The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1826-03-01
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
THURSDAY, FEB. l6.
The House then went into Committee of
the whole, when Mr.. M'Dufie completed
his argument on the amendment of the Con-
stitution, in a speech Of near three hours in
length.
FRIDAY, FEB. II.
Grand Florida Canal.-The bill from the
Senate on this subject, was reported without
amendment, and referred to committee of
the whole House.
The House, in Committee, resumed the con-
sideration of the proposed Amendment of the
Constitution, which respects the election of
President and Vice-President
Mr.. Storrs of N, Y. addressed the commit
tee, in reply TO Mr.. M'Dufie, in speech of
much logical acnteness. He considered the
amendment as going to produce a radical
change in the structure of our Government:
and he therefore, in the first place, took a re-
view of the Constitution, as it now stands
and argued, that wherever the word State is
used, it refers not to State Legislature, but
to the People OF State, considered as a col
lective political body.
He dissented entirely from the sentiment,
that the Constitution aimed simply at ascer-
tanning the popular voice, in the election of a
President; and insisted that the pure demo-
cratic principle YVES to be found in no one
branch of the Government, not even in the
House of Representatives itself; but mixed
principle, in which the rights of independent
State sovereignties were commingled with
those Of the People at large. As to legisla-
ton, and the constructive powers of Congress.
they were to act on the People as mass !;
but, in all other respects, the relation of the
States, as so many distinct communities, was
always kept in view; and he adverted, par
ticularly, to the Importance of this principle
to the slave holding States.
He compared the relative population of the
States as now entirely changed by the progress
Of the West--and showed that the Union was
fast approoc ching the point when the represen-
| tation of the non-slave-hoiding States would
amount TO two-thrds of the whole, and could
change the Constitution. The security Of the
Southern States is incompatible with any sys-
tenn which melted down the People of all the
States into one mass. He urged Mr.. M'D.
to complete his amendment on his own prnci-
ples-and abolish state of things which gave
to the free voters in some States power much
greater than in others. If uniformity was de-
sirable, it might be attained by making all
the States vote by general ticket. The dam
gers of caucus system would not be destroy
ed, but only scattered and diffused, by dis
trcting the States.
He then proceeded to examine the system
proposed by the amendment; which went to
destroy the powers of the small States, by
taking away their vote in the House of Rep
resentatives-to compel the People to choose
President preferred by minority only,
whether he should be their second choice or
not. The whole system went on the false
assumption, that one of two puralities would,
necessarily, be the second choice of the Elec-
tors, which was non sequitur. lie maintain
ed that the present was not propitious
season TO attempt the amendment Of the Con-
stitution that the responsibility Of Represen-
tatives was sufficient, and the only tffectual
safeguard against their corruption; and clos.
ed with general representation of the bles-
sings the Nation was enjoying, chiefly through
the effects OF the Constitution as it now exist
ed.
MONDAY, FEB. 90.
Two resolutions, proposing different amend
ments to the Constitution, were introduced
by Mr.. Dorsey of Maryland, and Mr.. Buchan-
an of Penn. The amendment of Mr.. Dorsey
is to establish the district system, to make the
electors vote Uiua pOce, and in case OF no choice
in the primary college, to elect new electors,
who shall choose out of the two highest can
didates. The amendment of Mr.. Buchanan is
to restore the original Constitution so lar as
relates to this subject, except the part which
refers the election to the House of Represent.
atives providing, in case of no election, that
the States shall choose President and Vice
President from the two highest on the list.
The House resolved itself into committee of
the whole, on the state of the Union, Mr.
M'Lane of Del. in the chair. The question
being on the resolutions offered by Mr.. M'Duf-
fe, for amending the Constitution, Mr.. Archer
of Va. commenced an argument, in which he
maintained, that the first resolution, which
took away the power of election from the
House OF Representatives, was called for by
the voice OF the country but that no altera-
ton was required in that part which relates to
the primary election by the electors, which,
he commended, had, in every case, fulfilled all
| the purposes of the trainers of the Constitu-
ton, and had faithfully reflected rhe voice Of
the people.
TUESDAY, FEB. 81.
Mr.. Powell, Of Virginia, laid on the table a
proposition TO amend the Constitution, so as to
provide that when the election OF President
| comes to the House Of Representatives, no