Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-03-24

oy the State Legislatures" and carried. sto :,
July "A again re- considered, and the &" Nation
al Legislature substituted for the State I,eoi.Ia-
lures by a vote of Z TO 4.
ihe whole subject was then referred TO Com.
mlttee OF detail, (of five membels,) who renor,c,l
that the President should be elected by the q.
eislatuEe" Congress-.
twas moved in the Committee OF the yYboIe
to strike out Legislature and insert" pcanIe -
Lost, 9to 2. Then by" Electors chosen br ~.
fecP,e OF the States" Lost. Then by EYec.
On The 3lst of August, the clause. as to N. e,e.
ton of President, was referred 10 a copm;,,ee .;
eleven, lone from each State, called the Co,nm;,,s
oil COMPROMISE, and they reported the exjsing
provision, in the Constitution, that each St,te
should appoint as It's Legislature might Direct,
these Mir. Chairman, were the proceedings in
the Convention, upon-that part of the Constitute,
which relates TO the appointment of the President
ana SO lar from waFantng the proposition assumed
by the Honorable gentleman from South Carolin,
that the PeoDfe' were only intended 10 anno;nt
h'ectors' they prove, most clearly that ,le rich,
was Intended to be given to the States.
Ian any man, upon view of these proceed
ings, hesitate to believe that the Convention con-.
sdered the right as federal, and no. POPULAR Sir
the indications are too clear TO be resisted
Eut II may be said that the reccnsideratio, ,,,,
mai rejection, of the proposition allowing the Sa,o
Legislatures to appoint, is least negative ar
g"ment, that they were NOT intended 10 e,ercis..
the right. A'''se
M. S thought not; and the reason was ob,.;o,.
The Convention determined 10 vest the ri.h, rs 80
pointing Electors in the States and having a.
So then TO have confined the exercise of ths ,;sb
alone 20 the State Legislatures, would NOT OIL,
nave been limitation aud restriction of the rib;
Out would have produced jealousy and dissa,iscac,
ZION NE states. il was therefore, deem
ed safest TO vest the power in each State. 10 h.
exercised according to its sovereign will. II ,vos
ier THIS reason, clearly, that the words &c ST.
LeS'St9tnFeS' were not retained, as was AZ fir,
proposed. g. "isS
II mas been well remarked, that a cotemnor,,e.
Oh any instrument, and especially bv
those VINO had an agency in its formation he. ~
ways been deemed, and was in fact .rno
pest guides TO ascertain its true meaning and a.,
Peciaily on those subjects, where the real iu,,r.,
rs as 10 what me intention of The parties tn Tho IL
s'u,heh, was. Now, sir, said Mr.. S. will Dro-
9.lo lay before the committee the opinions and
evidence OF many OF the most dstinsnsbeJ 80 ''
In relation 10 this part of Institution; men
Who rn,ii I,.vo -rfIed deceiyr and VIII
it was not possible, could be inistaken and shall
not hazard too much when say, that if the bieb,
est and most conclusive evidence of intention -
OF ousn. 10 weigh, then Will place the question
beyond the reach of doubt.
Here Mr.. 5 read the following passages
FROM lss +ederaliSt, p. 25S.-ss The Exec,
i've power will be derived from a very comnoun,
source The immediate election of The Presjden, !.
TO be made by the States IN their political chm,
rGe'eTS' The votes allotted to them are in COM
pound ratio, WHICH considers them partly as dis
nct and coequal societies; partly as uaeaual men,
bers of the same society''
l Fed. p. SOC. s Without the intervention ,,s
the State Legislatures the Presiden, c,rno, -
elected They must, in all cases, have oreat
snare IN lis appointment, and will, perhaps, in
most cases, Of themselves determine II ,,
nj of T,;.La.
Tie celebrated letters of F'abius. published in ,ss
and occasIoned by an alarming hesitation in so,n.
OF the States TO rstfy the Constitution {. w.
President IS not to be chosen by the People At LARGE
but by electors chosen by each State, as rhe Lei,
ia'ufe may appoint. As the electors are 10 he
appointed as the Legislature Of each State NAV al
rect lie iarest and ireest opening is given for such
State to choose such electors as shall be most ss
naly qualified TO fulfil the trust"
Speech Of Mr. IPiison, IN The Pe1us,,,,,o;e,
convention. The President of the United Sts,e.
is to be chosen by electors appointed in the djer
en States; andunlcss there be LegisIofUycs =,
appoint Electors, the Presiden; cannot be close,,
The convention were perpexed with no part ofthe
plan so much as with the mode of choosjog H.
President of the United States ''9
Speech Of Mr.. Hamilton, in .Ne,c Yo,k f.o,-
uenti0n. 6 1t the State Governments were 10 H.,
abolished, the question would wear very different
aspect. They are absolutely necessary 10 the So
lea0!ur rcs
pie IN The most perfect Constitution W e could FOL-
me Union IS dependent on tie tciH offbe sat-.
5oceT1'ments for is Chtef .NagisirGte G0d 10
Senate. vac" ''%
Speech Of III. ldan,s, Il, HE Afassachuse,,.
Contention. 8 The Presideni ami Scnoto,,
arc to be chosen BY The State Legislatures
Speech Of .Ekr. Gerry, in the Congress Of ,so
on the bill for regulating the Executive Depart-,
ments. Sc IL has been Urged by some gentlemen tbat
the President will be the man of the PaonIe 81
their particular representative. Now, how can nh,
warrant The strong terms in which it has been as
serted, when the President may be elected iy Eler.
tors, appointed By the State Legista fures2',
Speech Of .ir. Jackson, on same sgbjecf
6 But the President may be elected by electors
appointed by the State Legislatures
Speech Of 4fT. Baidpil, on same subject 81.
" The President is TO be appointed by Eiector.
chosen by the People, or appointed by the State
LegfsiafUrcs"
Now, Sir, is it not conclusive from these sn,I,o
rites, that the Convention intended 10 give ibe g
pointmeDt of Electors 20 the States. and that lie
Legislatures were considered as having the porvsr
to make the appointment? That they were eiyino
TO the States, through their Legislatures. wise
and salutary check upon the President, INSTEAD nj
making him responsible 10 the People as a eonso,i
dated nation ?
How. then, sihe gentleman from South Carroll
ma Justified in denouucnC ibis a. a bold usurpatio,
BY the Iegi,lsiWes, wholly unwarranted bv III.
Constitution, aud never thought OF by its fesmers
or the People? The right yas exercised, said M,
s. in many OF tie States immediately sGer an.
adoption Of the Constitution and in no S,a,e H.
the Union so often, probably. as in South Carol,.
nal Would Inc People OF that patriotic State 49,,
those who formed the Constitution, have looked ~,
/ q &