Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-03-09
CoMaREs sIoMAE.
IN SENATE OF THE r. SrATF,

MARCH J., 1926
MIR. Benton, from the Select Committee. TO WHOM,
was referred the proposition 10 amend the Cor.
siitution OF the Unffal States, with respect 70
the appointment Of Senators and Representative
TO Offices under the Federal Government,
REPORTED:
That, havias had recourse 20 the history Of the
,imes in which the Constitution was formal III,
Committee find that the proposition now referred
10 them, had engaged the deliberations OF the Te-
erai Convention which framed the Constitution,
and of several OF Tire State CONVENTION which ra,i
fled il.
In an early Stage Of the session of the Federal
Convention, it was resolved, as fellows:
Article g, section 9. The members of each
. House (of Congrcss) shall be ineligible to. and
incapable OF. holding any Office under the aufhori
~ of the United States. during the time for which
.hey shall respectively be elected; and the mem
oers OF the Senate shall be ineligible to, and inca
pabe of. holding any such Office for orc wear
stewards. - Journa, ofthe Federal Conpen-
sion, page 2i9.)
II further appears from the journal. tina, this
clause, IN the fifst draft Of the Constitution. was
adopted with great unsnmity, and that afterwards
in the concluding days of the session, il WINS alter,
ed, and its intention defeated, by majority of a
single vote, IN the absence of one OF The States bv
which it had been supported
Following the Constitution into the State Con-
ventions which ratified il, the Committee find.
chat, by The New York Convention, il was recon.
snended, as follows:
That no Senator or Representative shall. dur
inS thetime Tor which he was elected, be appointed
70 any oihce under The authority OF The United
States"
BY the'N hsinia Convention, as follows:
That the members of The Se1rate and Uo,,sp
oi Representatives, shall be ineligible to- and inca
ra5ie OF, bo'dng any civil Office under the autbor-
Ityof the United States, during the term for which
they shall respectively be elected"
ny tie North Carolina Convention, the same
'amendment was recommended, in the same words.
IN the frs, session Of the frs, Congress. yvbieh
was held under the Constitution, a member of tho
House ofReprsseniatves submitted a sin,ilsr &C.
r2siien-of amendment; snd, in the ,birs session n
Inc eleventh Congress, James Madison being Pre-.
sident, IKE proposition again submitted. and
being referred 10 a Committee Of the Housp. ,vss
reported By them in the following words:
" NO Senator or Representative shall be an
pointed 40 any civil Office, place. or ernolyment
under tie authority Of the United States until The
cxPirstioB-ot che Presidential term in which such
person shall have served az Senator or Ren,s.
sentative"
pponihe question 10 adopt fhis RESOLUTION. the
vote stood III yeas, 40 nays, wanting but three
votes OF TIE constitutional number for referrino /,
TO the decision ofihe States.
Having thus sbewn, by Q references 10 the ven.
eysoIe evidence OF our eatly history tina, the prin
cipie OF The amendment now under con,;derstiou.
has had The support and appreciation of the frs,
friends OF the Consli,uiion the Committee vviil
now declare their own opinion in favor of II,
correctness and expresses its belief tia, the roI;ne
principle ~ the organization Of the Feiersl C,nvs
Eminent demsn1 rs sfoTfion