Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1830-12-15
Concluded from I'd page. |


that part Of the Constitution which regulates the
election Of President and Vice President The
necessity for its amendment is made 30 clear to
my mind by the observation Of its evils, and by
the many able discussions which they have ec'
tied on the floor Of Congress and elsewhere, that
] should be wanting in my duty were to with
hold another expression Of my deep socltude
upon the subject. Our system fortunately con
templates a recurrence to first principles dit
fering, in this respect, from all that have pre-
ceded it, and securing IL, ] trust, equally a
ganst the decay and the commotons which
have marked the progress OF other Govern
ments Our fellow citizens, too, who, IN pro-
portion to their love Of liberty, keep a steady
eve upon the means Of sustaining It, do not re-
aure TO be reminded Of tho duty they owe to
themselves to remedy all essential defects in so
vital n part of their system. While they are
sensible that overy evil attendant upon its opcr.
alton is not necessarily indicative of bad or
ganization, but may proceed from temporary
causes, yet the habltual presence, or even sin.
gle instance of evils which can be clearly traced
TO an organic defect, will not, trust, DO over
looked through a too scrupulous venoration for
the work Of their ancestors. The Constitution
was an experiment committed to the virtue and
Intelligence Of the great mass of our country
men. in whose ranks the trainers of it them
selves were to perform the part Of patriotic OBJ
servation and scrutiny; and if they have passed
from the Stage OF exlStence WIN
confidence nits general adaptation to our CON
dition, we should learn from authority so high
the duty Of fortifying the points IN 1t winch
time proves to be exposed rather than TO be de-
TERED from approaching them by the sugges'
tions of fear, or the dictates Of misplaced rev.
erence.
provision which does not secure TO the poo
pie direct choice Of their Chief Magistrate,
but has a tendency to defeat their will, present
ad In mn min
general spirit Of our institutions, that was in
Guced to suggest for your consideration the
substitute which appeared to me at the same
time the most likely to correct the evil and to
meet the views ofour constituents, Tho most
mature reflection since, has added strength OF
the belief that the best interests OF our country
require the speedy adoption of some plan calcu-
lated to effect this end A contingency which
sometimes places il in the power of single
member ofthe House Of Representatives to do
eide an election Of so high and solemn a char
acter is un just to the people, and bccomes,w when
1t occurs, a source of embarrassment to the in
dividuals thus brought into power, and cause
Of distrust Of the representative body Liable
as the confederacy is, from its great extent, to
parties founded upon sectional interests, and to
a corresponding multiplication OF candidates for
the Presidency, the tendency Of the constitu-
tional reference to the House of Representatives,
Is, to devolve the election upon that body in al
most overy instance, and, whatever choice may
then be made among the candidates thus pre-
sented TO them, to swell the influence of partc-
ular interests TO a degree inconsistent with the
general good. The consequences oithls feature
ofthe Constitution appear far more threatening
to tho peace and integrity Of the Union than
any which | can conceive as likely to result
from the simple legislative action OF the Federal
Government.
IL was a lending object with the trainers Of the
Constitution to keep separate as possible the ac-
tion Of the Legislative and Executive branches
ofthe Government To secure this object, moth
ing is more essential than to preserve the former
from the temptations Of private interest, and,
therefore, so to direct the patronage OF the lat
ter as not to permit such temptations to be OF.
fered. Experience abundantly demonstrates
that every prccaution in this respect is vaua.
BILE safeguard Of liberty, and one which my re-
Elections upon the tendencies of our system in.
cline me to think should be made still stronger.
II was for this reason that in connection with
IN amendment Of the Constitution, removing all
intermediate agency in the choice of the Presi
dent, recommended some restrictions upon the
re.egbty Of that officer, and upon the tenure
Of officers generally. The reason still exists
and renew the recommendation with an in
creased confidence that its adoption will
strengthen those checks by which the Constitu.
tion designed to secure the independence OF
each department of the government, and pro-
mote the hcal.hful and equitable administration
of all the trusts which II has created The
gent most likely to contravene tins design of
the Constitutions is the Chief Magistrate. In
order, partcua that his appointment may,
as far as possible, be placed beyond the reach OF
any improper influences in order that he may
approach the solemn responsibilities OF the high
est office in the gift of free people, uncommit
ted to any other course than the strict line of
constitutional duty; and that the securities for
this independence may be rendered as strong as
the nature Of power, and the weakness of its
possessor, will admit, | cannot too earnestly in.
vte your attention to the proprlety Of promot'
ing such an amendment Of the Constitution as
will render him Ineligible after Que term Of SER
vice.
II gives me pleasure to announce to Con-
gress that the benevolent policy Of the Gov.
ernment, steadily pursued for nearly thirty
wears, in relation TO the removal Of the In.
dams beyond the white settlements, is ap
proachiug to happy consummation. Two
important tribes have accepted the provision
made for their removal at the last session Of
Congress; and it is believed that their exam.
pie will induce the remaining tribes, also, TO
seek the same obvious advantages.
The consequences of speedy removal
will be important to the United States, to in
dividual States, and to the Indians them.
selves. The pecuniary advantages which 1t
promises to the Government are the least
Of its recommendations. II puts an end TO
ell possible danger of collision between the
authorities of the General aud State Govern.
ments on account of the Indians. Ii will
place a dense and civilized population in
large tracts Of country now occupied by a.
few savage hunters. BY opening the whole
territory between Tennessee on the north,
and Louisiana on the south, to the settlement
Of the whites, it will incalculably strengthen
the southwestern frontier, and render the ad.