Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-10-29

.ChOlCc. tTlCH u U 4
a Congress formed Of seprrate and sovereign
States voting as States and by States, in which
the question is no longer founded on the rights
OF The People, but on the equal and aeknowi-
edged rights Of the S,a,es, and in which New
York and PeDnsylvania are no more than khode
Island and Delaware.
But when this reference is made to The
States, they are 10 express Freely, their soVe'
reign will; and the majority OF the feop'e are
bound to acquiesce, as the maJor:'y OF sma'i
States are, when the choice is made by a ma,
iori,y of the People, although in a minority oil
States.
hut when the last election occurred, an at
tempt was made, not only 10 obtrude The pop"
Mar voice upon the small States but to compel
,hemrto adopt as their own, the voice OF a plu-
rality, unknown &c the Constitution x The laws
And when they failed TO prevail over the KEEP
resentA,lves Of the small States, they attempted
to create a prejudice and aiclamor by represent
ing that The rights Of the People had been vi
ola,ed. ard that the Peoples candidate had been
defeated. This practice is in consonance with
those principles Of amendment 10 the ConstI-
,u,ion, which contemplate the surrender OF the
rights of The small States 10 the popular prIn"
ciple; a work which, when it is commenced,
will leave the small States nothing to expect
| which will undermine the basis OF the Conted-
eracy, by destroying the equality OF the States.
and destroy The Constitution. ltsei!, BY derang-
ing the balances on which it rests.
The doctrine of pluralities, which it is my
object TO expose, does no, involve these high
considerations. That rests upon no principle,
either in the theory or practice o. ourGovern-
mant.but is violation OF the highest principle
in all popular Goveruments-1hat the will Of
The smaller number must yield to the larger,
whether ofPeop!e or OF States.
Gen. Jackson was returned to the House with
more nominal electoral votes than Mr.. adams;
but this would weigh bat little. when 1t was
known how they were obtained, and OF what
that difference consisted
will saw nothing Of the representation OF
three fiths of the slaves counted for General
Jackson, because tie Southern States are entl-
tied, under the Constitution, to that privilege,
which | would no sooner disturb than the
rights of the small States. But, in estimating
the respective popularity OF TWO men, and
weighing the votes which they bring into the
House. would certainly exclude he proper.
| ton of slaves. / would not estimate one vote
in Georgia equal 10 one and a hall IN Pcnnsy!-
vania. But this is waived.
In the artificial construction of our Govern
mynt, every State is entitled, in its electoral
vote, To two votes, independent of its popula-
ton, which increases in an equal degree, the
smaller States, and conTers upon Louisiana.
Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri, Illinois, lndi-
ana, TWO votes, each, more than they are emit.
It'd TO on he principle Of population. A pro-
per deduction for this, as we'll as the slave
votes, vii, reduce General ] .ckson's return to
less than Mr.. Adams's. But let that pass.
The vote Of North Carolina was due, on their
own principles, to Mr.. Crawford, who was The
most popular candidate; but a combination
was formed by two minori'ies, by which the
friends Of General Jackson and Mr.. Adams u
nited on a ticket, under 4 pledge, that the vote
OF the State should be given 10 Mr.. Adams, if
it should appear by the countersign on the
ticket, that his friends were more numerous
than those of General Jackson; but the contra,
~ appearing, the whole vot" (fftecn i'll NUM-
ber) was given to General Jackson, although,
perhaps, his real strength did not exceed one
third. But deduct fifteen from General Jack
sons ninety nine, and there will remain only
eighty-four. equal to Mr.. Adams.
a similar manGuvre gave him the vote OF
New Jersey. He obtained the vote Of Mary
land by means equally well understood. SO
that the members of North Carolina and Of
Maryland did not lrel themselves Justified in
voting for him in The House. Where then is
his pluraIityS
But besides, General Jackson received and
counted The Whole of the % votes of Pennsyl-
vanla, although there were large minorities;
whereas, MIR. ADAMS, with an immense ma
jority in New York, received only 26 out Of
the Sc votes Of that State, although upon the
same principle, he was entitled to 36-which
would have increased his vote 10 81 aud rcduc-
ed General Jackson's to 80. Besides, the vote
for Mr.. Adams in the six New England States,
as almost unanimous. Whereas there were
very large nhnorities in all General Jackson's
States. have shewn that General Jackson
did not come into the House even with a fair
claim to a plurality.
But. estimated nominally, what is i,2r 1t is
but 90 out Of 26l votes-a little more than a
third Of The whole number. 1t is but 80 10 Le2,
and can any principle Of respect to public OPT
MON, justify the arrogant preicnsion that l62
must yield to ss? and especially, as the Repre-
were now TO vote by Colleges of
States, and we're no longer controlled by the po-
pular will, but by the will of The States. Sup
pose, however, Gen. Jackson TO have 90 votes,
wiibnut DEDUCTION. n vouIh rppuirp all the M.