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

Without the constitution, she must cease to BIZ
an independent Stale. Situated between two
potent neighbors, of whose disposition To OPP
press she had sufficient evidence, between the
I close OF the Revolutionary war and the for;na-
ton of our present constitution, she would be
crushed. On the dissolution OF the Union, real
property, in New Jersey, would INSTANTLY fall
SO per cent. The State is SD situated, that a
Large portion of her commerce must necessarily
/ go through the ports of New Y orl ana Penn
syiyania The duties on foreign goods con-
sumei In New Jersey. would be paid ii, n. York
ana Fennsytyania, and pass into the Treasuries
OF those States. New Jersey would be tcibu-
tary to them. She would rasist-and, probably.
make the city of Jersey, Perth, Anboy, and
burlington Oh free ports Of entry. This would
destroy hersyhole systein of protecting the indus
Try of the State, aud would lead to acts of retail
iation on the part of those States in which her
prosperity would be utterly destroyed. New
Jersey has stronger interest in the constitu-
ton than any other State in the Union
IL Is Tor this reason, that, in that State, there
is the strongest disposition to provide for the
pernancncy OF ttc constitution, By correcting
the abuses that have grown up under it; more
especially the disproportion of the power OF the
great and small States, in choosing the Chief
Magistrate; and the di!iculty ofsuch choice in
| the House of Representatives.
How the fears Of the gentleman from New
/
know not; while the dangers themselves have
evidently increased.
Inc dangers of choosing the President in
1871, were such, as to threaten US With dissolI-
ton OF our compact. But, the difficulties nov,
TO be. commended with, in such ali election.
would be made much greater. Then there
were but two candidates; the first ballot would
have resulted lin q choice, ii some States had
not been di, ided. Now, there must he three
candidates The House OF Repre- sentatives
VIII be divided between The three; even the Re
presentativos OF the States may be divided be-
tween the three. The Confusion might become
inextricable.
Suppose New York were to give IL votes to
A, to b, and l to G, would this ensure the
vote of New York for A. The friends of and
would say not. Should a plurality, or MAORI
ty, govern IN such a casee Should the State say
| what WAS its votee or should the II. of r.. pre-
scribe the rulc' The is full OF difficulty
| and danger.
| This amendment, Mr.. d. said, lift should be
agreed oby the requisite number OF both Hou-
ses OF Congress, must be submitted 10 the seye-
raj statc5 and, unless tirce-fourths of them were
IN favor of 1T, it Could not be adopted The
large and the small states must all be consulted
and he well knew 1t would be very difficalt to
get any amendment adopted. 1t is said that il
will take away the rights of the states But,
unless they agree TO it, the proposition can ne
vcFtake effect. Mr.. ID. thought the present
provision OF the constitution, in respect to the
| election of President, was extremely weak. He
was fully convinced that it was the unanimous
OPINION OF the old states, that some alteration
| ought to take place; they have earnestly looked
for lt-they ask it at our hands. Both thesmall
and large states will consent to give up some
thing, for the sake of cffcctng that object
Neither of them would be willing to do it, I'M
less an equivalent was obtained. Mr.. ID. fear
ed that the present was not the time to act up
on these amendments; he thought ii would be
| necessary to test the constitution, as il now
stands, little longer. 1t would take long
time to get any amendment through, and it was
thought that the present was not a fit time for
the discussion, iii consequence of the eycite-
ment which prevails throughout the country in
regard TO the ensuing election. The gentle
man from New York has changed his mind re-
sPecting the propricty of amending the consti-
tuition.
Mr.. King, Of New York, rose to explain. in
reference to the change of opinion imputed to
him by the gentleman from New .Tcrsy. We
understood him to say, that, although he had
forIcrly been favorable to some amendment Of
the Constitution, in regard to the election of
President, yet his attention had been most pow
erfuly attracted by power which. had since
| risen up which appeared to him so terrific, that
he hardly dared to contemplate the effects it
| might produce--he meant the power winch
members of Congress had assumed, of nornina-
ting President Of the United States. It was
placing the complete control D. the government
in the hands of party--he firmly believed that
the power thus assumed, wotld, il permitted
TO be exercised, eventually overwhclin the
Constitution. II would produce fearful com
bination of the large states. The small states,
he thought, would not consent to go into Cau-
| cus-if they did, it wouN be suicidal act, on
their part. lie called upon gentlemen to pro-
ducc the smallest authority, in any part OF the
! Constitution, for these meetings. He consider
ed them violating the spirit of that Instrument
| The power Of choosing the President, is given
to the Colleges ofElectors--the election, i'll the
| first instance, is in their hands, and, TO prevent
the possibility of combination, they are chosen
only about thirty days before their Office is TO
| be performed. The election is directed to be
made, i'll all the different states the same day;
and the Electors are permitted to make but one
| attempt at q choice. These provisions of the
| Constitution were adopted for the express pur-
| pose OF preventing CombiHations--an effect
which Mr.. y. thought was greatly to be dread
| cd, from the practice of nomination. by Con-I
gressional Caucuses.
Mr.. DicIerson rcsumed-he intendedro dis
respect to the laporablc member from New
York, in nputiug to him Il change of opinion
had been spoken ofin this discussion, Mr.. y.
cnjoineJ by the constitution. lie considered it
as perfectly harmless expression OF Inc opin
ions of those who attended it, Members Of!
Congress had certainly as good right. in their
individual capacities, to recommend a candi-
date l,t- tho Presidency - ~ tor