Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-03-27
DEBATE ON TIE ELECTORAL BILL.
FRIDAY, March 10.

Mr.. WIrCHERs SPEECH.
The bill providing for the appointment of Flee
tors of President and Vice President was received
from the Senate, with the following words stricken
out-"And the names of the persons for whom the
voter wishes his suffrage 10 be given as President
and vice President, shall appear the ticket re-
ccived by the Commissioners" The Senate's
amendment was subsequently amended on motion
of Mr.. Gholson. by Inserting in lieu of the above
words the following" And man endorse on the
tickets rcceivcdby the Commissioners, the names of
the persons Tor whom the voter wishes the Electors
to vote President and Vice President; and the
Commissioners shall place opposite the name of
each voter, on the lists which they forward to- the
Executive, the names of the individuals who are
designated on the back of his ticket fit persons TO
he voted for as President and Vice Prcsident,-
The Senate having disagreed to this amendment Mir
Carter, OF p. W., moved that the House should re-
cede from its amendment to the Senate's amend
ment, (that is TO say, leave out the words Just quo
ted.)
Upon ths motion, Mr. Nyilchcr remarked, in sub
stance as follows That he never felt more sensi-
bly, the weight OF responsibility under which he act
ed, than he did on the present OCCASION in finding
himself, from sense Of duty, compelled to differ
with Il large portion of that party, with whom he
had generally acted. He thought it became all of
them 10 concilate, as far they could without
abandoning their principles; and that, in true spirit
of compromise, he would go far as he could with
out surrendcrIng all that was worth contcndng for
But, Mr.. Speaker, (said he,) what do l. and those
who act with me, require of former friends on
this occasion? Why, Sir, only to permit to be done
in the mode prescribed in The amendment under
consideration, the same thing in effect, which, ever
since the adoption of the General Ticket System
in Virginia. has been done in another form-and
that is, to instruct the Electors for ,chom those
who appoint them, wish they shall vote as Pre-
sdcnt and Vice President Is not this practice
as old as the system ITSELF and absolutely necessary,
IN order TO get the full benefit of your general ticket
law; and at the same time to secure to majority of
the people, the weight of their votes for the indiy-
duals whom they wish elected, to those high and i'm
poranl stations? Sir, whilst am somewhat indf-
erent as to the mode, in which you arrive atthe OBJ
lect, yet do believe, that the general ticket svsenl
as sought TO be executed by the opponents Of
this amendment, taken in connection with the con-
duct of the party in the Caucus i'm refusing TO
nominate Vice President, will be utterly subversye
or the representative principle TO illustrate more
July my views of this subject permit me to advert
to the policy of the general ticket aw and that WINS
sir, to to Virginia her entire and indipided
vote for those individuals, whom n majority of the
people should wish elected. This has heretofore
been done by Convention, composed of the rcDre-
sentativcs of the people assembled in Caucus, nonli-
mating fit persons as President and Vice President
and making out an Electoral Ticket containing the
names of as many Electors as the Commonwealth
was entitled to- This ticket, thus made out from
individuals dispersed according to population over
every part of the State, and understood to be friend
lyto the persons nominated is laid before the good
people Tor their ratification or rccction and If an
proved bya majority of the qualified voters, consti-
tues the Electoral College of Virginia, TO choose
President and Vice President And, sir take this law
as heretofore acted upon, and it completely secures
to the majority of the people, the full benefit of their
votes for those individuals whom they wish elected
as President and Vice President. For these EIec-
tors arc but the organs through which tlle people
give their votes and manifest their will. There is
no uncertainty in the matter; for the people, having
in convention, through their delegates previously
indicated their wishes by nomination of President
and Vice President, and made a list of Electors
to carry that nomination into effect, and then rafy-
lng and confirming the same, by voting at the polls
Tor the ticket made out, the Electors are fully
apprscd of the will of the people in every part of
Tue Commonwealth. And being thus informed and
tebcted, 10 tlector has yet been found, nor in my
opinion ever will be found of sufficient bardhood
to violate the instructions fully and so distinctly
given.
But, now Let us take view Of the other side of
tins picurc and see what is that those who onposed
the amendment under consideration wish to s,,bst
tuc in the place of the former usage of this Com
monweallb Yes Sir, usuage that is rs old as your