Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-04-09
EiSNteenth Congyess
DEBATE
On tie .4mendn,eni Of Ae Consultation.
(coNcLUDED.)
IN SENATE,
MONDAY, March %, 1924

MONDAY, March %, 1924.
The unfinished business of Friday last, being
the consideration of the resolutions proposing
ninenlnonts to the constitution, in relation 10
the election of President and Vice President,
was again taken up. The question was upon
MIR. Mills motion to postpone the whole subject
sndejinitely.
The Chair, previous to the commencement
of the discussion, intimated its intention to re-
strict the debate to the immediate question upon
the indefinite postponemen of the resolutions. !
MIR. Dickerson, of New Jersey, said, that he
was disposed to yield a cheerful obedience to the
decision of the Chair, although he had not the
opportunity of replying to some pointed obser-
vations of the gentleman from South Carolina
(alr. Hayne,) which might be easily answered.
lie regretted that the subject had been intro
duced, as il was calculated to create much UNI
necessary excitement. The discussion of it,
however, had given him no uncasiness, either
it respected himself, or his friends; and he was
perfectly content to let it rest where it was.
shall, said Mr.. ID. coQfne myself to the mo-
ton which admits discussion of the merits of
the resolutions to he postponed. And it is with
reluctance l again speak upon this question;
for, foar that it will be found impossible i'll the
mode now proposed to introduce any amend
ment to the Constitution Of the United States,
which shall have the Leaf bearing upon tho re-
lative power of the great and SINAI states Mu-
tura jcalouslcs are easily excited. The inter-
ests of the great and small states arc easily set
in array against each other. Any attempt 10 pro-
mote a plan of mutual concession, plan upon
which the Constitution itselfwas formed, may be
represented invasion OF the rights ofonc class
ofstatcs, and an abandonment of those of the o.
Their. AT this time, such Constitution as we
now have, could not be formed. 1t was adop-
tel at fortunate period. Fortunate for the
large states, still more for the small For
these reasons, begin to despair of seeing any
of the proposed amendments succeed, unlass up
Oh call of a convention of the states, under
the fifth article of the Constitution; and there
fore, Twas disposed to let the subject rest, at
least for the present session. But the gentle
man from South Carolina, (9fr. Hayne,) calls
me up to answer for myself. He accuses me of
aiming deadly blow at the rights of the small
states, by taking from them powers necessary to
their existence. If 1 have done this, have
forfeited all claim to the confidence of the state
which has done me the honor to place me here
The gentlemen certainly had no intention of
producing an impression Of this kind. But tits
not the less incumbent on me to rcpel his obser-
vations, which were strong and pointed
i introduced that part of the resolution to
which the gentleman alludes--the election of
PRESIDENT in the last resort, by a Joint ballot Of
fine two Houses of Congress, with great diff
dence; without any strong CON-. Ience that the
would myself abandon, should it not meet the
appreciation of the small states; and more espe-
cially, if ii should not meet the appreciation of
the state 20 which have the honor to belong
for, upon the subject, the will of my state is my
lazy. | neither expected, nor wished, that it
should receive the decision of the two Houses
of Congress this session. / introduced it as a
subject worthy of discussion, believing it the on
" intermediate ground upon which the friends
of the great and friends Of the small states can
ever meet. If some better plan can be silgges-
ted, shall at once doubt it; for, upon this sub
iect, pride of opinion shall have no influence
with me.
For more than twenty years, the great dan
gers OF presidential election have been felt.
Efforts have ,inccssantly been made toi afford a
remedy. This has never been more apparent
than at the commencement of the present ses-
sion OF Congress. a discussion upon this sub
iect has s'"cady taken place, in tue House OF
Representatives, and in the Senate no less than
six amendments have been proposed to- the Con-
stitution, as to the election of President.
The gentleman from Missouri Mr.. Benton, J
has shewn, in fhe strongest coiors, the dangers
of our present system, and the absolute neces
sity of districting the states for the purpose of
choosing President, SO as 10 leave me but little
to add upon that subject a bare majority in
the Legislatures of six of the large states, hav-
ing 1873 Electors, can completely control the
rest of the Union, upon the election of a Pres-
dent, under the present system. That is, a lit
tie more than one fourth of The people of the
United States can impose President upon the
residue, amounting to nearly three-fourths.
This is an enormous power, growing out of the
operation oc the Constitution, but which was not
,foresecn by those who formed that instrument.
BY this, the small states, containing large ma
; jority Of the people of the United States, may
be rendered utterly Insignificant in tlie choice
ola President. BY this, the voice of eighteen,
Of the twenty-four Ststes, may be completely
suppressed. But the gentleman from Virginia,
mir. Taylor says this is of the great federal
features Of the Constitution, which ought to
be held sacred. Whether il be federal, or whe-
,tter it be national, it is equally dangerous to
the liberties Of the people. This enormous pow
er must be dreaded by all but those who WELD IT,
1t must be dreaded by all but the influential
men in the great states, who may control those
states, and through them, the Union.
The small states ask tho large odivost them
selves of this enormous power, by adopting a
system of single districts, for the choice of Elco-
tors, The great states refuse to yield up any
portion of this power, unless the small consent
TO make a corresponding concession on Their
part.
What is the power Of the small states, wher
the election Of "A President devolyes upon the
House of Representatives, 81 Representatives
sfo'n tAirtsgn small srsfSs C9g, by POSSIBILITY