Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1824-06-17

, would have proved an adequate security
The excitement OF that period, pro-
ceeding from causes not likely again to
have happened, admonisbes US against
future alterations at periods of agitation,
asd dissuade from proposing further al
ieraGon at shis time.
= The constitution provides that the
president and vice president shall be e.
lected in this manner. each state shall
appoint, In such manner as the legisla-
ture may direct, number of electors
equal to the whole number of senators
and REPRESENTATIVES, to which the state
may be entitled in the. congress; but no
senator or Representative. or persons
holding any office OF trust or profit. I'M
der the United States, shall be appoint
ed an elector.
he electors shalt meet IN ,keir re-
spsetire states, and vote By ballot for
president and yice-president, one OF
whom, atleast, shall not be an inhabi-
tant Of the same state with themselves
They shall name, in their ballots, the
person voted for as president, and, IN
distinct ballots,the person voted fora
yice-presiden', and they shah make
distinct lists OF all persons voted for as
president, and of all persons voted for
as vice. pre- sident, aud of the humber: Of
votes for each; which lists they shall
sign and certify, and transmit sea ed to
the seat Of government Of the United
States. directed to the president &c the
senate. The president Of the senate,
shall, in presence of the senate and
house of representatives., open all the
certificates, and the votes shall tl,sn be
counted; the person having the great
est number of votes for president, shall
be president, if such numbers be ma
jority Of the whole number of electors
appointed, and if no person have such
majority, then. from the persons having
the highest. numbers, not exceeding
three, on the listof those voted for as
president, the house, Of representatives
shall chose, by ballot, the presidency
But in choosing. the president, the
votes shall be taken ny states, the re.
presentation from. each state having one
vote,a quorum for this purpose shall
consist of member or members from
two thirds Of the states, and majority
of all the states shall be necessary to a
choice. And if the house Of represen-
tatives shalf not chose a president,
wheneverthe rights of choice shall de-
rolve upon them, before the fourth day
OF March next following, then the vice.
president Shall act as president, as in
the ease. of the death, or other constiu-
tional disability, Of the president.
Such are the actual provision of the
constitution concerning the election of
the president The constitution itself
asseelafe informed By the report of the
convention, to- the old congress, wa.
the result Of spirit of amity aad of
mutual Difference and concession
greater powers were surrendered TO
the United States by the larger states
than by the small ones, because their
numbers and resources were great
err.
The house Of representatives is COM
posed on the basis of the numbers Of
Che respective states, the small states
here yieisn,g to the large ones, and the
sefase is composed on the basis of the
equality of states, the large states here,
in turn, deferring to the small ones
The executive is chosen by neither
rule, but by The influence of both rules
united, it is well known that tie small
states would not have consented to the
choice by electors, mode favorable to
the large states; but, upon the consent
ofthe large states on the failure Of a
choice By the presidency by the cleo
tors on he fest trial, that the hoUse Of
representatives voting by states, the
representation from each state having
one vote, shall choose the president, not
from those they deem the most worthy,
but from the persons having the high
numbers, not exceeding three, on
the list of those voted for by electors,
thereby. restricting the choice of the
house of representatives., to the three
highest candidates nominated BY the
largest states. To this adjustment,
which sFas brought about by comprom-
Use hetween the states, no objections
were made At ne period when the con-
stitution vas afterwards under the dis
cussion oft several states Though
great difficulties occurred in the debates
Of the state conventions on other pos-
lions of the constitution Of the United
States, no opposition appearedsto the