the ends of thu.
people, and their acquiesccncr in its policy for
50 many ycars,is proof sufficient ori- wisdom.
Ii ~ q proof also that they have cuts drIed Il.
as II really i, hi,interrSied cu-npriaiiou, 10
render eiltciual their s,lilrascs AID puwer.
Dis'nteresteti, it undoubtedly is, bec,use,as
the same Individuals who compose the eau
Gus would make the election, if the pe0ple
fiiisd To do so, they are thus diminishing ihe
chances vi their own interference! s0 far ftViu
uS,rpmg, they are in fact guaranteeing, pow
er oi the nost absolute aud important charac-
ter. Instead OF betraying an ambitious spirit,
tn deprive the people Of their due weight IN
the election, by self organized .dictators, "a con-
gressinnal caucus rather exhibits the specta-
Gle of body of men, voluntarily renounclng
their own sway, yielding the chance of ahso-
lutely controlling the election, and concertns
means to defend their own ultimate supreme
cy.
Of whatsoever materials, therefore, caucus
may be composed, provided it be constituted
by the consent OF the People, whether this
consent be expressed by lung and established
usage, or by their immediate choice organs, AZ
emanates from them, and is liable To their con-
troll. Ii would not be more su, though II wero
composed of delegates expressly chosen for
the purpose, than II II be constituted by mem
beers of Congress. In either case, the member
of the caucus will act under ii responsibility
TO the Judgment of his constituent with this
material difference, however, that in the case
of the delegate, his responsibility would be Ii
mited To the special service, but in the case of
the member of Congress- il he disappuint the
will of his people without good cause, aud in
cur the displeasure of his constituents. the loss
of his public station would be superadded.
We ask too, If there is any evidence that the
People Of the U. States, by any authentic re-
gular expression of their will, have discounte-
nahced the caucus system Is not all the
opposition which has yet made its appearance,
| TO be traced 10 local pdrtitLities, in favor of
some state favorite, whose claims are only To
be promoted by staing the voice of the great
body of the people? A-d does not every one
see, that these local and partial demonstrations
Of general caucus have been for the most
part got up in state cducuSseS, composed in
some Instances, by members of STATE LegiStd-
lures Nor will il fail To be recOected, that
the recommendations in its favor, have been
as numerous, as the expressions in opposition
| and that they have not been more SO, is only
reierrable to the expectation that system so
long and deeply formed in the SENSE and sanc-
ton of the people, requires no new expression
of their will.
| II is plain, therefore, that Congressional
Caucus must, equally with any other, connect
and promote the will of the people. Whlthe
members not understand it as well Have
they not as good or better opportunities OF
discovering what that will is Are they not
more likely TO possess knowledge of :he diff
ficultles which lie in the way of an election by
the People ?-how concert can be best attain
ed-who will BE- most likely to unite and har-
monize all conflicting Views and interests-in
what way factional dispositions may be most
effectually repressed, and the Vaccinations of
dsnrganizers disappointed?
The question again recurs, whether Con-
gressional Caucus really have any other
object. than to promote choice by the Peo-
pie. and 10 conduct their exeItons TO sue
cessful, harmonious result? But we will pur-
sue the subject in another number.
PUBLIUS.