Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-09-22
SELECTIONS.
., lfr rom the Frederick Republican Citizen, MIDI
10 the poierS Of the fourth Confessional
District

CtSsilct.
FELLOW CITIZENS
In my address to you of the 18th August.
lao intended to introduce the subject of the a
He"uheh' proposed in congress TO the constitution
ia regard 10 the presidential election but found
'hat The limits OF short address would not permi,
ne 10 hotce II, yet trust you will have no obiec
,ion 10 hear something said on question so deem
y "'e'eS""S 20 you and 10 The whole nation and
e"ouiu WIN pleasure hear the observations and
remarks OF others on the. same subject. II i. =
suo)ect That cannot be discussed too much
10y 'he constitution of the United States as il
o'e,h""y STOOD, the person having the greatest
number OF the electoral votes if such a number
was majority OF the whole, was elected Presi
c anu me person having the next greatest
.:' ee-FTesideht and If peason had 4
majority OF all the electoral votes, the house of
representatives. were to choose Presiaen, from
"e J'ce highest on the list and in doing this were
" so'e ny states, each state having one vote
INC constitution aoto stands, the electors
designate The persons they vote for as president and
Vice-pfesldent and if no choice is made Inv The
.s.'ors, the election devoives upon congress. as
- " e"a1'y' only tHey are now restricted in
'neiI choice 10 the three highest on the list.
1he electors are now chosen as they alyays
nave oeen, - an such mQNner as the iee;sLat,,ye
" eacA STATE may direct - every stat. he,pp en-
ieu W DIS mary electors as they have senator's and
representatives In congress. In some states tbev
are CHOSEN oy districts, in Others by general tick
a. anu IA o'hers by the legislatures themselves
any HAS aohei ed TO the district system under
e'efy chaige oil party, and although in the n,esi-
Dental contest she has not ALWAYS had 80 inch
weight as general ticket would have given her :.
ye'" VIII De high compliment 10 her poli,ical
iIinihess II The rest OF the slaes should follow, b
eNanPie In adopting the district system. generally
anu an amendment 10 this effect was PROMISED in
@oHe'ess at the last session, viz. Ri solved that
] Uniform SfefD of L - -
es'~Oi'shed IN ali the states, the number of
IN each state TO equal the number of ana,ors a.1
representatives. to which each state NAV no en,i,Id
!" congress, and each district having one vote ,,
10 'his amendment Mary land can have no oh
J'' 90 - - nearly In consonance with her
piese"' p'"eace out will the large states consent
W surrender Inc political power they hold without
tai equVaieht VIII New York for instance,
winch can BRING thirty electoral vote. into ,b
contest, bind herself TO the district sy,te,n h;h e
Tour Candidates should offer as was The casa =, 81
last eiec'ion, might reduce her influence IN MI; :.
VOTES van pennsylvania will Virginia aorsa !,
VIII any OF The large states, without b.in. Ill
Undermined Tor this surrender of political hover
IL Is mol TO be expected it is vain TO look for sh
sacrihce on their part
But another amendment has hoe, ,
congress viz. :. Resolved that for H. ,,9 ~
OF eiectns the President and Vice Presi,Ien, f t
United Slates, the constitution OUGHT IN he o
.ieAueu IA such manner an will prevent the cleo
ton OF the aforesaid offices from Ievol,,ino -,
gress." s va @o--
"e mover o! nose resolutions (Mr M'Du(Iie
~ wen knew That The question was difficult;
10 Settle mat there were many princjpes ,yoIved
many jaring interests to reconcile and .,sh
diversity OF opinion the subiect-and ,La -,
! referred TO select committee of "a br, ,b.,
committee couid not agree, and no report was matt,
neh mere is not any OF the candidates for
president That has majority of the two hnc,lsd
anu s'A'y one electors, the choice deyolyes unon
congress, VINO rom Tie three highest on tn. ljst
choose The president, each sta,e Iar,e or Ill
having one vote. Maryland is a snail s,.t"
her statesmen, and her people, ought to 800
BEFORE they consent TO surrender This ,oi,,;I
power, which may sometimes place the des,in;a, :
inc ha"oh III iier hands ; tor when the electo,s do
not make choice OF president, MARYLAND stsnIs
'hen upon an equality with The largest state. -
niue members OF congress have then ar much no..
er as The 81 members from New YorL 1 nc
from Pennsyly aii:r. or tie % from Vlroinis
The surrender OF political power IN =, -,
attended with danger, and it requires more ,ha.,
human wisdom 10 IoGeteu the future con..,,a
Vi such surrender ours is a peculiar fo -
government and our admirable Constitution oua,J.
"'e o'S "i"i peculiar care each state is equal
~ represented In the Senate OF the IT, s b,,, -
'ne ho"'e OF representatives, they are Represented
~
oil the members but when The peorl. 80 ~
electors chosen by The people, fail TO cbooI. - nc
iueht' ,hen state rights are again resumed .,d 49,.
states lorIr a Congress, each having an eou.l oi
LOT lhe purpose OF choosing a president ,e, ,hi.
choice Is carried as nearly back to the peon,s a, no.
slOIe without Tes0rtIng to new election nv ill.,,
the choice docs not devoive upon the seno,o .Ld
are the immediate representatives. Of ,b. 49, ,
chosen by the Legislature - but il Cevolves t
branch OF congress who are the represeo,s,i,.oa -
the people, coming Immediately from the nso,,r.
anu "'nenaoie TO 'he people, and IT they DISREGARD
! 'he WIZ OF ABUSE Tue power entrusted to them
are liable TO be punished by the peorIs
What equivalent should MARYLAND and tho OH
small states ask for a surrender Of ,Iis 80
which operates check upon the Iarger
lew OF whom even al this day have such i,,,,c,so
power both In congress and In the choice Of resi-
dent New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio cboos.I
c Shty electors now, and 1871 electot. cboo.e .
presIdenl-how much greater will The influence If
these three contiguous states be in another ,,ye,,
years w know what Ohio was twenty wears
ago, almost a wilderness we krov wiz, 80
now 10 political power and population far sn,s.
rior to Maryland-she may indeed be said 10 rsnL
The State Of Maryland it is true, is s,ranpelv
cut up into congressional and electoral districts
Frederick, which w. y Farquhar, esq one of he,
delegates at Annapolis always called The bic coun
" Is justly entitled to one member of congress.
and to one elector, whether we look al her poou,
iation or taxation; and Washington and Alle,bsnv
are also entitled to a member and an eector. B1,
what DO we see! Frederick spit, in choosing con-
gfessmenj one half Of her influence thrown to
Washington and Allegheny, the other half TO
! Montgomery-and IN choosing electors Frederick
! W ashngion and Allegheny are thrown together