The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1826-04-06


State Lee islatures who thought proper to-
exercise il, en- invasion of the peoples
! rIghtsi There are cases, ] repeat. in which
! thr exercise Of this power by the State
! Legislatures. may be justified from neces-
( sity. and policy also. Take for illustration
! the case Of a State, one half of which in
I time ofwar, is in possession of the enemy.
this may ho considered an extreme case.
tut It was the situation oiMaine during the
late wsr--an election by districts would be-
mprac,icahlc; and although the territory in
| the possession of the enemy is for some
purposes considered in the light ola foreign
territory, ask gentlemen ii the electoral
! votes of State are to be curtailed by this
temporary possession? If not then er neces-
state, the Legislature must appoint. We
learn from the gentleman from North Carr
ohna, who first addressed the Committee.
(mr. SAUNDERS that the Legislature of THAI
State once exercised this appointing power
and in doing so nobly sustained mr.. NADIA
son. Sir, the case referred to by that
honorable gentleman, is n case in point
to show that it ia sometimes cxpedieht and
may be good policy, for State Legislatures
TO exercise this power. The case tciera
red 10 was one during the lnte war and
day, tho avowed objects of which were q
speedy peace, and glorious termination
of the war. There was too much reason
for believing that these were not the re9A
objects. The votes of Pennsylvania and
North Carolina were necessary TO secura
the reelection of mr. Madison. and, =" to
make assurance doub!y snre,' the lcgisla-.
ture OF North Carolina interposrd They'.
tun IN, al -.
a right which,,by the Constitution, is Lawful
for them TO exercise, and under similar cir
cumstonces, would be again justified IL
the choice Of electors had been submitted.
to the people, the result might have been
different, and still that result would not
have been d fair expression of the voice Of
the people of the State, but an expression
of the opinions Of those who were at homes
when ten thousand Of the independents
freemcn Of that State might have been "a
broad lighting the battles of their countrys
In further illustration Of this policy and
cxpcdioncy, suffer me to advert to another.
case, of which1 am reminded by seeing
near me my worthy friend from Massachu-
sets, (mr Everett In reference to tto
political or party distinctions; as they hate
existed, the town of Marblehcad, dis,in--
goised, as the bir'sspla,G,s,o G,s,o;is &c fes He vc, n,
in8to' distinguished for tie eutcrprize, laud..
able zeal, and uniiorm patriotism of it's cit-.-
izcns, stood, at the commencement Of thcs
late war, in the proportion Of GOO and 50
voters on one side, to about sixty or seventy
on the other. During the war, the citizens
of that place were fighting the battles OF
their country, in the army, in the navy, or
board OF private armed vcsscis-on the
land, on the lakes, and on the ocean. The
town was literally drained of its populntions
and during the war, at one period, the mi
nor party succeeded in el.c,ing their cam
dldate TO the Legislature of the State Sir,
the political sentiments of State MAY be,
changed, in tie same way as war changed
the political sentiments of the town refer
red to.--l ask, then sir, if il would be a.
stretch of power, on the part Of any State,
Legislature, whose members are chosen
by full expression of the opinions of alb
tho people Of State, when az homo, aui-,
city pursuing their wonted occupatiop.
wSich should exercise this appointing DOW.
or, although the majority Of the pc f,ople, at
home, and the majority brought about in
the way referred TO, entcrtaip. OPINIONS
different from those of the mcnI'Dcry of thc
State Legislature.
These arc my reasons, MIR. Chniyrnan.
against taking from the State Lcpislsture
the right to exercise this power. I do not
presume il will be often oxer cised--scIdom
when 1t is known that the people are re-
verse oit; and there nIay be cases in which,.
it ought to be exercised. Let the consti-,
tuition, in relation 10 this power, remain, as,
VIC found 1t. so lar M relates 10 the State;
represent, the CZercIJ q Df n nv the I,cpis-.
iaturc would not, undo n any circumstances,.
BE- great stretch ot lower, although the
people OF Rhodc-ls end have, with one or
Two exceptions, h0sen the Presidential
Electors Ia anotb or mode: yet, inagmuch OK
there is but n - IIoa remove between tho
people and Yer representatives, one
branch OF the Legislature being chosen an
ndally, and tIe other semi-annually, and
out three no nths before the Electors aro
chuscn, tc Legislature Of Rhode Island
would SC dom, in the choice Of Eiectorsr
run cor.niLr TO tie will Of tn people. L
will ciaIm the indulgence Oi the coInmittoc,
whilst ! examine the proposed mode Of
choice by districts. A cursory cxatnina-
lion must answer, as can say but little
that has not been already said by gentle
men who have preceded me. It has been
lalready shown that by this mode, a minor
ity may elect: and the late vote ofMayl1pd
has been referred 10. whore minority
Of those who voted elctod seven Of the
eleven electors. In late Congressional
election Of Representatives TO Congress,
by districts, in the State Of New York, OF
fthe members elected there were chosen,
TO use terms introduced in the course OF