Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1823-12-16
CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS.

CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS.
Since We have no more ofthose illustrious
lndiv iduals, who, surrounded by halo of re-
evolutionary glory, disreled all local feeling
and attracted aud concentrated the admins
trailon OF proud and grateful people, the Sc
lection ofthe chief magistrate must he heresf
ter the work ofcompromise, in which section
al preJudices and personal predictions must
yield to an enlarged patriotism, which shall
regard only triumph of principle and the good
OF the country. Such a compromise can no
where be so satisfactorily and eilectually ac-
complished as in Congressional Caucus, rte
presenting the feelings and enjoying the conf
dence ofal. Without such confidence, there
can he no choice of President by the people,
and the election must be carried in the House
of Representatives, and if decided there, un-
der what auspices will il BIZ decided ? All the
sectional RACES and personal irritations, which
shall have been in conflict before the people
and there defeated all attempts at an election,
will, exasperated and embittered, he transfer
red To the House of Representatives, there To
feed volcano, already convulsed and threat
ening To explode and pour its devastating tor
rents over this blooming land and to bury our
liberties under the scared and shattered runs
OF our Constitution. OF all these dangers
which threaten not the prosperity only of this
great conf derated republic, but its very eX-
lstence,-the most formidable is distraction
and discord between lis several parts, nstiga
ted by those pismy CAESARS who had rather
b" first in a village than second at Rome and
who continually attempt to rouse the blind
lndISnaiiun of district against some imag ina
ry grievance or INJUSTICE, or to inspire it with
wild and fantastic notions of IFS superior ex
elusive claims TO political, moral, religious, in
tei'eciual and ply steal excellence.
There are NOW five candidates for the Pre-
sidency announced To the public, three OF them,
at least, being nominated by their own state
only, % its immediate vicinity, owe their nom
InalI0n 10 these causes. This circumstance
alone, would in all probability, be sufficient TO
lrusirate the election of any one Of the candi-
dates 10y the people without a compromise at
Congressional Caucus, which shall snoth his
opponents and Increase his friends. GA the
failure al an election by the people, three of
these five Candidates will be competitors for
The sltfrages of the House Of Representative,
voting nD' per capita, bat by s,ates-and the
ledeiatIve principle will alone rule the ascen-
dant--a tical, arbitrary, merely accidcn-
al combinations will there exclusively prevail :;
and man, with all lis boosted equality of rights
will he dsregardrd. The Constitution, after
speaking of the electoral election, says" If
no person have a majority, then, from the
1--we" now, by an amendment, three)" high
est Oh the list, the House shall in like man
ner," Thy haiiOt) - choose the President. But
IN choosing President, the votes shall be
t~ken by St'tes, the representation from each
state having one vote; quorum for this
purpose shall consist Of member ar MEM
bcrs from two thirds f the states and ma
Jorty nfaIl the states shalt be necessary To IA
choice"
Those who have nominated candidate.
and supported him from mere local feeling hs-
fore thv public, where this feeling might be
neutiasiZed by the good sense and dsinterest-
ed patriotism "f m lority Of the nation. will
surely not be- disposed 10 rcnounce t-at feel
'ng when the contest is TO be decided on an
arena, listed aud narshaIled by that very feel
In5 aud ,hencc peculiarly calculated To aug
nen' aud prOlOng all lis violence and frTuciiy
TIE me"thsrs OF such an assembly, cease IL
be the representative rs Of the people and be-
con'r the agents OC mere arbitrary territorial
portions Of the republic, regardless Of their
relative extent and of the number of their re-
sprctive inhabitants State aud sectional ar
rogancr and jealousy are the legitimate off
sptinS D! such circumstances, and tfP unhap-
p men whom they Cuutrou regard the peO-
Pi" and the country as objects uf secondary
consideration. The single representative from
~ ''"'s w OS''"d az can 'lt lhe 'oit ol lHe
thirty six representatives from New York A
President, indeed, may be- there elected by
thirteen states, which shall contain, together,
l-ss than one fourth of the whole population of
his nation. Thus elected, he would ncces-
sarily have the other three-fOurths of the PEG.
pie arrayed against him, aud thence. during
MS bret term nf four years, he would he d
mere cyphcr In the government, and an oh
lJcct oi dttesia,iOn To- great majority of the
nation. IL in such condition, he could take
pride III his sad prr-euinencr, il must he the
pride of the fallen angel who found it " better
tu reign IN h. than serve in Heaven"
b. Statesman HANCOCK