Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1823-08-08

Il
monopolizc, as we apprehend the election of every
lutur. President. Because the moral effect of AL
vice. 30 suggested 10 ddy by individuals who egislate
Tor the whole nation 10 aorroio, becomes, in uHess
pi time, Ju> as efficient as II such opinion wert |
co"chcd the form of regular legitimate resolution
~ Congress. True is, tas has been alleged by nd
'ocates tor The cancns innovation) tina, electors
The states respectively not bound b, and may,
IN Tact, diregard such nomination :and " IL he mere
isolated opinion which the general Caucus aspirc>
,o publish, such opinion is the right of man.
But Who does not understand that the very reverse
oil TINS vs. intended. Who does not know that the
promoters Of general caucus mean that such pre-.
Jeciding opinion, registered Washington, should
become sfhcacious from Portland to Nrw Orleans
Because i, such proceeding be permitted 10 root
'iay as precedest, it will shoe, Tomorrow as
doctrine virtually aholshing the votes of the
election and the voice of the People. Neveiihe
less, II the latter, IN great numbers, shall manifest
hereafter predictions fir the mod hcaiinn
lei sh avowed (not clsndestinp) mrndmcni of the
existing constitution prevail Because a proper
PRESIDENTIAL election Is matter of inclination as we'll
AS reason and judgment. But what sort of election
Is that IN which The determination of those who
Is guided by the determination of those who, when so
guiding, have not vOie Ia besow and here those
who formally register the conclusion perhaps
Thousand miles distant from those upon whose argu-
mems II VAS grounded
7. Because mower is Of an cncroaching nature, and
oushi to Ice eitectualy restrained from passing the
hunts assigned 10 NJ and because there is constant
tendency IN the most popular branch of national
government TO extend The sphere Of it's ACTIVITY ;
and because, IN representative governments, ,egs
aiive usurpaiious always assume the guise of recon
incubation rather than command.
g. Because such Is The necessary structure of
tederaive republic, composed Of cluster of States
having equal rights TO unequal authority, that it in
practice the SWAY al numbers shalt exclusively dom
ineer, then three iourhs of our bodies polite must
tie controlled IN all Gases whatsoever Nv one-ourth
only OF their ro-esates To guard against such pa
rauosnt coercion ia the eventual election of Prrs-
dent, rs well rs .h" structure ofthe Senate portion
OF The public viii WAS created that shoald not entire
~ emanate from population The tendency of . g.-
neral Congressional caucus j. to annul this whole
some iniH>ion at free con federacy The feeLier
states particularly eDdsared to your mcmoriali,,s
cling 10 such pillars OF the consutom--,he result Of
" "A spi'It vi amity and ,ha. mutual difference and
copre on, which the peculiarly e of poliiic, situ-
alton rendered indispensable. -Bec.,use we are
members of wide spread conlee ration, and oueh,
10 consider that the machinery OF unparaiic led
constitution Us no simple %ifa", but as Intricate aud
rs delicate as u Is valuable. constitutions indeed
moulded with reference 10 two-fnId popular system
oi nature local ard general, distinct aud vet inter
ming 'ed--swaied 10y mhjoriues oi States aud of peo
plea systea at onre balanced aud so be.u,,iui
must even he a critical code to administer. Under
such circumstances, dubious pTeCedents being dis
carded, general reason ought to guide and puhl,c
op'nlon become the vehicle and organ of legislative
omnpotence.
y Because II is proper TO take alarm whenever
one or both OF the great ordinate bran, hes of
congress apparently combine although PROGRESSING
Ia act as individual ciiizens, and dvcsicd of al. e-
gIslative authority, more especially ii, under the
mask OF snch popular modeSiN it may he pnusbly
imputed TO them iha' they appear ready 10 tamper
with the SPIRIT OF that cons''uor, which the people
falned win view O cont Oliug improper amhiiiun
both IN themselves and their agents Because fne
latter are hut the creatures and voegerenis Of the
former. Their jurisdiction rs both derivttive and
limited. Ii rs limited with iegard 40 the CO orslina,e
departments, more esl eciay is limited WI reg I'D
Ia III" constituents The preservation Of a free led
eratve government requires not mcrelyih The mees
and bounds which separate each department of pow
/ o he a. Il
" that neither Of them he suffered 10 overlrap the
great barrier winch defends the rights of the people
w no does not see that the authority which AN
override the people elective suragcs bv the prema-
ture disclosure Of puhl he'd opinion favorable IN
any candidate however meriiorIous, NAV hy an *.
eruon oil sImiiar influence afterwards override also
mem el"c ed c"ndGaieN nominations office -
And thus gradually draw wIibin the impeuu vortex
OF legislative authority, enlarged IN the alive
Chamber, important powers coTfded 10 other depart
meuts
10. Because caucus composed OF indivi,lua IS
constituting majority OF the eighteenth Congress,
will embrace numbers Of men so considerable, as
whrh hssrmtied 10 ne IaUie vOicn, r,,oeo,.s an.
SINISTER hiases The body oi such may he
denoc cratic, hut lis spirit Will TIE tainted nv niparcy
and thus IFS leaders will probably form combinations
which, although they may not properly he enomina-
ted corrupt, may YET he of a nature TO miSead them
from their duy. And the situation Of Senator's who
are ia their executive capacity, hereafter consiin.
uonahy to advise the PresdenI on every nomination
he sa'i make VIII he exposed, perhaps To unworthy
TO lie independent Tor elevation To office upnn all bu,
the electoral agents Of the people who acting in the
first instance, unnhuenccd hy general caucus INNS,
and viii nominate HIM. Otherwise he nipht A..
tempted moi only sacrifice lis duty 10 his compIas
ance for those TO whose cOnClIve favour he might
suppose he already owed his elevation, but might
shr'wdiy ANTICIPATE The nrcesiy of renewing such
sacrihce TO secure a secOnd term OF advancement.
IL Because, Independent OF its anti constitutional
complexion, such measure, from its supposed man
daory tendency 10 bias the first electors of the Pres
ideni, has Of late brCome peculiarly obnoxious 10
many consideiate and patriotic citzens md, more
over, because proceeding, which, if not entirely
unconstitutional, is Of singular magnitude and ,Ieca-
cy, ought not to be imposed upon the public lay mem
heTs OF Congress, even IN their individual Capaciiv
without the cleares evidence that is called Tor by
| II majority Of states ciiizens
IL Because, finally we say that, touching the first
process Ivy which President can he correctly cIo-
sen, no Senator no Representative, has (accordiug
70 the best OF our knowledge and heieO been in
siructcd by his constituents, or is authorized by any
clause IN the constitution OF the United STATES 10 CO.
alesce or combine, whether IN minorit, or n,ioriiy
to nominate recommend any candidate for Presi-
dent by or through the agency of any caucus what,
soe'er And we say, moreover, that according the
best estimate that make Of the public opiBioD
that majority Of the people do think that il is lie
negative duty Of III mbers of the 18th Congress TO
leave such primeyal process OF Presidential election
| untouched and sacred; aud because most of The
citizens conceive that, upon constitutional principes
members Of congress have right TO NEEDLE
with II now than they have control the freedom of
the press, abolish the uh 10y jury, swallow UP the
executive on judiciary powers Of the Union.
ln CONCLUSION, yonr memOrialisis las IN duty bountl)
beseech the great LawgiveT of the Universe by en-
tightening the minds Of all those venerated men 10
whom this remonstrance is addI essed on the one
hand, to turn their councils finm every act whether
OF omission or commission, that might violate the
great trust committed 10 them ~ the people and,
~ Tie other, TO guide lhem every measure that
gall lie worthy OF his blessing, rebound to their
own praise, aud Contribute 90 establish more 6ro,ly
the Liberties aud the happiness Of Ibis inqusitive and