Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-04-09

oS"saSihdu uoHi CaTOllna would.
As to the question of a congressional caucus
for the nomination of candidates for the Presi-
dency, Mr.. I. said, he neverhad any doubt that
SUCH nomination was clear vioiatiou of the
spirit OF the constitution. On that subject he
believed, his sentiments were in print It.ap-
peared to him preposterous for gentlemen 10
contend that, in making such nomination, they
acted in their p'ioate capacities. MIR. Il. here
entered into some arguments toproye that mem
bers of Congress could not meet at the Seat o
Government and nominate candidate for the
Presidency, without making it a public business
The people would SO regard it, and it would
produce the same effect as ii the nomination was
made by members in their Legislative capacities
His honorable friend and colleague (Mr. Bar
bour) had stated that iie (Mr. Taylor) had been
iis instructor in respect tocancusi,g. and that he
had introduced him into the FIRST caucus he ever
attended. His colleague, if he had received
any instructions from him on the subject, had
certainly proited greatly by them. He had
peen cery apt scholar in his lessons, and had
TAR omst,aPped his master. But his colIeaeu,
was greatly mistaken. He had never attended
a caucus, eitberin Congress or elsewhere. for
the purpose IF nominating candidates for offices.
ouch proceedings he considered Gerry dangerous,
and altogether unconstitutional.
The meeting to which the gentleman had a.
ilded was held by some of the members of the
virginia legislature, for the single purpose of
preparing resolutions to be proposed i'm the le-
gisaturc. Mr.. II. said he did not agree with the
gentleman on the other side that in formal moot
ings for preparing bills or resolutions to he nro
posed TO Legislative bodies, had any resemblance
10 congressional caucus, intended 10 transfer
rom the states their constitutional check and
influence In the election of a President, TO Con-
gress. 1t had been said, indeed that CONGRESS
| sIonal caucus acted only in their private cha
| racters. To illustrate this assertion we have
| all heard ofwhat is called bull dance. Sun
pose sixty or seventy of the gravcst and most
| respectable private citizens should assemble and
entertain the spectators with igs, rigadoons, and
hornpipes. Would not their private characters
be estimated IN contemplating the exhibition ?
But il the same number ofmcmbcrs of Congress
should assemble and exhibit similar scene.
would not their public character be also estima-
led So, when assembled for NOMINATING a
President, 1t Is tbeirpubc characters, and those
only, which are Intended to influence the cleo
ton, and such an nhu cncc DESTROYS that of tbe
states, bestowed by the constitution for self.pre
scrvauon, by transferring to Congress a power
conferred on the states. Their characters will
follow them into caucus, either E0r the pur-
pose Of bull dance, or for nominating a Press;
dent.
Mr.. Taylor sad that he had not previously
mentioned the word caucus in this debate, nor
should he have now done so, had he not becn
personally called upon ; but that, if The resoluti
ons for amending the constitution should he ia
ken up, twould be necessary to consider that
subject, as having tendency towards that con.
solidated and concentrated form of government
| towards which we were verging with awful ra-
pldity. AT this junctnre, its thorough eXamina-
ton would produce an excitement inconsistent
with q discreet consideration of the amend
ments and therefore he concurred in the pro-
posed postponcment.
III.
to move for the indefinite postponement of this
subject. He had believed that it was quite i'm
possible to act upon these resolutions at the pre-
sent session that the public sentiment was not
yet prepared for any amendment on this subject,
and that sufficient number of the Senate. to
carry any one of these amendments, could not
be induced to vote for any amendment. He
thought the present was not the best time for the
consideration of the subject, and that there was
so many and SO various propositions that no one
of them would be adopted at present
Mr.. Kelly, of Ala. next took the floor. and
began with observing that he would endeavor
so far as 1t was practicable, to withdraw the
subject under debate from the fog in which il had
been cnvclopcd, and TO conform to the rule of
debate prescribed by the Chair. lie remark
ed, that the whole discussion on this Caucus
question, Fad arisen from n want of forbcar-
ance on the part Of the gentlemen who had adj
New York. Mr. King, had been charged with
change of opinion on the subject of the Con-
stitutional amendments, and had risen in his de-
fence, and justified his disposition TO delay acting
| on the sayect at this crisis, on account of the
Central Po'ce,' which now presumed to select
candidates for the Presidc..;y and Vice Presi-
dency of the United States. Whether he ac
| tually used the cabalistic and portentois word
Caucus, or not. hold it, said Mr.. X. immaterial
He certainly spoke of a central power, that had
| arisen in this government not known to the Con-
stltution, and unfriendly to the liberties of the
nation and whether he called it a Caucus or
not, he certainly did, said Mr.. X. assure the
gentlemen he had no unfriendy feelings towards
any person who differed from him in opinion
| Now, SAID Mr.. Is. this remark was received with
the most extraordinary sensitivencss on the part
of these gentlcmen--thcy had, with an ultra
chivalrou5 esprit du corps, Immediately rushed
into contest on the Caucus question, and had
| entered into arguments in support of that mea-
sure, MIR. K. repeated, that very small por-
ton of forbcarancc, in that stage of the debate,
would have prevented the discussion altogether ;
but as gentlemen had thought pr0per 10 assume
a different course it had certainly become ne
oessary that their remarks should be answered
aud their arguments refutcd. This had been
done by the gentleman from South Carolina, in
| respect to the arguments which were urged on
the other side, before he addressed the Senate
| But other arguments had still been advanced,
and to these, MIR. K. said, he would now proceed
! to reply. Waving, for the present, the con-
stItutlonal question, he would notice thc arcu-
ment OF the necessity Of a caucus, as n parfy
measure. Now, without arguing how far Gag
Gus coull be justified on that ground, he would
say that such a measure could certainly not be
justified as party measure, where only small
minority could he pot To unite i'm IT, ITc had