American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1826-01-27

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by bringing his own exertions, ana the "e'En' " '
own chat acter, good or bad To mix III the Ifes'uen
tia canvass and 10 influence its result u eiec'eo'
the people who voted Tor him, have no power 70 con
troll him. He may give or sell his so1e 70 'ne au
verse candidate in violation oil all the pedees WIN. "
had been taken from him. The CRIME is ess,Iy
committed, for he votes by ballot detection dihi
cult because he does not sign it; prevention is
impossible, for he cannot be coefceo: Inc injury
irreparable for the vote cannot BIZ vacated; ieBai
punishment is unknown, and would be inadequate
and thus the defrauded voters. alter all their care
and TOLL remain without redress tor the past, or
sec urity for the future. That these mlschieis nave
not vel happened, is no answer to an objection tha'
they may happen. The infancy and consequent
purity of the Republic, is not the age 10 expec'
them They belong 10 that ripper period, 70 "hicn
the increasing wealth and population OF inc country
is rapidly carrying us-to an age not lar distant IN
which the lust OF power in citizens, and the
criminal designs of for gn nations will give nun
dreds of Offices and millions Of money tor as many
votes as would torn the scale IN Presidential elec-
lton. Then why preserve an institution whcn no
longer answers the purpose Tor which II was created
and " hose tendency to nlict irreparahle mischief
lis not counterpaanced by the slightest capacity 10
do any good? An institution which must impose
upon the people string oil unkaown Candidates az
the commencement OF the canvass, or distract their
cessary brings exraneous influences to govern the
election and, alter it is over subjects the whole
body OF volers to be deirauded OF their rights.
Upon wha, principle OF huTan action can the peo-
pie be required to incur the hazards OF an irrespon
sible and uncomfortable agency, in case which
requires no agent? Why have recourse to an agent
whose treachery may ruin and whose hdellly cannon
aid you? Why employ another to do thing which
every citizen can do as easily for hmstliF In the
| 81, I.uir latiya Of elp
ody Of electors may be made to act part. They
become, in such cases, indispensable machinery, TO
enable the dominant party to effect their views /;
but, the district system, they ate even incapable
Of being used for This purpose AVID, II kept up, can
be seen in no other light than as he reserved in.
siruments Of future and contingent mischief.
That the qualified of the States ought possess
the rea well the nominal right, elect the President
and Vice President of the United Sates sa proposition.
deducbe ON the rights of man, the nature of the Fede
raj Government and the proper distribution OF all lis pow.
ers The of this Government free and represea-
affairs in their way, through the agency Of their
servants 1t rests upon ELECTION, in opposition to
fIEnEpITAnY Succession and unless the people make
these electons the peculiar feature which distinguishes
this Government from limited monarchy must rapidly dis
appear In the distribution of the powers of the Fedora
Government, the faculty of election the only one
which appropriately fell 10 the of the people
1t is the only one which they exercise. All 9TH
e,s necessarily assigned TO few select hands The
people in command armies and fleets preside
over public affairs at home, and With foreign nations
abroad These powers be left the Execu i've Office
They cannot assemble in body and enact laws this pow
of legislation must be left to representatives Still less
they sill in upon the rights of persons and prop
erty administer justice, and expound the laws all this
must be con6ded to small number of Judges, placed by
the OF their Office, far above the immediate cont oil
and influence uf tie people What part, then, remain,
for the body Of the people to in he administration of
federal government! Elections and nothing but elc -ons
remain tor them and in the original Distribution of power,
this part was the assigned them Representatives
in Congress were TO be chosen by them il the election
OF Senator's they were to have indirect vote and in
that of President and Vice President they choose
through their immediate representatives, such they be-
eved to be most capable OF making good choice for Them
Thus, the power OF electng the executive and Legislative
members of the Federal Government, the only attribute
sovereignty left in the hands Of the people, by the Fed
era Constitution and this attribute lost destroyed
in the most important election oil all that OF the Chief Ma
gi,traes then the appeaon of sovereign, with which the
people are so often greeted, becomes title Of dcson
only serving TO remind them Of what they ought be, and
Of wha, they are not
That this great privilege of election intended to be
real and not barren power in the hands Of the people,
was asserted and admitted by the abesi advocates of the
Constitution, at the time of its adoption The jealous
friends OF liberty alarmed at the first appearance OF
that instrument at seeing the accumulation OF almost king
y power, which placed in the hands Of the President
They saw him vested With authority to nominate the off
GERS OF the army and to command them; nominate and
command the officers of the navy nominate and dis
mss, at pleasure all the collectors and sbursers of the
public revenues TO nominate the judges who administer
the laws, and the ambassadors who with foreign now.
er to exercise, by his qualified direct part egis-
allon and by his character station and patronage
TO possess great influence both branches of the Fed
era Legislature And from this accumulation of all efficient
power in the hands of the first Magistrate they saw or
thought they saw ground of real apprehension for the
safety OF the public liberty. But they answered,
that all these approximations without foundation
that there was single consideration, which would show
them 10 be groundless; and that consideration this
that the President himself to be nothing than the
creature of the people, elected by the hest and wiscst
among themselves such they themselves would agree
could make better choice than themselves and thai,
thus issuing from the bosom Of the people, dependent up.
on them for his first election, and subsequent reappont
men, he would iii fact, Be nothing but an instrument in
Their hands, by means of which, they could direct all this