The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-08-20

our fellow eiizenz, VIM elsrlsh.s a love oi
liberty. wenld not
We wunld ask our fellow eitizens 10
HON the constitution guaranteed the r,sbt
, of rceilng president The stiswer is Ia
wlipn, ia luslice.it ought, he ptopfe. !,
pro, ides That ~, h STALE shali haze as many
, .lertufs rs il las intnbefs IA congress, wl.n
. A. 10 be elected by the p.apl. of each
/ state. 20 guard against the tumuits OF n
tpnpular election, where the president would
he the immediate oneci Ia ,e voted for, IL
, created this intermediate body Of electors
but II contemplated tina, siis tody should
carry with them the wishes of their eonsti
itenls Into the eirctorid colleges, aud 1T
the same time stand unpIedgcd by any
thing bih thrir own integrity aud powers ni
discrimination, aud responsible to their
own constituents only for the faithful dfs
charge of their itbpor;ant trust-and Ia
guard nga,nt domestic intrigue and cabal
~ we'll as foreign influence, il provides
they shah be- elected mn the same day
throughout the United States, thirty four
days before tbcelscilon, meet on the same
da, in their respective states, and sit hat
one day 10 discharge their fun,fions thus
guarding. as far as human foresight could,
g1iusi corruption aud intrigue, aud allow
log rs full Il share as the trainers thought
prudent Of democratic influence, consis
tenlly with the tranquility ot elections, IA
j the election If president We would then
ak our fellow citizens how our presidents
have been elected aud how il Is the next
president is attempted t6be Imposed on ns'
The experience of most ofns can answer the
irsi branch IF this enquiry. f.ct us inspect
ii little, aud ser how II comp"ris with the
| spirit of the constitution, or With the prID
ciplrs OF free government. We s.lct
men torongress for the purposes ol federal
lrgisialion, without the rcmotcsi drgrce
surprising we are appointing presidential
cleciurs. They assemble at the seat OF
government, ard instead of dlscl,arging
Their legislative functions, 80 into caucus.
They select their man. Tire state legislatures
arc~Dlisted in his cause, by that secret Influ
rncr which such associations well kHaw how
To exerri e: now, in states the legislatures
appoint the electors by ballot, IN ten, among |
which - Virginia, by general ticket, and
seven hy districts. 10 the FIRST seven the
electors are responsible to the legislatures
only, aud their votes are pl"dgedS IN the
10, where the general ticket prevails, the
same effect is produced by legislative nom |
naii"ns--under the auspices of these DO |
dies The caucus candidates have b,1'n bret
forward ard viii such fearful odds IN then
favor could not we'll fail ofthelr election
When the day Of election arrives, the Gle.
tors assemble in the different states, not for
The purpose of rotiUg, for they have nor
tbs privilege, but to perform the more
humble duty of counting the ,otcs of lcgis |
IN their pockets l. months, perhaps, aud |
which they have nothing to do with but IL
carry rs runners W thr place of counting.
Such is the machinery Of that roiitical
monster, the congressional caucus, that
IL BE- hated needs but to be seen" W.
would ask how II COMFORTS with the con
stltutlon That nstfument contcmplatcdi
IN congress an umpire between the colleges.
aud therefor, forbid their being electors.
intending, in the event of thci,
umpiragc, that they should enter upon
their duties devoid of prrconcci,ed prcln-
dlces or prepesscssious. 1t had the same oh |
lcct III view that it had in So providing for
the appointment of electors, thai both the
one aud the other should be subj, ct To no
lnnlcuec but II sense &c duty that, as the
on" should moi be subject to DOMESTIC IN |
trlSnc ar foreign i0llurnce, 81 the 9th |
cr should he exempt from all manuer OF
lnilucnce from a connection With the presi
dcut slect.-Aud We, as electors of runi-
hers of congress, have an interest IN beng
repr, scented by men of high unhen ltng po
litIcSl integrity, who are To hf sent as
public scntiucls of uur ihrrtS.--W hD are not
emily IA guard Us against foreign fees, but
defend us against the attacks Of Il co-ordi
nate branch OF the government Who are 10
keep watchlnl eye over ihr executive
10 SEE thai neither the sword nor the purse
are employed in the suhVtrsiou Of our
rights. Does not this caucus system break
down all the barriers of the constitution
Does II not renove all its checks AMI ha
an,es, and open u door for abuses, the
consequences of which no human foresight
can estimate nr portray IN all then horrors
Nil any man say, If persisted in. il will
MOI cohNert our congress and state lcE's
lturrs into cabals worse than IA Polish diet,
aGcrmancofcge, or concla,c ofcardinaIs,
wherein votes will be bartcrrd for patron
agr Where, instead of finding the firm
friends Of the proph s. independent STATES
men, ne shall find the mean Instruments of
elrctloneerelg Intrigue and party purpose
WIN " hol 'hrNltauy corrupt the legislative
and executive branches of the government:
VIII II not Unite them in common cause
against the people p? win it not, to attri
butte to il the most m'tisaled consequence,
give Use aud improper diciation 60 the
gratitude of the president elect who, when
hc is elevated, should regard b mscli rs The
head of great nation, calIrdhy thelrvoice
10 rule over them : and who, instead, wiz
consider himself as the head ot a iactior,
Feeling himself bound by no lie ofsympathy
or gratitude To the people ? The answer
must he ohNious to EVERY one not blinded
by prc adlcc or srlfntcrcst.