Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-04-02

could alone lead to any desirable results on
this subject. Ii was in that spirit that the
Constitution had been framed, and hy that
alone could It's harmonious operation he Sc
cured He should certainly be- one of the last
10 contend that the great principle of conpro-
mise, on which the Constitution was founded,
and on which The dearest rights, perhaps the
existence, ofthe small states, depended, should
ever be forgotten or disrrgarded. He con-
tended only against jealousies and struggles
for political power Having thus presented
the question in what he believed to be its true
hight, Mr.. Hayne said he would proceed to
consider the resolution reported by the Com
mittee. On that part oft which proposes tn
divide the United Statesinto Districts for the
choice of Electors, he would make but sim
gle remark, as he certainly did not intend on
the present motion to enter into full discus
sion of the subject The remark he would
make, was, that whatever might be the ad :
vantages of The District system, land he adj
united them 10 he very greatly it certainly les
sened the chances of effrctins "a choice. and
indeed would, in most cases, lead 20 failure
of the election. Ii surely. said Mr.. III. Gao re-
1ulre no argument tn prove that the United
States, divided into Oh parts, each expressing
but one opinion, will be less liable TO division
OF sentiments than when divided into ESQ such
parts When a state acts as "A state, whether
the vote be given by the Legislature or by
general ticket. there can exist but one opinion
ne voice OF the State but the same State,
divided into Districts, may have many opin-
IONS, as there are Districts. The merit of the
District system, then, depends on the proyi-
sion by which II may be accompanied, as 10
the course To be pursued in the event of the
failure oi the election at the first ballot He
was convinced that this failure would take
place under the District system in nine Eases
out of ten, and, therefore, if il were prnpos ed,
on such failure, 10 throw the election into the
House OF Representatives, or into Congress,
the substance OF the proposition would be, TO
provide for the election of the Chief Magis
trate by Congress, and not by the people. Ii,
SAID Mr.. Hayne, the District system was ac-
companed by provision, that on the failure
OF the election at the first ballot II should be
sent back To the electors 10 choose the Presi-
dent from the two highest candidates, then the
system would be complete, AN election of the
people would be secured, and the necessity of
any interference on the part of Congress would
be taken away. A second ballot by the Elec-
tors was the principle (sad Mr.. Hayne,) on
which his proposition was founded. 1t could
be engrafted on the District system, or on any
other which did not dispense with Electors.
The details of such SYSTEM he was satisfied,
could be easily arranged, and he hoped Il some
~.
But what, said Mr.. III. is he substance of the
proposition now before Ms /? What will be its
Practical effect The people are tn pass through
me Jorm I'll voting Tor IA President, in their
respective districts, but. ii no candidate has a
majority, land no one ever will have major-
iiy, except II be IN ii very extraordinary case
then the election is to go into Congress-both
branches of the legislature voting by polls
and not by States l consider, said Mr. III .
the whole resolution 10 contain, substantially,
nothing more than proposition 10 change
The noting an Congress by States, 10 Joint
Bdttof with the further evil of carrying The
eIecho',,'n almost every instance, ,ato Congress
Ii results then, in a proposition 10 elect the
President, hereafter, by the .Ndtionsl Ltgis-
idfTe. Now, sir, said Mr.. IL. consider such
a system as pregnant 10Th dreadful eUiis. 1t
Is true, that ii was proposed in the Conven-
ton, but mature deliberaton led 10 its aban-
donment and, when we look into the great
commentary on the constitution, 1.-THE FEEDER
alist,) we lind the weighty reasons stated which
induced the convention TO prefer choice by
electors, TO one-by Congress.
Can 1t be necessary, said Mr.. Hayue to
point out the evils If choosing President by
the National legislature ? He would state
some cf them. The occasion and the nature
OF the question now before the Senate, would
ton TO the election of a President by the Ma
tlonal Legislature, is found inits connecting the
Executive with the Legislative department of
the government. Ii is the theory of our go
vernment, thatth several departments should
be Kept, as far as possible, separate and dis
tnct. II the Legislature shall be authorized
TO choose the Executive, is it not obvious that
they will be rendered mutually dependent ou
each other ? Either the Executive will be
rendered the humble tool, the Obedient SER
want Of the Legislature-or, what il most TO
be appre hended, the Legislature will become
subserVlent TO The views Of the Executive
Judging from the experience ofth world,
should say, that a President of the United
States, uniformly chosen by the National Lee
glslature, would acquire a most dangerous in
tluence over all their deliberations. With an
immense patronage in his hands, President
might be able, by feeding the hopes Of greedy
expectaOts, to secure his constant reelection.
He would bave the means ofdOiDg so, and to
ensure his election would be the nlofire TO ex-
ert them. An ambitious aspiraHt for the
Chief Maglstracy of this great Republic,
might have in his power, by management and
intrigue rot only to secure his election, but To
mould the Legislature to his will. With so
great prize at stake, no exeriiuns would be
wanting To- secure it. Promises, threats, in
tnsue, and corruption, would exhaust their
resources, 10 Influence and control the electo-
raj college. But the higher, as well as the
bsser, motives Of human action, would be en-
listed in the service. Party spirit, personal
and political attachments, would combine 10
Influence the decision Of the National Legis-
Ialure in the chOice0fa Chief Magistrate. Men,
who would rise superior to naked bribery and
corruption, would be hurried on by their
passions, and even by honorable ambition,
to second the views Of their fayoriles. AT