Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-01-10
FOR THE NATIONAL IsrxLLIGEscER
Eighteenth Congress.
In SENATE, DEcEMBEa 90, 1898.

| WI. v AIN DOREN OF N. i. rose and said
mat, pursuant To notice he had heretofore
gwen, he would now ask for leave to intro
due" resolution proposing an amendment OF
tue Constitution Ofthe u. States on the sub
lect of the election eff President and Vice
President. Should The permission he asked
be granted, II was his intention further To
move, that the resolution he offered be refer
feu To the Select Committee already appoint
ed on similar propositions. To enable that
committee better la appreciate his views, as
well as 10 explain the motives which had in
duced him toadd To the number Of proposi-
tons on the same subject, already before them,
he would, IN the remarks he Intended to
make, refer TO those propositions, and notice
their respective contents. He would do this,
not for the purpose of full discussion, but only
SO tar as was necessary To mark the difference
between them and the one he designed To
Offer, and for a brief explanation of the prin-
ciples upon which that difference is founded
Before he proceeded Ia that object, he would
add his humble testimony IN the Justice of
Hie remark, that the extreme difficulty which
| Is experienced In every attempt to improve
| the present constitution, afforded the most
striking evidence of the great wisdom and
care which presided over the deliberation, and
governed the decision, of those who made it,
He would further add, that, although he felt
mncn reluctance In originating proposition
OF this character, he had not witnessed the FREE
| quent unsuccessful attempts at amendment
winch had been made, with as much regret
and dissatisfaction as was expressed, by some
On the contrary, thinking AS he did, that, as
yet, no improvIdent amendment of the origi-
MAJ instrument had been made, and believing
from the slow aud scrutinIZing process thro'
winch all amendments must pass, that there
was little danger that any, of equiv ocal cha
racter, would obtain, he was induced to re-
gard the frequent unsuccessful attempts 10
aiter me present system, as productive of
much good, by Strengthening and confirming
the confidence OF the people in the wisdom of
us provision, and by increasing and perpetu-
atinS our gratitude for the services, and res
pect iorthe memories of those llIustrioss men
who formed il. That such had been their #.
feet, he had no doubt.
There are, said Mr.. Van Buren,. already he
lore The Senate, three distinct propositions on
ms subject, VIZ. one introduced nv Senator
nom Missouri; one by Senator from New
Jerse y, and one by Senator from South Ca
roiina to which, one had, that moment, been
added, by Senator from Massachusetts
HE three first of which he would briefly no.
nee. The last had, for its object, course
entirely different, as well from the one he in
tended 10 introduce, as those before it, The
plan of the gentleman from Missouri propos-
rs tn divide the different states into districts,
not for the choice of electors of President and
vice PRESIDENT, but to take the votes of the
people directly for those officers, allowing To
each state as many votes as they are now en-
titied To, rendering majority of all the votes
necessary To "A choice, and in the event Of no
eiec'l"n, on the first vote, by the people, the
same TO be made by the House of Represen-
tah'ss, each state having but one vote, as Is
now provided by the Constitution. The only
rema he would now make, on that feature
ot the resolution which dispenses with the "a
gcncy of Intermediate electors, was, that, in
asmuch as with reference TO the condition of
The representation in particular States, secur-
ed TO them by the Constitution, it does not
profess TO give the choice to majority of
the people. and, as it renders a resort to the
House of Representatives almost indispensa-
Die, IN the event of there being no choice in
tht hrst instance, he was not now prepared to
give his assent to it. TO Judge of the propri-
ETY. of 80 much ofihe different propositions as
provide for the division of the several states
INTO districts, a very brief inquiry into their
operation and motive becomes both necessary
and proper. IL has bern said, that, that mode
would effect The double purpose of bringing
the election nearer to the people, by securing
To them, IN every state, the Immediate choice
the mlnOrities in the different states But
when II is considered that by the Constitution,
each state has now the power of securing 10
IT'S citizens those objects when and AS the peO-
PIE OF those states represented in their State
legislatures, may think proper To do it, he
was dIsIDclihPd To believe that desire, on the
part OF any one State, to interfere in these
respects with the Internal condition of aDoth-
er, constituted the motive which induced them
~ urge the measure under consider atiOn.-
Inc object which would be effected by il was
ola different character. With regard to one
eneci, which II was calculated 10 produce on
the different states, there was not, in the dis
cus5ion on this floor last year, the least re-
serve, and, he presumed, there would not be
any now. The alteration Of the system, If a.
dopied, can only be- effected by consent of
the parties to the present compact, and gen
tlemen, representing states differently situated
do but exercise right, of which no one can
complain, IN proposing such terms as are most
acceptable to, and will best subserve the jnte-
rest Of, their immediate constituents. II i
well understood, that the tendency oc This
measure will be TO reduce greatly the present
weight ftbe large states in the general scale.
| by subleciing them To the full operation of
! the political divisions which are supposed to
be more peculiar to them, and thereby pre-
Nehii1B lhcm rom bringing thelT cODsolldat-
| cd strength TO bear upon the Presidential
! question. II is proposed to do this oD the
plan Of the gentleman from Missouri, without
concession Of any description on the part Of
those states who would be benefited by the
change. To decide whether the consent Of
he large states can, with reason, be expected
TO this change, il is proper TO look for mo-
ment to the present relative conditions ofihe
safes, on the score Of influence, in the exist
ing plao OF government. As he had not a.
yet, said any thing upon this subject, either