Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-01-31

'""S' W l.'rn tni 'h'r duhtreocs To- democrat
lc rt!nrir'rs, ard OR their purinlc de,olion
10 their country IA iin,s "fn.sil
/, is w"rhy oi irmark, ;ha, lac same qnes-
lion, Which has yci,cd So n,uch interest in This
state, ms ni,nin Il l.~ mouths, hc.n agiiai,d
Ia The states "f V'rm9ni, Georgia aud Suuih
thiuilna. THOSE states choose electors Ol
president and vicr-pi"sid.nt in the manner
which has heeu Wactisod la this state fur tie
last thirty years. The l. gisatu,-s uf those
states have recently decided, that IL ,cns iner-
pfd"nt 10 oh mgr he mode Of choosing electors
on ne ere ~ a. Important and highly ercit.d
preSideniid eieciiun.
If,here Is one point on which the great ma
l"n'y "f the people of this state are agreed:
rs, that TIE iUnuenc. of the state shalt be-
Tel! "n The Hr, siden,i"l question than an unit
I'd vote stal: be given. Whatever mode,
therefore, II may he Thought proper to adopt.
tins great pom, ought not to be lost sight of
Aud that uniied vote ought To harmonic.
with the opinions of the great majority OF our
citizens. Aud chang, ichich should no Sc
cure that object, ,c0uid IN The opinion of The
committee. be hostile Ia the best interests Of The
state, and contrary 10 Ii, ,UiSkes Of The people.
The law prescribing the mode of choosing
electors ofpresident and ,re-president in this
state, was passed in 792. Attempts have
been made at different periods ny the legisla-
out the Uuiled States and II is deeply To be-
regretted tiiat some system which would
bring the choice Of electors nearer tu the ppo-
pie, and at the same time prrserv. tn. rel,-
tive strength Ofthe state has not been adopted
recommending the system of general
ticket, the committee ar" of opinion that
majority of all thrvo!es Of the state ought to
be required Ia make choice without such
provision, minority might control the cleo
'oral vote OF this state Ia choosing by
plurality, il there were only 8 candidates
before the public, the SO electoral votes of
this state might be controlled by a little more
than nne-thrd The votes. If there were
candidates which is not an improbable suppo
sltIon al this time, the whole power of this
great state might be- given To an individual for
| president, against the wishes If four-ffihs of
the people. The election by plurality, has
tendency to multiply candidates, and in all
human probability each uf those candidates
would have some friends who would obtain
p'uraiity of votes, and thus the electoral vote
ofthe state might he nentrazed and the feel
ings ot The people of the state would not be as
| fairly represented as by district iirkrt.
No considerations, in the opinion of the
committee, ought to induce departure from
the broad republican principle of securing e.
iectors OF president aud vice president, who
VIII speak the sentiments ola majority of the
citizens of the slate. BY the existing law of
thls state, majority of all the representatives
ot the people is required Ia CHOOSE electors
of president. In changi' the mode, the sam.
republican principle ought to control in the
choice.
This same principle governs in the choice
oi president by the electoral colleges of the
several states-a majoritytpf all The electors
being necessary 10 a choice ; and in the last
resOrt. when the mn a., A., =,
states in their capacity independent sov.-
reIgnties, majority ofalllh states is necessa-
ry to decide the que stion
Ii would he better to divide the state into dis
trIcts at once, than To have il possible for
minority To WELD the whole power of he stale.
There Is less TO appreh-nd from nrutrasing
that power, than there is from having the
whole influence of the state brought To act
| contrary TO the wishes OF a large majority of
ITS citizens. Allow each of the congressional
districts TO choose AN 'lrctor aud The peoplr
could then act undersIandingly and although
the electors thus ohosen might not agree np-
on the same candidate for president, still they
would represent the feelings, and express the
wishes Of the people, in the different sections
of the state.
One objection to general ticket, and which
can be urged with considerable force. is. that
the people cannot have a sufficient acauant-
ance with the characters of the persons voted
for. In baoting for So candidates, scattered
over this large state, The voter cannot have
that knowledge of the different individuals.
which IT is important he should have, to give
value TO the elective franchise
Ours Is government of delegated powers
our institutions based upon the free snf-
frages of the people 10 give force and effect
To this first principle, il is important that the
voter Should have an opportunity of forming
correct Judgment of the character of the
individual TO whom he is deIegating important
trusts.
! majority ofthe committee however, are
oil opinion, that the Importance Of giving an
undivided vote, outweighs the considerations
which may he urged in favor of elccting by
districts. The committee are at the same
time of opinion that the strength of the state
| on this important question: ought TO be secur-
ed 10 a majority of the freemen OF the state.
Among the states W hich elect by districts.
scarcely any two have the same plan. Some
choose an electOr in each congressional dis
trIrt others have larger districts and Ken
lucky rs divided into three large districts, for
the choice of electors Of president.
Among those states which elect by general
ticket different practices pre-, all.
The bill which the committee ask leave to
bring in, requires that the 81 electors TO be-
voted Tor, corresponding with the 81 repre-
ssniatnes IN Congress, be located in the res
pectise congressional districts, and that two
electors, corresponding with the two senators
OF this state 10 Congress. be appointed by the
electors duly chosen by the people-and that
majority of all the votes be required TO
elect.
With the above exceptions, and with the
alterations consequent upon those amend
ments, The committee have adopted the bill