Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-03-09
CONGRESSIONAL.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

Hesolred, That, for the purpose of electine The
president and Vice President of the United States
'he constitution ought 20 be amended in such
manner AS will prevent the election of the aforesaid
onnsers from deyolving on Congress.
Resolred, That.a uniform system of voting by
districts ought to be established in all the States
une number of Districts in each State TO equal the
number OF Senators and Representatives 10 which
such State may be entitled in Congress, and each
district having one vote.
hesoioed, That Select Committee be appoint
cu WIN instructions to prepare and report joint
resolution, embracing the aforesaid objects.
Mr. Archer of Va. addressed the Committee of
the Whole. He commenced his sreecb bv nm
expression OF his satisfaction at the modification
"hch had been submitted of the resolution AZ first
presented to the Committee. Involving as i, did
"s original shape, two propositions, distinct in
character, though not in sahject, and admitting of
aiversty OF opinion, he confessed he had been at
los how 10 reconcile the difficulty it had created.
from this dlhiculty we were relieved, however,
'ae propositions having become separable in DIS
cussion, as they were in the objects they pursued,
and as ne trusted they would be, in the reception
winch awaited them from the Committee.
ne should have frequent occasion las person
'oiiowins hun would, unavodsbly, have TO do y TO
reier, IN the course of his remarks. In what had
fallen from his friend from South Carolina. with
Ehon. though dissenting from QUE OF his PROPOSE
IONS, ne concurred in lnany Of his views, and 10
"e nfst' and that which be regarded as the most
important q his resolutions. He should pro6t by
nns eoneurrence,to abridge the Ks be should
have to otter on this resolution, conscious that he
could add LITTLE to The force Of the views which
bad been stated OF 1t. ia the view which had been
taken on the general subject of This amendment of
tne constitution, he entirely agreed. He agreed.
ttat not only general reason and experience but the
language OF the Constitution itself, repudiated the
iuea OF It's superiority TO amendment The & amers
OF the Constitution themselves, he sail. if now
minging In our deliberations. would he The first to
aiscountenance the suggestion that lere was
more Than mortal perfection infused into the great
work they had produced. Time and experience
were The wlses; of all things. He vas DISPOSED 10
aonhit no other authority as paramount to Tie Con-
stitution and the prac tica rule in relation IN the
amendment, he thought, therefore, ought TO he
fiat II was only to be resored to for deec,s WHICH
experience had disclosed In relation 10 all sus-
gesiions OF deler, not ratiie by this authorize he
thought II the dictate OF prudence. no los Than
medesty, 10 hold tie wisdom of the Coa.,i,ution
superior TO our own
There Was another preliminary remark with
whicn ne must be indulged. One ofthe resolutions
friend from n .5 topics Of aluson His
the determination he had sx,1.s.sS =;
important subject, without permitting himself to be
influenced by temper, or by any unworthy associ-
ations. 1t was hardly necessary 10 say, that lie
should be governed by the example, and observe
the same rule Of conducf His friend had nousx-
agserated the aimportanae OF the subject. Indeed
ii was celypossibie to exaggerate it, He a.
greed entirely, that the part Of the Constitution
which referred to the election OF President was the
most vulnerable OF the whole, and presented The
point, in which system stood mos, exposed
The disturbing influence of The frequency of the
recurrence oil the election operating on the pecul-
ar character OF the Office, justified solictude. The
vessel rode in peril in the neighborhood of this
shoal. Every provision Of piecauiion, therefore.
was due TO a situation of this exposure interests
were associated, Mr.. A. said. with the progress of
or National System, of higher order than had ever
been Identified by the ordination OF Providence
with the fate OF any human insltutionl Our own
widely expanded, and rapidly filing Continent,
was not exclusively involved. An irresistible i'm
pulse 10 political regeneration, pervaded almost
every region Of the earth The elements had been
reposited, and active in political efferyecence or
latent in the social condition. the processes were
going on, from which results inappreciable in mag
nitude and value were TO spring. And where Mr.
a. asked, the principle from whose action
these imposing lesuts would trace their source
pas The influence Of the spectacle of the fire,
sisfftutions Of this eountryi This was the
:" touch OF Pfomcthean fire. which was desinex
TO waken the heart beatings of iseedon, through
| The world. Where In The wide expsnse WAS III,
region, which the glow of this genial inspiration
was not fatel to reach? II was 10 be honed fer
ven'ly there was generous enthusiasts be
| lieyed that even benigh,ed Africa was destined &c
break through her cloud = centuries. AID 10 grow
bright in the light of our ,ddiating example. All
must, in any event, admit, that Ii this light wer,
once obscurel, no failure sun could be looked for
to restored the day time of freedom To the world
The extraordinary parsonage who bad recent,
swayed, on the continent Of Europe the creates
of all Empires, had said in Spirit of subra,
animation 70 his soldiery, on particular occasion
that forty centuries looked down on the issue O
their military operations. 10 how much NOR,
sober spirit, might be affirmed, that not fort,
centuries only; but.ihe whole train of future time
with its nappTeeiable des,inies, looked on d,
progress OF our political experiment, Which per
haps, was, IN greater or less Degree 10 be az
fected by the i5yue OF the connses in which ~,
were engaged. In The contamination of ,
question OF this magnitude, he would not beliey,
1t in human nature 10 permit the sordid stain O.
party scrirnory 10 poluie its unuite,a5Ie dignity
OF the points, MIR. Archer went on 10 say, /,
which modern might claim superiority over anticn
times, none was more remarkable than that ,ylicl
related 10 the art of government. hIsgnihcen
Empires, Aowishirg Republics wese presented I,
ouT admiration in ancient times, And what wa
the spectacle which impressed usl The precariou
and irregular character OF their exerlions-- sh
incomprehensible rapdiy OF their decay mar
vellous facility of their subyersion. A BATH
overpow cred, breath was sufficient 10 ogertur,
them. The resolution of these peculiarities IRE
scented the problem which was, beyond all conpa.
sison, the mosl Interesting in history. What wa
the ca0se2 The antient Governments wanted III
true principles OF political institution. The En-
pires were subyerted OF perished. because they di
not admit the sustaining conservative principle Q
the action Of The will OF the community on the ma