Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-04-02
Eighteenth Congress .
DEBATE
oahc .4nscwlmsm oj'Me Constitution.
Continued
DEBATE
IN SENATE.

FRIDAY, March 10, 1924.
The unfinished business of Yesterday, being
Gie consideration of the several resolutions PRO
posing Amendments TO tire Constitution, in rela-
sion to the election OF President and Vice Presi-
&sut, was resumed. Mr.. I.anman was called to
the Chair. The question was, upon MIR. Mills,
iuat'on 10 postp )ne the subject ind ,fnitetu.
Me- Haync, of South Carolina said that his
only object in calling up these resolutions was
10 OBTAIN some decision on them. The Senate
had, for several months, had the subject before
tae;n, and it was due no less to The, public than
To the gentlemen who had submitted the propo-
stlons, that they aE.ould now be acted on def
hlfiFoiy. Mr.. Hayne protested that he had not
anticipated the course which the debate had ia
ken, and he most sincerely regretted that ceytain
topics had been Introduced into the discussion,
winch were unfortunately but too well calculat-
cd To produces painful excitement. As these
topics, however, had been discussed, it would
become his duty, in the course of the obserya-
tons he was about t. make, to notice them
Inc cause OF tratli demanded that arguments
calculated to influence public opinion, Though
founded, as he believed, IN error,) should not GO
forth To the world unanswered. He would in
the first place, however, make fewremarks on
the quciGons properly before the Senate. There
are two propositions, said AIR. ii. now under
consideration. The first is, the proposition re-
ported By the Committee to which the honorable
gentleman from New Jersey was Chairman,
ss,Iich proposes to amend the Constitution as
t. diuids the tohote the United States into Dis
f.cts, for the choice of Electors for, President.
and Vice President, und ON the failure to make a
choice at the first ballot that the election should
dcyolye on the Senate and House of Ieepresen-
tst,res IN Joint ballot. The second propositiou.
nov unlercoa5iJcrasioli,i is, the amendment sub
lnite.l by the honorable gentleman f. . Mis-.
soiri, which differs foIn the former in propoi-
sing u disPenSe entirely .rhh Electors, retaining,
however, that provision Of the Constitution W hich
directs achoice by the House of Representatives
Svotaig by states in the event of failure of
the election by the people. A.motien has now
been made ~ postpone these resolutions indef-
Atety. Mr.. Ii. confessed that though he was
dccidedty opposed to both of them, yet, if he had
any hope that the Senate would act on them dur
ing the present season. So far as to enable the o.
taer gentlemen who had subii* ned propositions,
TO bring them forward, with any prospect of a
favorable hearing and final decision he would
vote against the postponement. He had ascer-
{ tanned, however, that majority Of the Senate
, i not deem ii eSpedient to adopt any amend
nent to the Constitution during the present ses-
SION; aud opposed, as he always was, to the I'M
necessary Consumption of time by ruitess dis
-eussion, he should vote for the indefinite post
ponement. He wonld ayil himself of this oppor-
tunity, to say few words in reply to'what had
iTo!ii vi tllC Quiet Sllc, the
merits of the first proposition-that reported by
the Committee. But, before he proceeded to
do SO, ne would notice statements made by
the honorable gentleman from New York, which
MIR. III. conceived to be erroneous. That gen.
tlenan Mr.. Van Buren,) had said, that the re-
solution under consideration had been agreed to
in the Committee unanimously. This, Mr.. Hayne
said was a mistake. He had, himself, voted a.
Cain5t the resolution, and So had the gentleman
had also stated, in the course of his argument,
tiat resolutions on this subject had been often
reported by Committees, and had several times
passed. the Senate, and he therefore infers that
the Senate must be prepared to act upon them
now. l am informed, said Mr.. H. that one of
the features of the proposition, now before us,
has never before been introluccdinto this House
-a;ii as5ureliy has never received, and he trust
ee never would rccsivc, its deliberate sanction.
aie allalel to that part of the resolution which
prop9sci to substitute cote by E.c joint ballot of
tic Sea tic md Hjsm IF Representatives. for the
present mode of voting in the House of Repre-
sentltivcs by states. The gentleman from New
ors had fallen into another error, which he
woulI take the liberty also to correct. lie had
considered the proposed amendments to the con-
stituton, as originating = the dissatisfaction of
tie sDtdH states, andhc represents the large states
Us perfectly satisfied with the Constitution as it
f2tte wishes Of The snail states, provided they
could obtain some reasonable equivalent. This
Is surely, sir, said RIr. II. most mistaken view
OF the subject. Orc of the propositions, submitted
during tn; present session, came from the gen
tcman himself one of tire representatives OF the
sTrcat stnte Of .Ncic- York. another came from an
honorable gentleman from .Uissnctusetts--an and,
though tue gentleman from Missouri comes from
81 small STATE, yet be told us that when he coDsi-
sdcred her destinicS, he brought to the discussion
OF tho subject ali the feelings of representative
fromalarge state. The gentleman from n. orii
himself, tells us that almost every member of the
l1Juse admits that there are defects III the Con-
ssitution i'll respect to the provision for the cleo
ton Of Chief Magistrate, and that we arc will
hing TO adopt some amendment; he alTirms, con-
iiIcnuy, that the people in every part of the u
nited States calling for such an amendment
THAT they are prepared for, aud expect it.
These admissions, surely, prove that the proposed
amendments have a deeper foundation, than
any dissatisfaction the part of the small states
The truth is, said Mr.. II. that not one of the
propositions which have been submitted would
add particle to the power of the small states,
though he believed that some of them would not
impair their strength. Lut us, said Mr. II.
take higher ground, and be influenced by moro
generous and liberal views ON this subject.
Let US look exclusively to the great interests OF
the nation. Let us consider these propositions
q their true stgr0ctsr, as coming underestimate