Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-04-09

appear tn he muchattached Under one of these
great federal features of the Constitution, the
power of the small states may be completely
merged i'm the election by Ele, tors. Under
the other, the power Athe great states may
be as completely merged, in the election of "A
President, in the House of Representatives
Can any thing he more homogeneous, more
preposterous, more monstrous The venera-
BILE gentleman from Virginia, who fears the
national, but is charmed with the great feder-
al features of our Constitution, compares the
operations of our government Ia those of the
steam engine-and he informs us of variety
Of safety valves, by which ,he steam may
pass off, without danger to the machine.
do not perceive the efficacy OF those safety
valves, i'm the dangerous operation of choOs-
ing a President ofthe United States. IL we
continue those two great federal features of
our Constitution, without modification, the
engine will not bear the force Ia be applied /;
the steam will become irresistible we slia
increase the pressure, till we burst the boiler.
The gentleman from New York, Mr.. King. J
who was lately in favor of the resolutions re-
ported by the COMMITTEES, has become recon
cilrd to the great federal feature of our Con
stitution, by which the small states may com
plete'y control the large, in the election of "A
Presidential which marvel much. Ii that
gentleman will agree that bare majority of
the Representatives of thirteen small states,
consisting of thirty members, less than
The number of Representatives from his own
state, shall have power to choose a President,
against the will of one hundred and eighty -tw o
Representatives., will he not give them the
power to support the President they may
thus choose !? The power that can create and
appoint, should be the power to uphold and
defend. Otherwise, there can he no consis-
tency, permanency, or safety 10 the govern
vernaient. Will that gentleman agree. that
the supplies necessary for the support of the
government and the administration, shall he
granted by the House of Representatives,
voiing by states d? Will he consent 10 rule,
that, in case the two Houses of Congress dis
agree as To the subjects from which our reve
nhrs shall DE raised, the objects upon hich
our treasures shall he expended, the case shall
he decided by the House of Representatives,
voting by states? This might he highly era
tifying u the small states, could il be perma-
nrDt. Bui, it is evident that sucha state ofthings
could not exist for asingle year. And yet,
some gentlemen reconciled to a system by
which a minoritySof the House o. Representa-
tves, as small, by possibility, as thirty-oue,
out of two hundred and thirteen, and, by pro
liability, as about sixty six, out of two hundred
aud thirteen-whle not dollar can be an
propriated for the support ofsuch "a President,
without the concurrlug Votes of malorties in
both Houses of Congress. Al President elected
by minority, must be overwhelmed by OPP
position.
The small states, in the House Of Repre-
sentatives, can choose Il President against the
voice of the large, and an attempt to alter the
relative power OF the states, in this particular
even with their own Consent, for il cannot be
otherwise, is considered as "A deadly blow al
the power OF the small states-a power neces-
sary to their existence. Is il necessary TO the
existence OF the small states, that they should
possess power, under any circumstances, to
impose a President upon the United States
against the voice of siX-sevenths, or even
against the voice of majority of the people I?
Is it, necessary to their existence that they
should have more weight in such an election
that their federal numbers would give them !?
The exercise Of this extraordinary power of
choosing a President, in the House of Repre-
s"ntatives, bias occurred hut once in six and
thirty years, ADD even that afforded no peculiar
advantages to the small states On the CON
trary, it put in jeopardy their very existence
combination among six OF the large states
can completely control the residue of the
states upon the election Of President by the
electors, and this power may be called into
operation every four years, and may be con-
iInucd without Interruption, as long as those
Cdil dSIte rs I'D lDPiT OtNiQSD0S. while The
small states can only come in for a casual exer-
else of their extraordinary power, when the
great states disagree among themselves, and
which has happened bu' once since the estab-
lishment OF our government. This power how
ever, which may BE- casually exercised by the
small states, must and will lead to combina-
tons among The large states, TO prevent
resort to the House Of Representatives a re-
gard TO their own interests imposes upoD
them the necessity Of such combinations an
anomalous case of u necessity on the part of
the strong to- combine against the weak.
Ofwhat advantage is this power to the small
states, which has been exercised but once
since the establishment of our government.
and was then considered as a great calamity /?
There can he none. What advantage can there
be in retaining power which it will he dan
gerous to exercise None. Ambitious indi-
viduals in the small states may casually derive
an importance from their situation. i'm the px-
ercse Of this power, but this can be of no i'm
pOrtance To the people Of the states to- which
such individuals may belong.
There is power, however, vested in the
small states, beyond iheir numerical strength.
upon which their existence drpeuds-fhcir
equal vote in the Senate of the United States.
But this is power, not to- give the small
States an undue influence in the choice of a
President, not TO enable them Ia impose laws
upon the large states, hut preventive power
"a power to arrest the progress Of laws
which might infringe their rights or interests.
Ii isa species of veto. by which the Senators
Of twelve states, however small the pspuation
| of those STATES. can eGectually prevent the
passing of any lsw which they may think
against their interests. WithOm this power.
the small states must Immediately fJI prey
to the large. Whether this prncipfa nf veto