Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-04-02
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, FRIDAY, APRIL 2 1894

4
"oosoms and business" of us ALL 1t was this
view of the subject, the apprehension of the
: dredtyM ecctfcment which would ALWAYS pre-
van IN elccting a President in Conrress-thc
intrigue 1t would introiucc-the corruption il
would give birth-thc convulsive struggles for
power-thc destructive influences to which it
would subject the legislature of the country
w"cn ihcuccd our fathers to lodge the power OF
elcc'ing President IN the hands of me peoDlc.
Ihey act, At is true, by their delegates, but the
electors must be chosen re,y sso.t ti,ne before
tne dsy OF election, and, having performed the
single act coniidcd to them, they return mmc-
aiateiy 10 the body of the peoplc-thus avoid
ing all the dangers which mi ,ht arise from the
employment OF a prc-eristing body IF men, for
the same purpose. Sir, said Mr.. II. cannot
contemplate, without anxiety and alarm, the
adoption Ola principle i'll our constitution, which,
must, IN practice, almost invariably give the
choice oft!ic Prcsidcntto Congress. cannot
but forcscc that, TO all future occasions, thai
great transaction IS destined 10 convulse the
country. " have this day before our eyes a
solemn warning of the fact. When, at future
periods, the number ofcaudidatcs shall be null
ItPhed-whcn parties shall be formed in every
part OF THIS great empire, each anxious for the
triumph, and Jealous i'll the support Of their IA
yorite--whcn our affections shall be estranced
from ourfrIends, AMI our hearts e.nbittered a.
gainst each other-whcn the whole interval be-
tween the different elections shall be employed
In dreadful "notc of preparations for the cnsu-
ing conteSt--can Congress, (fthcy are to eject, J
he tree from the contagion' VIII the Senate
and House of Representatives, amidst the tu-
mutt of the political clements sit like n IIalcv
on, on the waves, mdisturbed SPECTATORS Of sur
rounding horrors 1t is greatly TO be feared,
| sir, that their more appropriate emblem, on such
an occasion, viii he, that dreadful whirlpool of
the North, which draws into its fatal vortex eve
ry thing which falls within the influence of the.
eddies by which 1t is surrounded
| leone now, sad Mr.. Haync, 10 that unol.,o-
SAINT TOPIC which has been unhappily introduced
mo the discussion. | mean Congressional
Caucus. The honorable gentleman from New
York, Alr. King, in the course of his rcma rlxs
IN favor OF an indefinite postponcmcnt of the re-
solutions, took occasion to mention Incidental
~, q "central power" which had grown ND at
the scat oil government, and which was destnl-
cd, hereafter, to control the election Of Pre-:
dent. The gentlemen on the other side have
thought proper, i'll reply, to enter into a vindi-
cation ola Congressional Caucus for the noni-
haton OF PRESIDENT. lfthcir arguments could
be confined to this Hall, and were not calcutta
ted to have an influence on public opinion. |
would not perhaps ''"d myself called upon TO
notice them. But, believing that the subject
Is one OF vast Importance, that il touches the
vital interests of::;e country, and may i'm its re-
mote consequences, endanger Liberty Itself, |
ind myself constrained 10 attempt an answer to
tue particular arguments which have been -
gcd. shall con;uc myself strictly to a dcfcn-
sivc warfarc-and shall enter no further into the
discussion of the subject, than may be neccssa-
~ to reply to the arguments ultich hare been
ii'ged or this for.
1t is contended By the gentleman from New
Jersey, {AIr. Dickcrson,) and the same argu-
lnent has been urged by all the gentlemen who
have spoken on the subject, that Concrcssion-
al Caucus tor tue nomination of President, is
not liable to any of the objections which NAV
be urged against the election of President by
Congress, because the Senators and Rcpresen-
tatves, IN attending caucus, act only in Hei,
p,aoate capacities. This appears to me, said
Mr.. IL. to be .Jdltotcy obvious, that he was
at loss to conceive how any one could be de-
ceNed by 1T. Sir, if so or 60 prirute inaicidunis
should meet in this city and nominate n Prcsi-
dent, what effect would be produced by III
| Would it bean event looked to with anxiety
from every part of the country Would it di-
vide the nation into parties, challenge the
praise or the ccnsure of every freeman in the
land! No, SIR il is because the gentlemen who
compose such meeting are .Mt,:,be,,s of Con
gress-it is the authority with which they are
clothed, that gives influence and effect to their
! proceedings. But for this, TO such meeting
would be held. They meet in their characters
| Of Members Of Congress, they would not
meet at all. 1t is true, they, do not meet to
| perform Legislative lufy, and the very obicc-
ton to the proceeding is, tlat they step beyond
the line of their peculiar and appropriate duties
and use the influence attached to their Offices
| for the promotion of an object not within their
Congressional powers, and with which the spi-
rit of the constitution tcrbds them to interfere
To show, conclusiycly, that il is Tie influence
attached to the Office ola Member Of Congress
which is the foundation ola Congressional eau
Gus, and that il is expressly in their character
Of Members Of Congress that gentlemen attend
such meeting, Mr.. III. adyertcd TO the fact that
none other arc invited or suffered TO attend.
| IfGentlGmen acted only In their private capaCi-
| ties, every American CitizcU-ccranlv every
| nhabitant this District, would be at liberty
, to unite with them. Look, too, at the forms of
proceeding in such cases the Hall Of legislation
is appropriated TO t!Icir use; the Speakers chair
is occupied by tiicir chairrnaD the officers of the
| House are stationed at the door to prevent tie
entrance of any but Members Of Congress, who
are called up by states to give their sufFragcs.
After this, tell not that gentlemen act in
their Er;UGte capacities, and that, as Members Of
Congress, they have concern in the transac
ton! Sir, (said Mr. Haync,) / deny that man
can put of and put on, ut pleasure the official
| garb with which nc is clothed. "A man clothed
with executive authority cannot, as a private
citizen, perform legislative duties; neither can n
! Member of Congress put OF his character, and,
! as private citizen, interfere with matters which
the constitution has wisely prohibited him FROM
| mcdlling with. I have heard Sir, said MIR.
! Haync, Of priest, who, walking TO church i'll
his robes Of Office, received al insult; he threw
:. - asV.- II H.,