Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-08-24

highest officer in the royernn,. 49,. II
excite the deepest solicitude, and cali sort, he
most vig'iant circuinspection: and that the APP
preaching election of chief magistrate, from the
portentous aspect of the political elements, is
crisis which requires the exertion Of more than
ordinary vigilance and cincumspection, this
meeting has deemed it their duty, in common
with their fellowcitizens of tho state, and of the
United States, to convene for the purpose of Civ
ing expression to their opinions on subject of
common interest. In thus assembling and pro-
mitigating their opinions, far be from them the
wish to arrogate to these opinions superior
weight, or the vanity 10 belicve that their opin-
ions will add to the cause they advocate one
proselyte. They appreciate too highly their own
rights, which appcrtain To- freedom of opinion
thus TO mediate tue Invasion of tho rights of o.
thers-and SO far from wishing by the mode they
have selected of giving expression to their SEN
thnents TO usurp the rights Of others, they are
reluctantly driven 10 lin vindicaton of their
own.-Had1he spirit of the constitution been
puTsued-n the election of president, in this state
and the other states of the Union-had the peo-
pie been permitted to exercise that agency in
the business that instrument guaranteed them
by coming to the polls and voting for unpledgcd
electors responsible to them alone for the faith
full execution of their trust-.had not conspira-
cy been formed of 65 persons at Washington
together with its affiliated bands of conspirators
IN the different states, against nine millions of
treemen, 10 erect themselves into permanent
body OF electors to defraud the people out of their
dearest right: that ofchoosng their own rulers,
and of usurping all power, this meeting would
have deserved the imputation of arrogance and
presumption, had they pursued any other course
than that OF marching 10 the polls on the cleo
ton day and giving their silent votes to the man
of their choice. Unfortunately, however, for
the people, there is but two alternatives left them
by congressional caucusses. legislative ballots
and legislative nomnatons-eithcr to stand by
with folded arms, gazing at the political pup
pets that "fret their busy hour on the stnge,"
and see the barriers of our constitution broken
down, Our rights usurpcd and our feelings insult
ed, o. to avail ourselves of the means left us TO
convene, associate, cmbody and concentrate
our forces-concert the plan of attack, raise the
standard of revolt and the voice of indignant re-
| monstrance, and dethrone the usurpers--the lat
ter, though desperate alternative, we have
chosen-as who among our fellow citizens, who
cherishes a love of liberty, would not'
We would ask our fellow citizens to whom
the constitutions guaranteed the right of electing
president? The answer is to whom M Justice,
it ought, tie people. ltprovides that each state
shall have many electors as il has members
| nm congress, who are 10 be elected by the peo-
pie of each state. To guard against the ti-
mults Of popular election, where the presi-
dent would by the immediate object TO be voted
IL created thlS oil electors;
but it contemplated that this body should carry
with them the wishes of their constituents Into
the electoral colleges, and at the same time
stand unpledged by any thing but their own in
tegrity and powers oil discrimination, and res
ponsible to their own constituents only for the
| faithful discharge of their important trust-and
| to guard against donastc intrigue and cabal as
well as foreign Influence, II provides they shall
| be elected Oh the same day throughout the Uni
ted States, thirty-four days before the election,
meet on the same day in their respective states,
and sit but one day 10 discharge their ftlncti ions
! thus guarding, az far human foresight could,
against corruption and intrigue, and allowing
as full a share as the trainers thought prudent Of
democratic influence, consistently with the tran
guilty of elections, in the election of president
| We would then ask our fellow citizens how our
presidents have been elected and how it is
| the next president rs attempted to be imposed
| on us? The experience of most of us can an
swer the first branch of this enquiry. Let us
inspect it little, and see how it COMFORTS with
the spirit of the constitution, or with the prin-
1 ciples of a free government. We select men
to Congress for the purposes of federal Tegisla-
| ton, without the remotest degree surprising we
are appointing presidential electors. They as
semble at the scat of government, and instead
of dischargin9 their legislative functions go in
| 10 caucus. They select their man. The
| state legislatures are enlisted in his Cause, bv
| that secret influence which S1Ch associations
! well know hoNy 10 exercise: now, in states the
legislatures appoint the electors by ballot, in
ten, among which is Virginia, by general ticket,
and seven by districts. In the first seven the
electors are responsible to the legislatures only,
and their votes are pledgcd in the 10, where the
general ticket prevails, the same effect is pro-
duced by Legislative nomiDations-under the
| auspices of these bodies the caucus candidates
have been bro't forward and with such fearful
odds in their favor could not well fail of their
election.--When the day of election arrives,
the electors assemble in the different states, not
for the purpose of cotins, for they have not the
| privilege, but 10 perform the more humble duty
of counting the votes of legislatures and eau
cusses which they have had in their pockets 12
months, perhaps, and which they have nothing
to do with but 10 carry runners to the place
of counting. Such is the machinery of that po-
litical monster, the congressional caucus, ssthat
| to be hated needs but to be SEEM We would
ask how it COMFORTS with the constitution Th,t
| instrument contemplated I'D congress an umpire
between the colleges, and therefore forbid their
being electors, evidently intending, in the event
oftheir umpirage that they should enter upon
duties devoid of preconceiYed prejudces or pre-
possessions. 1t had the same object in view
| that it had in so providing for the appointment
of electors, that both the one and the other
should be subject to no influence but sense of
duty-that, as the one should not be subject 10
domestic intrigue or foreign influence, so the
other should be exempt from all manner of in
fI<r,