Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-03-30

tecting those still more subtle REQUIREMENTS which
regarded meetings of the same character a.
sometiines proper, and others destructive of the
purity OF elections and dangerous to the lib.rte,
OF me people. He could not satisfy himself tina
this was either the place or the occasion for dis
cussions of that character. But. whilst he alb.
stained from following his colleague in the re-.
marks having reference to this subject, which he
nad allowed himself to make, Mr.. v. b. hoped
he would not be understood AS wishing to raise a
question as to the propriety of the course which
ms colleague thought propcrto pursue. 1t would
not become hln,to do SO. The principal erSund
taken ior the postponeDcnt of the resolution os
aiormer occasion, related to the excitement pro-
duced by the approaching election, and the s,i.
perior fitness of future period for the consider
alton OF the subject. This ground had now beer
much enlarged. 1t had been observed ty an no
norable member from North Carolina, in oppo
st'on to tine melton, that the necessity Of SONS
| amendment ofthe Constitutions i'm this respect
was generally admitted, andla been extensive.
~ called for by the people. Mr.. v. b.. under.
$1,000 ms colleague not only to dc ly the fact al
lesed' as to the state of public opinion, but ia
contest the propriety of any amendment of the
Constitution on the subject of tie choice of Pre-
sidcnt and Vice President. It,vas on these two
points 'ie would make few remarks. 1t could
not, he thought, be necessary and might not be
proper to dctain the Senate by a minute STAG
nent OF the various proceedings of CONGRESS.
ana OF the states, OH the subject. 4 very brief
reference to them would shcw that the gentle.
man IRON orth Caro!inaw.,s supported by facts
m the opinion no had expressed. Mr.. V. 3. be-
ieyed, that, on examination, il would be found.
that the first movement on the subject had BEEN
made b. the state he had the honour, i'm part. to
represent. 1t was now twenty two years since
inc Legislature of New York, shortly after an,
election, and under circumstances entirely dis
connecting The measure with any pen;ling con-
troversy, had, with great unaninlity, passc re-
solutions IN favor of an amendment of the Con-
stitution of the United States, requiring the di
VISION OF the respective states into Districts for
the choice of Electors, and authorizing their Sc
lection Immediately by the people. Those reso-
iutions were communicated to Congress, and
would be found on the Journals of the Senate !:
since that time the subject had been actcl upon
at various periods, and in different FORMS as w ell
by Congress as the Legislatures of the different
states. OF the proceedings of the latter, those
OF North Carolina and New Jersey have been
most conspicuous. The Legislature of North
carolina passed resolutions, nearly similar 10
those OF New York, and sent them to the diGar-
ent states for concurrence. New York instruct
ed her Senator'S, and requested her Representa-
tiVes, to cndeayor to obtain the amendment pro-
posed by North Carolina, and many of the states
gave similar instructions. At least three times
within eleven years, an1as late as the year 1922,
resolutions, proposing appointments to the Con
stitution upon the subject of the election of Pre-
sldent and Vice President, have passed this bo-
dy, by more than the Constitutional majority, and
there had been few sessions for several years in
which the subject had not been more or less
acted upon. Early in the present session, reso
lutions for amendment had been proposed by Sc
majors from Missouri, New Jersey, South Caro-
Ina, Massachusetts,, and New York. Their
respective propositions had been referred to a
COMMITTEE, combining much of tl>e talent and
experience of the Senate of which his colleague
was member. The subject had been cons-
dered with great care, and a plan reported, con-
tanning, as the Committee thought, the best parts
OF the resolutions referred to them. In that re-
port, he understood the Committee were unani-
nous, and appearances certainly indicated the
adoption of some resolution on the subject at the
present session. Such were his impressions, and
ne tii,nglit that suc! had been the opinions of
the members of the Senate generally. In view
ofthc facts he had stated, he could neither re-
press nor conceal his disappointment in finding
the motion for postponcncnt, nov supported on
the ground that no amendment was desired by
the people.
Mr.. Van Buren, said that, although the reso
luton he iadproposed had notbeen wholly ADOPT
ed by the committee, and, notwithstanding he
Oh StllI
If he should be successful in his enIeavors to OBJ
tain the alteration he wished, he would cheerful
ly vote for the amendment reported by the com
mittee. He considered it to be far preferable
for all concerned, to the existing provisions OF
the constitution. 1t would be unyisc he thought
to examine the merits of the various plans pro-
posed, before the Senate decided on the present
motion. He was unwilling to occupy the time
the Senate IN discussions, which might be rem
dered worse than useless, by the postponement
of the subject, but, his honorable colleague had
taken one view Of the question, which rendered
brief reply Indispensable If Mr.. Van Buren,
had correctly understood his colleague, he had
spoken of the proposed amendment, as an at
tempt, on the part of the large states, to deprive
the smaller states, in the confcIeracy, OF their
equal votes, in the House of Representative, in
the choice of President, on the ground offs be-
ing usurpation which ought to be- reprc5sed
and, thus considering the subject, he had cnarg-
ed on the circumstances under which this right
was conceded to the small states and had spo-
ken of the great danger to which they were OK
posed, from the possible com5inatio1 between
the states OF Virginia, Pennsylvania AMI New
York. Mr.. Van Burefl thought it due to his con.
stitucnts, from their relation to the question in
that form, and, 20 himself, also as having intro
duced Que of the resolutions, to disclai,n, for
both, any views of the character alluded to. Il
reference to what had taken place here, ought to
dispel the erroneous impression which had been
made on the mind Of his colleague. The first pro-
position for an amendment of the constitutions in
this respect, offered at this session, came from
Missouri, the youngest, and, except one, or per-
haps tgo. the smal!cststates III the confedc:acy (;
and tho Others, from New Jersey, South CAROL
ma, Massachusetts, and New York, in the order