Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-07-30

decid. moi, "the man who, in their opinion,
NAV be best qualified for the Office" 10 re-
oaire the Representatives TO be governed oy the
will of the people in this case, is 10 require them
10 be governed by what they have no means Of
knowing; for when the electors OF State nave
NOT voted for one of the three highest eandi-
dates; or when the electors ola State are equal
" divided, perhaps between :wo, neither having
the highest numbers, how can the Representa-
tives know the popular preference: ne RUE
Of obligation, if derived from the constitution
must be general or not at all: but rule whien
requires representative to do what he has nc
means Of ascertaining, and 10 ascertain which
no means are furnished him, is paipaoie In
consistency, and must be disowned. Thus the
opnosition. in obedience to the constitution
would refer the election 10 the House o., Repre-
sen,atiyes. and at the same time deny to It's
members the right OF making it-an absurdil!
too gross for commentary. The constitution
presenting three candidates 20 their consldera'
ton, evidently meant 10 give the represents
lives a right Of choice; and we are taght by Inc
contemporaneous exposition OF that cons'ltu'
tion,s that that choice was intended TO be guid
ed by the respective qualifications OF the candi
dates presented TO the House Of Representa-
tives by the electoral colleges. 10 say thai
such an election, in slrict conformity with the
letter and the established meaning OF the con
siitution, is made against the will Of The people
is to betray, what we are far from asciibing &c
the Jackson Convention, an uncommon weak
ness, or a total ipsensibilily 10 shame.
Where there are four or more candidates be
fore the electors Of the people, and The votes
throughout The Union are pretty generally Ill
vided among them all, neither having major
ivy, it is utterly impossible to. tell who is Iht
fayorite OF ma jority Of the whole; and il was
on accour, Of this im2ossibility, that The con
s,ilu,ion pointed out the House Of Representa-
,ives as another boly Of intelligent electors
who were Immediately to select one from the
three candidates that the electoral colleges had
distinguished by the greatest number Of votes
Considering it much less important which Of
choice should be confined Immediately 10 one oil
them. Mr.. Adams was second by the electoral
college vote, and not far behind The foremost
and portion Of the votes given 10 Mr.. Craw-
ford and Mr. Clay, would as well have elected
him as General Jackson. 1t is impossible there
fore 10 say, which, Of them would have been
preferred if they alone had been before the 2eo'
pie, nnaccompanied either by Mr.. Clay or Mr.
Crawford.
How boldly this objection bears upon the con.
duct, or how i'll it suits the mouths Of those
who arden,ly advocated Mr.. Crawford's elec.
lion by the House of Representatives, when he
was much lower on the electoral poll than Ell
iber Mr. Adams or General Jackson, we for
bear 10 expose
Fearing lest the constitution and the reason oil
things should be against them in this objection
the Opposition then assert, that Mr.. Adams
was corrupiiy elected in the House BY the in
trigue Of Mr. Clay; and to this accusation, as
gross as il is unworthy, as hideous as il is I'M
founded,t the Jackson Convention have lent them
selves with all the positive force Of their fame,
and with all the artificial influence Of their learn
ed notes and commentaries.
That the first moments Of mortified disaL-
pointment should have given rise, among some
men, TO heated and rascible ebullition Of this
SORT, was neither to have been wondered at nor
regarded-but time and reflection ought to have
induced uster construction of things. II is
easy TO indulge in accusations against men, and
in times Of high political ferment, the DISPOSE
ton 10 yield submissively credulous ear to i'm
putaiions against those whom il is our purpose
to oppose, is often the vice Of men.Let US howe
yer Judge by safer and more just laws Of con
siruclion, and more becoming the high charac.
ter Of all.
IL the absence Of every thing like positive
proof, which is admitted by the Opposition in
this case, they have recourse to circumstansia
proof, in the construction Of which we maintain
that it is violation OF all rule of Interpretation
and Of moral right TO recur 10 supposed cor
rapt motives and views TO explain that, which
may be equally well explained by obvious and
known fair ones. As representative in Con
gress at the time Of the late Presidential cleo
ton, Mr.. Clay was obliged to vo,e-hs was If
t fleet limited TO a choice between Mr. Adam:
and General Jackson, for the condition of Mr.
Crawford's health, al that time, put him out o
the question with all who were not previousl,
pledged. Between Mr. Adams and Gen. Jack
son there was an entire good understanding
but between neither Of them and Mr. Clay, die
there exist any repossession-indeed there wa:
something morr between General Jackson ant
MIR. Clay, than the ordinary feelings between ri
val Candidates.
During the late canvass for electors of Presi
dent and Vice President. exception was taker
by Mr.. Clay 10 the construction and facts giver
in correspondence between Mr.. Adams ant
MIR. Russell in relation to events that transpirel