Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1826-03-24
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA. FRIDAY. MARCH o. Isoe

welfare Oh the people, within reasonable Limits ho
me direct contrary TO be true and that the event b
most olinous TO this constitution and IN tho I;bor,os ,
Tins people, would be, after contested election In,
triumph OF well organized embttered and ev,snoro
TEA majority dangerous President will be strong
fresdents and strong President 10 make him urdpI II
SO, must be backed by strong majority in this Iouse
and strong majority OF the people.
But, SIR the gezSeman argued that this was not onl,
INC iioS' important junction in the Constitution but
'n"t II was junction IN which the constitution had com
pieteiy failed This Regarded not only as an CHROME
Gus propositions but wholly at variance viii, anoo,
proposition IN subsequent part of the Seneman,s ar
gumen which was, if did not misunderstood him, that
all the Presidents whom have had with one excon.
tion were the ablest and best men which the
afforded, and were really the choice OF the peonIe Now
SIR we nave hal ten Presidential elections they have
resulted the gentleman with execution in the
election o! the abes and best men each of whom
tle choice OF the people; aud that exception il under
$1,000 MS aiuson, was OF individual, who beginnpg
WIN President w ashingon and coming down has re
ce"ed the highest marks of confidence and has been
placed IN the most responsible stations by all those
aoes' ana pest men, and tins the gentleman calls COM
Pete failure. call it complete success beg leave
TO tell The gentleman that if he expects by an amend
inent oil this constitution by now constitutions in
THIS or any other country, end of time to get =
government, that will not be found 10 fail az least
IN Ten times IN IFS practical operation. lie will be dis.
appointed result like this, stretching over our whole
history, aud giving the abest and best men of The
country, IN succession, with single execution ard
mat exception made by political opponent, which, n
kno" tne gehiie'nans candor will permit me 10 add) de-
tracts something from lis weight: such a result saw is
perfect success, uneXanpled success glorious
and would not alter letter in the constitution in the
hope Of attaining happier operation
In respect TO the controversy which forms n LEADING
part OF the honorable genemau's argument the alter
native of the general ticket and district system have
not much 10 the rather conceive the practical
operation CT the two systems TO nearly to the
thing say tins on grounds OF reasoning and am moi
aware that there any thing in experience to b1ip us
10 differ cnt conclusion. The t,y systems in the long
run, mist come to the same thing. On the general
ticket system supposing it to be uniformly adopted
throughout The United States, the unrcpresented ulino-
rites world be balanced by each other: or in other
words. the minority, whose Voice is not heard in one
State on one side ofthe question: will be balanced by the
minority, whose voice is heard in another State o
another side OF the question. On the district system
the same result would take place. The mnorit. ronre
sencd in the electoral colleges on one side of the oues
ton IN one State would be balanccd and being baan
ced would be neutralZed by the minority represented
in another State the other side of the question and
therefore in their practical operation there would be
very little TO choose between lie two systems
grant to the gentleman from South Carolina that di-
veTsy IN this respect evil. 1t is an evil tat one
State should appoint its Electors IN one ,yay and ann
Their State IN another way. admit that this is an evil
for which remedy is desirable; though do not know
ii no o'her remedy could he applIed-wletLcr il
would be eXpedent if it competent To rs) to =
Ter the constitution for This purpose. But the gentle
man himself tells us there is another remedy lie saws
that as The constitution IS without any alteration
Us
/ tem What more do we want, far as uniformity
gocsf If the States will all adopt the general ticket
system, without any amendment 10 the constitution
then the only evil which admit 10 exist is remeIied
tor MAINTAIN that II is evil that the general ticket
system should prevail tho district system. because
IN their practical operations they come to the same
result In the lew observations therefore, which have
| TO make on THIS part OF the genteman's argument,
desire to be understood much being opposed Ia
the district system wishing show that somc of those
nconv enences which the gentleman traces 10 the ne
neral ticket system equally incident TO the district
system, and that others flow, from this or that sys
tenn, but from human nature itself and are evils inse
parable from any kind of choice.
The first argument By which the gentleman support
ed the amendment which goes introduce the district
system, that the constitution now stands we have
constitutional provision all The gentleman even
said that on this subject, have no constitutions I'm
other words, because the constitution gives to the States
discretion on this point and because the States ia We
exercised this discretion differently i'm different States
| therefore, no constitution. But his is conioundinp
constitutional provision with constitutional restriction
This proposition at war with line substantial priuC ipes
OF all our institutions; with that principle which lies NJ
the basis of this entire Republic 10 throw back on ,e
States much of the detail of the system as posi-
be- There Is much constitution here sir as in tie
other most important functions of Tie Government
There Is as much constitutional prov for e choice
OF electors, for the choice Of the members of TIKI
House. bave never heard il suggested there was M
constitutional provision TO ill these benches They dt
certainly get hiled, without much difficulty and tht
People well satisfied that they have The powe
to fill them, as they would be if there werea consitu
tona provision that prescribed the mode. We have
the power to alter the laws passed bv the States reru
a,Ing the time, place, and manner OF choosing Repre-
sentatives and tie time and manner OF choosing Scna
tors AID we have exercised this power Is there
! therefore, constitution il these respects There is
another constitutional provision, which guarantees 10
! each State Republican Government. What is a Re-
! publican Government? OF how many branches docs
. il consist How 10 be chosen For how long? What
the checks of these branches each other There
is not word Of all this in the constitution Of the Uni
ted Stales and yet, vii! the gentleman say, that the
Whole institution OF Republican Government is Of less
Importance than the particular modification of the cleo
tora suffrage for PRESIDENT that being as it assured
" isl infinitely important have 40 Conslitu-
/ tjonal provision for it, think he viii not say so.
repeat sir that it IS The life and soul Of tbs Co
yernment, TO exercise power tan is absolutely
necessary, and TO leave much possible to the dis
erection Of the States is for want Of such ad-
juslfnen as this, that all the Governments that have
ever been established widely extended rerions
have fallen TO pieces. Sir, am willing TO reract what