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

important BUSINESS; we sit but two or three
hours IN the day, and but FIVE days out of tho
week; this objection cannot, therefore, be sus-
tanned. And as TO the Senate of the United
States, composed of gentlemen advanced in
years, possessing ci.ar2cter-and Justly, too
Tor their discretion and intelligence, being hur.
RED away By passion or excitement, cannot.
sald Mr.. Ii. believe it for a moment. We ara
all convinced that no alteration can be made In
time to affect the approaching Presidential Elec.
uon. Hence, whatever excitement may be
felt, Il will not be Of perncious character, but
VIII rather tend to elicit the best and most eecs
tuaJ remedy. If we suffer the present propiti-
ons moment to pass by, what may we expect?
Why, sir, that the nation will again fall into a
state of apathy, and that nothing VIII hs done
until the people are again called on to elect ano-
i Their Chief Magistrate, when we shall have to
deprecate the recurrence of all the mischief al
present complained of, and which threatens such
alarming consequences to the peace and secu-
nty of society.
Mr.. Hayne, of South Carolina. rose, in reply
10 MIR. Dickerson, and said, that he should Ger.
tainly have avaled himselfof the present occa,
sion TO reply to the additional argument urged
ON the other side on The nom Forbidden, tonic Int
the decision of the President, ito which he was
disposed to bow with rcverence.) would induce
HIM to coniine his remarks strictly 10 the Con-
sututional question. On that subject il was ne
cessary he should say few verbs in reply to the
honorable gentleman from New Jersey. That
gentleman had treated the subject as If the CUES.
ton was, whether The President should, on al,
occasions hereafter, he ELECTED by the HW.,
OF Representatives, roting by states, or by the
iJotnt ballot of the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives; and had endeaYQrcd to shcw that tie
latter was the preferable mode. If that, said
Mr.. III. be admitted to be the question, he would
have no hesitation in adhering to the uote b..
stdfes because, the constitution having made that
| provision in favor of the small states, he could
perceive no reason or propriety in calling ON
them to surrender the privilege ,ne,,ely for me
purpose OF increasing the power of the large
states. Power was of more importance TO the
| former than it could be 10 the latter, and where
the constitution had coniided it, he presumed 4
ought not to be surrendered except for the Dur.
pose of obtaining some essential benefit either
to themselves or 10 the country at large Rnt
the gentleman informs us that the election of the
President by the National Legislature cannot
be objectionable, because the journals of the
convention prove that the great men who framed
the constitution did, at one stage of their DELHI
erations, actually agree to that mode of appoint
ment, they afterwards changed their opinion.
and thus CONTRARY TO the usual authority of preee
dents hnal decision against q measure is con-
srdered by the gentleman as an argument in its
favor 1t IS true, said Mr.. H. that it was ,,yo.
posed In the convention to elect the President
by the National Legislature, and this proposition
was at first agreed to-; but the evils of that sys
tenn soon began to be understood; il lost friends
almost daily; and after the mature dcIiberation
OF several months, the plan was f,,alku obo,.
doned-only two states voting for it, A sborv
time afterwards, the constitution, in its present
form, providing for the election of President
by Electors, was unanimously adopted. IF this
plan had been hastily adopted, and without COM
pairing it with others, it might be supposed that
it had not received the deliberate sanction of
Knit iIhor, IL
ring period Of several months, the wiscst as,
sembiy that ever met i'll counsel were delibera.
ting on the question, whether an electon
by the National Legislature or BY Electors was
to be preferred; when it is found that all their
doubts were finally removed, and that they be-
came thoroughly convinced there was great dan
ger TO be aPprehendcd from permitting Con-
gress to interfere in the choice of the President
their final adoption of the Electoral system, un.
der such circumstances, was a triumphant mr.
Hority against an election by the National I,e-
gislature. The gentleman from New jersey.
relying on his precedent, has not attempted 10
answer the argument which Mr.. H. had urged
against his proposition. He had not vcntured
TO deny that the District system, in itself had q
tendency to produce a failure Of the election,
and TO bring it into Congress. Taking this
then, as admitted, the gentleman from New yer,
scy had naturally considered himself as called
upon, in defence Of his propositions, to prove
that the e.ecuon OF the President by CongrcsS
would be free from objection. But, said nj. III
has he succeeded, I'D doing ts' MIR. IT. had.
on former occasion, contended That the inter,
ference ofthe Members Of Congress in the Pre-
sidential Election, whether they voted by STATES
or by Pots--whether they voted in their lereis
latiYe or any other capacity, must ALWAYS ne a.
tended with great danger to the liberties OF inc
country; that 1T would be destructive of iIrc nm
rity OF Legislation, confound the separate depart.
Inents OF the government, expose to temptation
to intrigue, aud finally to corruption, the RI
representatives. of the people; and that il was n
gainst these evils the constitution was intended
10 guard. None of these arguments las thc
gentleman answered; but he turns from Inc arb
Ject, and alleges that my proposition (sa;d Mr.
IL. aims rs fatal blo,Y at the rights eff tlo
small states as his own, and trilblphantlv aslrs
II l am prepared TO surrender any power ~
l" The smallstates Without an equivalent. vtho,,t
price, and ADDS that he is not willing IN
do SO" Now, said Mr.. II. the proposition
nave submitted, has for its object TO e6ccs The
election Of me President By The peopf, and to
keep 1t entirely out OF the hands ofConqresg
If this involved the surrender Of the Contingent
power of the small states TO elect the Prcsido,t
by states in the event of the failure Of the ec"s
| ton by the People, that SURRENDER was founded
on the belief tilat to eIoct the President bv the
People, was to carry into effect Me tyife i,fcntion
IF the constitution, and to avoid evils of ,,err
great magnitude, which must result from ar,
election by Congress. go :"
MIR Aayne sad be was satisfied that the small
states, from their devotion to the Union. ,eonld
! be unwilling to give up the contingent Do,,os
alluded to, provided plan could he devised bv
which the choice ofthe President, bv6fe eicetorc
could be secured; and they would do tl,fe