Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-03-30

To the liberties of the people. He could M
satisfy himself that this was either the place ~
the cccsaion for d,ss i'ssiops of tirat character
But, whilst he abstainrd from following hi
colleague III The remarks having refrrrnc,
10 Tins subject, which he had allowed himscl
TO make, Mr. V. ID. hoped lie would not b,
understood as wishing TO raise y question a.
10 the proprieiy "fthe course which his col
league Thought proper To pursue Ii wuul,
j not become him to do so. The principa
ground taken for the postponement uf the re.
solution, on former occasion, related TO the
excitement produced by the approaching elec.
tor, and the superior fitness of future neri.,
Tor the consideration of the subject. Thi.
ground had now been much enlarged. II hat
been observed by an honorable member from
Worth Carolina, in opposition to the motion
mat the necessity ofsome amendment of tn,
CONSTITUTION, IN this respect, WAS generally
admitted, and had been extensively called fnl
ny The people. Mr. V. b. understood his col
| 'eaSue not only 10 deny the fact alleged, as Ia
the state of public opinion, but To contest the
nropiiety OF any amendment of the Cunsttu-
ton ON the subject of the choice of Presiden,
and Vice President. 1t was on these two
points he would make few remarks A
cotfd not, he thought, be necessary, and might
not De proper to datain the Senate by mi,
mute statement of the various proceedings oil
congress, and OF the states on the subject A
very brief reference To them. would shew thai
the gentleman from North Carolina was sun
ported by facts in the opinion he had express.
ed. Mr. V. Ii. believed, that, on examination. il
would he found, that the first movement ON
! the subject had been made by Tie stntr he hn d
the honor IN part. TO represent. 1t was now
twenty-five years since the Legislature of n
YORK, shortly after an election and under cir.
CumStancPS entirely Iicconno-,S,,r a., 800.
sure with any pending contro,e rsy, had, with
great unanimity, passed resolutions in favor
al an amendment of the Constitution of the
United States, requiring the division of the
respective states into Districts for the choic,
OF Electors, and authorizing their selection
immediately by the people. Those resolu.
lions were communicated tn Congress, and
would be found on The journals of the Senate
since that time the subject had been acted up
on, at various periods, and in different forms
as wen ny Congress as the Legislatures of the
different states: or the proceedings of the
latter, those OF Worth Carolina and New Jer-
sey nave been most conspicuous. The Legis-
Iature of North Carolina passed resolutions.
nearly similar to those of n. York. and Sent
them to the different states for concurrence.
New York instructed her Senators, and re-
quested her representatives, to enteavor to
OBTAIN Inc amendment proposed by North
oaroiina, and many of the states gave similar
instructions. AT least three times within
eleven years, and as late as the year 1922, reao-
iutions, proposing amendments To the Consti.
tuition upon the subject of the election of Pre-
sIdent and Vice President, have passed this
body, ny more.thaD the Constitutional major
ty, and there had been few sessions for
several years, IN which the subject had no,
Deen more oriess acted upon. Early in the
inf Lat. ,
been proposed by Senators from Missouri.
New Jersey, South Carolina, Massachusetts.
and New York. Their respective PROPOSE
tons had been referred TO Committee, com
DInlng much of the talent and experience of
the Senate of which his colleague was a mem.
her, The subject had been considered with
great care, and plan reported, containing, as
the COMMITTEE thought, the best parts Of the
resolutions referred 10 them. In that report.
he understood the Committee were unani-
nous, and appearances certainly indicated
the adoption OF some resolution on the sub
gect al the present session. Such were his
impressions, and he thought that such had
been the opinions OF the members of the Sc
pate generally. In view of the facts he had
stated, he could neither repress nor conceal hi,
disappointment in finding the motion for post
pOnement, now supported on the ground that
no amendment was desired by the people.
Mr.. Van Buren, said that, although the re-
solution he had proposed, had not been wholly
adopted by the committee, and notwith-
standing he desired material alterations of
thaf reported, still, if he should be successful
IN MS endeavOrs TO obtain the alteration he
wished, he would cheerfuy vote for the
amendment reported by the committee. He
considered IT TO he far preferable, for all con-
cerned, to the existing provisions of the CON
situtiOD. 1t would he unwise, he thought, TO
examine the merits of the various plans pro-
posed, before the Senate decided on the pre-
sent motIon. lie was unwilling to occupy
the time OF the Senate in discussions, which
might be rendered worse Than useless, by the
postponement of the subject, but his bonora-
bic colleague had taken one view ofthe oues-
ton, which rendered brief reply indispen.
sable. IL Mr. Van Buren, had correctly under
$1,000 MS colleague, he had spoken of the
proposed amendment, as an attempt, on the
part vi the large states, TO deprive the smaller
states, IN the coDfpderacy, of their ennal
votes, ~ the House of Representatives, in the
chOice OF President, on the ground of its being
usurpatiOn which ought To be repressed
and, thus considering the subject. he had On.
aTged on the circumstances gnder which This
right was conceded to the small states, and
had spoken OF the great danger to which they
"''o cNPosed, from me possible combination
between the states Of Virginia, Pennsylvania,
ana New York. Mr.. Van Buren, thought if
due to his constituents, from their relation TO
'he question in that form, and, to himself, also,
as having introduced one Of the resolutions lo
disclaim, for both, any views of the character
alluded To-. reference 10 what had taken
place, here, ought to dispe the erroneous i'm
preston which had been made ON the mind
OF his colleague. The first proposition for an
amendment Of the constitution, IN this rrspect.
offered al this sessinn camn from NIisan,,ri