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


Senate Notwithstanding the great respect
have i"r The gentleman from New York, so
improper DO | consider his remark, that on
this point, will not even answer him. But.
although chuse Ia be silent, beg the gen
tleman 10 he assured that it is not because
see any thing new ar formidable in his re-
marks, or any thing difficult to answer.
What is the question, said Mr. l.. which, a,
this time, is, ought to be-, before the Senate?
motion for indefinite posiponpmrut of the
various Amendments Offered To the Cons,i
tuition of the United States. Five years ago,
when first took my seat here, the gentleman
from New Jersey, instructed by the State
which he represents, offered an amendment
embracing the district system. 1t passed the
Senate, by the constitutional MAORI Y. Ii
passed then, and ii has passed since, without
the aid of my vote. As a Representative from
Il large State never have consented to- sys-
tenn, which went To strike out of existence the
lines of the States Such is the effect of the
district system, that, instead o( States, you aie
To have districts. Sir, | will not consent tn a
system which would prevent the State of
Pennsylvania from speaking, ON this question,
with her whole strength entire and unbroken,
unless the small States will give an equivalent
We have been told of the advantages of the
district system ; and, that there ar. advanta-
heretofore, have been asked for by conccs-
Sons, from the large States only. The ques
ton has, this session, for the first time. assumed
me- form. A proposition is submitted, by
which the large and the small States can meet
| "u middle ground. have been anxious To hear
this proposition discussed by the Senate. My
wish has been, that the attention of our con
sttuents should be drawn To il. Should a
majority of the Senate be against it, there is
still remaining the anne ndment submitted by the
gentleman from South Carolina, Mr.. Hayne.
with some modification, that amendment
would be nay second choice both are of
grave and solemn import-they require at
your hands Il full, calm, and deliberate dis
cnssion. Why is the motion for indefine post
penement thrown in the way ? because, it is
said, an election of President takes place next
TAIL, and there is great excitement in the cUun-
try on that question. Sir, il is admitted by ALL
MAJ 10 amendment we can now propose
WIZ Affect the next election and, this being
the case, what connection can the present
question have with the ensuing election, more
t6an any other subject presented fer our deli
D'ra'ion /! There is in reality, no sound
reason why we should not proceed. Nothing
but the Influence of undue excitement would
have induced the gentleman from New York
| TO bring the prOpriety or conSttutinnaiiiy of
a Congressional Caucus into this debate -
No excitement showed itself within these
wallis, until that gentleman indulged hmselfin
the remarks wr have Just heard. The per
picked view which the gentlemal has given
of our political situation, is, in my judgment,
no reason why The present question should be
arrested. Mr.. l.. said he would vote against the
pnsfponFr nent !; but, if other gentlemen thought
the mkt session would be more favorable for
decision of the question, he would acguesce {;
hf1t af gI,ar.
brought the subject forward, he would then
present II TO the consideration of the Senate.
Mr.. NOBLE, of Indiana, said, this debate had
certainly assumed very strange and unex-
pected course but, il the object in giving il
this direction was 10 affect the public mind.
IN relation TO the caucus which had been re-
Gently held he trusted that object would be
defeated. He had attended that caucus him
seif-and he certainly should not ask pardon
of the gentleman from New York, Mr.. King.
or OF any other member IN the Senate, for
having done so, further than the rules of res
rect towards members, aud the dacorum IL J..
| snaily observed in the Senate. The object of
! The caucus was To produce union it did not
infringe upon the free vote of any citizen of
the United States, nor efthe state to which he
belonged. He adverted TO the political ope-
rations of the government previous, and at
the day OF Jeiferson's nomination. Ii was by
caucus, that the power then in the hands Of
Fedrrasists was dislodged, and from his yeuih-
tul days, he said amen and so he said now
H. New York. he said, if he bad rightly bees
informed, some years ago, upon certain oc-
ca ion. IN electing Il Seastor from thai State
t. the United States, the election was DELAY
I'd, and an union formed between the Fcde-
ralsts aud Clintonans, in order to suit Ger
tain IndiN iduaIs, and TO answer individual
hat 10 H,,s y
one ever believed that the prore of the great
State ofNpw Y-rk was contaminated by the
union of those parties But, he asked, what
had this To do with the propositions to amend
the Constitution Of The United States, now
under consideration? 1t WAS departure from
me subject, and a frrbrand thrown iuto the
house. This central power, TO which the
member from Ne" York aludps. and hIs fears
that the Constitution would he DESTROYED, hr
presumed was inteudrd fu produce snmr eE
feet IN New York. He liked consistency i'm
gentlemen who stepped forward to protect
the rights of the pe0pie--the gentleman him
self denied. The other day, that the people
were the constitutional sovernigns in this 90
Vernment-he commended that the states were
the sOrereigns, when il was known TO all Re.
publIcans, that the people Is ere the source of
all power, aud constituted The divisions of all
powers, whether applied Ia the state govern
ments or the Federal M. Noble said ne
would not suffer Himself TO he traduced by
any meiRber for having gone into caucus, with
out defending himself. What was done there
was done openly-it was the mere expression
OF private seniiment-snch a practice was in
existence, he b, lrved, 10 every state-in every
county and in every township in the United
States, in relation TO the election ofall officers.
either of the State or Federal government,