Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-02-25
[rRoM 4 stEmnER or cnrcnr.. l

lFRo1 a liEM3ER OF CONGRESS
nave recently read the elaborate repor, of tho
Committee oil the Senate, proposing an amendment
10 the Constitution relative 10 the election of Pc
sldent. The perusal OF this document has on force
sii more strong y, than it before existed the o,i
mon that the difficulty OF making an unexcen,ion-
soie change In any way, will be found great I,bo,
something tor obviating the evils OF The praser,
mode OF electing the President should be don. ;f
practicable, without introducing greater. seems 70
ce admitted pretty generally. Whether the propos
ed amendment will DO this has vet TO be ,rea Is
carried into effect.
The great difficulty in the Presidential election
uhder existing regulators, grows alone out of the
cifcuhistanstance OF voting Tor MANY candidate
as 10 prevent majority being given 10 anv. Adj
without some remedy 10 this only difficul,v the
PROBABILITY Is much against the peoples aeain ma.
hi"e an election Whatever may be the n ethod ol
applying It, the only ACTUAL remedy il nrere,,; -
or lessening the number of candidates. ,s,ucn, -
counting them 10 such number, as that the cnoe,;
tu'lona Tequisition OF a majority, shall onera,e
AS preliminary measure, the uniform disfric, Ia,
may De considered the most proper. But do NOT
'"n'o', perceive mat the reasons urged for the
abolition oil the institution of electors arc cot
s!Ve' oupPosing the district plan once instituted
The object would be sufficiently evident IN Tho 10
tiers, TO make them attend the polls ,nucb 80,
iully than under existing regulations And fa;Io.e
oy division, In consequence of voting for ton MAN.
candidates, really the only difficulty the neonIs
nave 10 encounter, conld as readily be reneIi.d
and at as snort notice by the electoral as the len,
vote. Nor does il seem to me that j, ,vas or;;
naily intended that electors under the present 20
guiation, were any thing but the instruci ed nled
Gu anu necessary agents OF the primary voters. II
u was intended that In voting, they should be q,
! tiTeiy tree and Unirsmmelletl the idea ne ,h -
PIES eiectnS, would be absurd The e,ec,io,
would be absolutely In the hands of small nun,Lsr
constituting board OF election, exercising an on
tire Tree agency in the affair. But The nrsc,cs =,
The community has certainly sheyyn them as 49,
ihsu uasats and very properly so, for performing
specihc duty with Instructions And in tb;s %
electoral vote differs essentially from, tba, of ,ho
House oil Representatives, a body exs,cisi,,, H.
junction OF election under the constitution. endo,y
60 win Tree choice, to remedy failure by The eec
lots 1othe House in voting, a freedom of choice
was Indispensable Because, to follow impliri,1 :,
the indication given by the, immediate electoral
agents OF the people, would necessarily have eo,,.I
~ terminated In failure. The electors if intended
10 nave been perfectly free, ought to have boA
plan they have not and when the ONLY one dies
could give fails. recourse is had elsew here. | am
al loss TO conceive what evil would grow ont NJ
the retention of electors in whatever plan sball he
| selected: by IL think some evils would ba ob,;.
'ed. By electors as pledged and necessary agents
Hle people WOuId as effectively make the election
as without, perhaps more agreeaby and satjsrac,o.
rIy 10 the whole community: ." qui facit ner sli,,
facr per se.' II would be to Ill intents and MIR
poses, the act Of the people If there ,vouId bo
at any time any danger of commotion from the
perllnacy OF party feeling in election, it admits Of
no doubt, that the method by electors yyould he
preferable While it would brig every advantage Of
proXimate vote, it must necessarily exclude some
oil the probable evils. Is it altogether certain tbat
upon the institution Of the direct method we should
not have the candidates, if not circumarnbulstino
las formerly the city of Rorne) yet riding. or
travelling IN some way, over the u Sts.es 10 for
ward their election ~ more immediate intercourse
and by such means used in other elections in
many psrts OF the Union? Though this might no,
come into fashion at The first onset, vet Il seems
more than probable it would grow out of the plsn
proposed And we might behold "a spectacle moi,
very agreeable TO the feaectingD presidential can.
didates II not directly soliciting votes We, pursuing
such means, by themselves and friends. ss ,vo,,ld
lave the effect; visiting public places in IN, dif-
ferent parts Of the Union, giving, or having ei,.n
public entertainments, fessis, sc. Is II altogether
unlikely that. where considerable number lad
made the first effort. add two in the second tri,I
were taken from The whole, ye, leaving grc,ter
number OF tie adhcrents Of the others than If e,Ie
O. beth; is il unlibey ts, The dssstsie, b,stt b.