Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1823-11-28

pcdsv themselves To suppoi the men thea nom,ra,
ed cnonot he d'scerned, especially wheU m'eht az
pUcn that the persons thus nominated, could not,
urder ANY circumstances ohIsin u SINGLE vote from,
the stale whose Wemhers sand pledged to support
them.
IL is said that an election bv the House Of R.prc-
s"","'"es would he dangerous occurrence, which
Ought I" h" avoided. II -, let the Constitution be
80 ehhgrda as 10 avoid tn 81 long rs the Constr
tn,o" d ecis one uod" of eeciing officers, let not
uiieiehi mode prevail IN practice. When the history
81 the Sme rican government looked into, with
ey" 10 thls suiJec', tie unprecedented danger disap-
pears EHnerienre long since pointed out The NEON
'e"iehces OF the or2n provision ia the constitution
Oh thtS >ufJect. An amendment, calculated, rs was
supposed, 10 remove every oisiare, proposed ms
our wiscsi siaesoienit adopted 10y the American
people aud no difficulty has presented itself III the
subsequent practice. Shall fear thar the amend
meat oade may i'il TO answer the end proposed by
II, induce us TO ainpi corrse, persist IN prac
ue-, whch Is maniirsy INVASION of the consti'u-
u"n, and deci iniraciion OF the spirit of Of lis
most important provisions
IL has been said. thai the members of Congress in
Caucus only Recommend to the people for whom TO
vote, and that such endaon is obligatory
h,s Is true. and clearly proves that II is matter
winch does not belong 10 ihem-that, IN rccomme nd
my candidates, they 20 beyond the authority commit
ted 10 them as members Of Cong and thus trans
rend the trust delegated to then 10y their constituents
u heir acts Ind any obgs force, then the an-
ihoriy mast he derived from part of the const-
tnuon of the United States, and might tie righ'fully
exercised but when they they onl, recommend, il
Us an admission on their part that they acting with
outa"ihory, and attempting nv usurped in Gu
ence, TO effect object not coniided TO them md
not within their powers, even by implication h
cannot be admitted that there is any weight IN she
argument drawn from The fact, that both the parties
heretofore contendng for the supremacy of the
United States have, in former times, resortcd TO this
practice. The actions of public private meu,
heaiedby party zeal aud struggling for asccndancy
ana power, ought not to be urged as piecetents
when circumstances have entirely changed All po-
ical precedents of doubtful authority & shoni,l
never he permitted TO pass unless madr
~ good times nnd for laudahie purposes In pallia-
ion oil the practice Of resnriing To cancus nomina
mons IN former tines IL was said that each part, mus
Oh fnecessiiy consult together in some praciic e
way, and select the most suitable persons from their
rrspeshve parties, that the united efforts of all
those composing it might he Brought TO bear upon
thei opponents.
IL is To be recollcccd that there is no danger of a
departure from, or violation OF, the constitution,
cept when sttOng temptations are presented. and ia l.
will seldom occur, eacept when r.rties are arravpd
against each other, and their feelings violently ex
oneu. The state OF things, however, in the United
o'aes Is entirely GLANCED 1, is no longer selection
made hy members of Congress, Of different parties
out IT rs ap election by the Houses of Congress
IN which all the members be permitted to al
'e"d ana vote IL rs not difficult perceive that this
practice may promote and place IN office, who
couiu not be elected, we've the constitutional mod,
pursued II is placing the election of President and
VICE President of the United States--nn election in
whch all the STATES have equal interest and equal
uious States, than was contemplated hy the cous,itn-
uoa THIS practice is considers objectionable or
other accounts so long Congress is considered n
composed OF the individuals ON whom the election
uepends, The executive will is subjected the
iroi OF that body, and some degree to he
separate and independent branch of the govern
ment and an expectation of Executive patronage
may have an unhappy influence the deliberations
of Congress
Upon review OF the whole question, the follow.
ing reasons which admit of much amplifcation and
enlargement more than has been urged 10 the fore
gong, hiisht he coDcusvely relied on TO prove the
impohcy and unconstituonaliiy OF Congressional
nominations of candidates for the Presidency and
Vice Presidency Of the u. States
LIST caucus nomination is against the shirt of
The Constitution. ID IL is both ime xpedent and i'm
polite I'D. Members Of Congress may become The
Hn electors, and ought not 10 PREJUDICE the case by
pe"g'ns themselves PREVIOUSLY TO support particular
candidates. 4'h j. violates the equality intended
be secure eel by the Constitution TO the weaker states
oth caucus nominations may, In time, if the prac-
nee rs not efeciaaly prevented by the interference
oil the states, acquire the force OF prece dents and
beco authoritative, and thereby endanger The H.
berries oil the American people
The General Assembly, believing that the true shirt
othe constitution viii be bestprrserved by leaving the
election oil President and Vice President TO The penp
themselves through the medium Of electors chosen lbs
mem, uninfnenced by any previous nomination made
Dy members oil Congress, have adopted the following
Isl. ResOired, That the Senators in Congress- from
Tins staie be instructed, and our Representatives HI
requested, to use their exerlions prevent non,na
non being made during the session of Congress-
oy the members thereof in canrus of persons TO fill
the oihces OF President and Vice President of the
United STATES.
ID RESOLVED, That this General Assembly will.
al lis present session, divide the state INFO as MANY
districts, IN convenient form, this state entitled
10 electoral votes, for the purpose OF choosing an
Iector IN each, to vote Tor President aud Vice Pres-
deEt Of The United States.
3. RsSoired That the Governor of this state trans
nit copy Of the foregoing preamble aud resolutions
10 the executive Of each of the United States with
request that the be laid before each Of their
respective legislatures.
a. Resofued, That the Governor transmit n COPY TO
each OF the Senators aud Representatives in Congress
from this state.
Mr.. Grundy's Resoluiions.-W are indebt-
ed to late Number of the National Gazette
for copy of the Preamble and Resolutions
lately adopted, with great unanimity, in the
Legislature OF the State Of Tennessee, on the
suggestion of MIR. GRUMPY, who was a Repre-
sentative IN the Congress ofthe United States
al a time when -" Caucus nominations" were i'm
better odour with some others, besides him
sell, than they seem TO be at present. These
resolutions, the Editor Of the National Gazette
says, he" gladly assists in circuIatng;" 10
which he adds" Ii seems to us impossiblr that
" the country should not in the end be penetra-
" ted* with the anti-consituiiona character
" and dangerous tendency of this old party
" expedient" The last word belrays the Sc
cret of the hostility IN that quarter TO resorting
now to the consultation on the expediency of
selecting this or that person as a Candidate for
the Presidency, which has been heretofore re-
sorted TO with the almost unanimous consent
ofthe Republican party. But the Editor Of the
Gazette says also that this Preamble and Re-
solutions exhibit the subject in strong and
just lights" As we do not entirely concur in
this view oftbem, we take leave to state few
Of our objections.