Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-01-26


case which requires no agent! Why have recourse
TO an agent whose treacherY may ruin, and whose
hdeliiy cannot aid you! Why employ another to
do thing which every citizen can do as easily for
himself: In the general ticket and legislative modes
OF electicc, the body of electors may be made TO
act part. They become, in such cases, indispen-
sable machinery, TO enable the dominant party to
effect their views; but in the district system, they
are even incapable OF being used for this purpose;
and, If kept up, can be seen in other light than
as the reserved instruments of future and contingent
mischief.
That the qualified voters of the States ought 10
! possess the real, well the nominal right, 10
elect tile President and Vice President ofthe Unit
! ell States, il proposition detlucible from the
| rights OF man, the nature of the Federal Govern
ment, and the proper distribution of all its powers.
Inc nature offthis Government Is free and repre-
senfdftre. II is Government of the People,
managing their own affairs in their own way,
through The agency of their servants. II rests
upon Election, in opposition TO Hereditary Success
sion; ard unless the people make these elections,
the peculiar feature which distinguishes this Gov
eminent from limited monarchy, must rapidly
disappear. In the distribution of the powers of
the Federal Government, the faculty OF election
was the only one which appropriately fell To the
mass OF the people. 1t is the only one WHICH they
can exercise. All others necessarily assigned
to few select hands. The people in mass cannot
1
/ affairs at home, and treat with foreign nations
abroad: These powers must be left to the Executive
Office. They cannot assemble in body and
act laws this power OF legislation must he left to
representatives. Still less they 81, in mass up
on the rights OF Persons and property, administer
justice, and expound tue laws all this must be
confded to small number o. judges placed, by
the tenure Of their Office, far above the immediate
control and influence of the people. What part,
then, remains for the body of the people TO act in
The administration of the federal government
Elections; and nothing but elections remain for
them; and in the original distribution OF power,
this part was the one asst gned 10 them. Repre-
sentatitrs In Congress 10 be chosen by them;
IN the election OF Senators, they were to have
indirect vote; and in that OF President and Vice
President, they were To choose, through their inn
mediate representatives, SUCH they believed 10
be most capable OF making good choice for them.
linus, the power OF eecting the executive and ie
glsiaiive members of the Federal Government, was
the only atribre of SOY ereignty left in the hands
ot the people, by tie Federal Constitution and
ii this attribute is lost destroved in the most i'm
porant election of all, that of the Chief Magis-
'rates, then the appellation of sovereign, with
which the people are so often greeted, becomes
thle OF derision, only serving 10 remind them OF
what they ought to he, and of what they are moi,
| That this great privilege OF election was in
tended to be real, aud not barren power
admitted by the ablest advocates of the Consitu-
ton, at the time of its adoption The jealous
friends OF liberty were alarmed al the first appear
ance OF that Instrument, at seeing the accumulation
OF almost kingly power, which it placed in the
hands OF the President. They saw him vested
with authority TO nominate the officers of the army,
and TO command them; to nominate and command
the officers of the navy; to nominate and dismiss,
at pleasure all the collectors and dsbursers of the
public revenue; TO nominate the Judges who ad-
minister the laws, and the ambassadors who treat
win ioreign powers; TO exercise, by his qualified
reto direct part in Legislation and by his charge
ter, station, and patronage, TO possess great
influence over both branches CT the Federal Less-
iaiure: And from this accumulation of all efficient
power in the hands of the first Magistrate, they
saw, or thought they ground of real apprehen-
sion Tor the safety of the public liberty But they
were answered, that all these apprehensons were
without foundation: that there vas one single con-
sideraiion, which would show them to be ground.
less; and that consideration this: that the Pre-
sident himself to be nothing more than the
creature of the people, elected by the lest and
wisest among themselves: such they themselves
would agree could make better choice than them
selves; AND that thus issuing from The bosom of the
people, dependent uIssn them for lis first election
aud subsequent disappointment, he would in fact
De nothing but an instrument in their hands by
means OF which, they could direct all this iormila-
b'O "ff'J va power ~ protection oil their own
liberties, and TO the augmentation of their own
happiness. BY this answer, enough were soo,hed
into acquescence, TO permit the Constitution. by
lean naioriies in several States. get into opera
tion And now, ii by any vicious practice, which
shat grow mp under this Constitution the people
shall lose The power OF electing The President and
VICE President, then they lose the only attribute
OF sovereignty which, body, they are capable OF
exercising IN the administration Ofthe Federal Co
vernment; they lose the attribute aud the only one
which was assigned 10 them in the first distribution
OF power IN the organization OF this Government /;
the identical which they were flaltered into .he
belief of possessing, when tley consented TO the
establishment of the Constitutions; and the one
which cahnot he lost, without rendering the re-
manning privilege of voting indirectly for Senator'S
and directly for Representatives, OF 100 little con-
sequence to be worth preserving
The laws operate upon the people; therefore, the
theory OF our government requires, that the mass
operated upon by the Jaws, should elect those who
make the laws. The same principle applies, with
still greater force TO the eminent officer who exc
cuies tie laws, and who, in executing them, is sup
ported by an army, navy, judiciary, and host
Otreyenue officer, all deriving their appointments
from himself. To to lhe people the inflsi-
ence over this eminent officer, which the theory of
our Government admits, aud which their own safe
~ demands, it ~ ndisp ensable that they should be
brought, as nearly possible into the presence OF
each other. NO intervening bodies should stand
y between them. The President should be nothing
MI an emsnapon OF their will. His powers are
TOO great 10 be Independent of the PTopJ,y with
out danger to their liberties. 10 them liz slould.
therefore, look for all his bonors the brilliant dis
nction of first election, and the crowning reward
Of second one.
Holding it to be a proposition demonstrated.
that IN this confederation Of republics, the choice
OF the chief magistrates should be left TO the whole
. holy of the ffa1f ffad "a, =.