Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-03-23

y President ond Vice President. II b trso, there
have been some exceptions to this rule; but those
exceptions merely strengthen the rule Sir il is
proper, under tho General Ticket System that such
practice should be observed 1t is an act of Just
Ice to the people, and To the COLLEGE, OF Electors
Ii we make no nomination, the people will be dc.
prvcd of their only opportunity to cxprcss their
preference among the candidatcs--to approvc or
reject the candidate whom it is designed the Col
lcgc of Electors shall support They will be de-
prlyed OF the only opportunity which they can eli.
Joy, of indicating to the Electors the individual
whom they regard as worthy of their confidence
Should we make no nomination, tho Electors will
DC deprived of all opportunity Of asccrtaninp the
viii OF their constituents and will be const rancd
TO make the election III the absence of all know.
ledge us TO that i0W The election will not be made
by the people, but by the College of Electors,
without regard to, or knowledge Of tho wishes
oi tho people. The object of the resolution
of the gentleman from PETERSBURG MIR Brown y
is to suppress the expression OF the popular will
Its effect will be- to substitute for the will of the
setucnt body, the discipline and management ofpar.
ty; TO transfer the election from the people TO the
managers OF party, and Of the people. The gen.
tlcnan from Montgomery (Mr. Prcs,on) has ad.
vcrted TO u bank-to be filed by whom BY the
intrigucs of party. Shall we, the representa-.
iveS OF the people, make such arrangement for
our constituents! BY adopting the resolution of
the member from Petersburg, ciloctualiy stiile
the popular yoicc-whilst that of tho member from
Powhatan, will concentrate tho public mind on
one, who deserves to be beloved and honorcd. But
the gentleman who here represents tho county of
Jefferson (thc LtGov apprchcnds, that ma king tho
nomination, shall devolve the election of Vice
PRESIDENT ON tho Senate of tho United States
which body he feels himself authorized to de-
nouncc, in terms OF very severe reproach And
what, sir, IL tho crying sin of the Senate, which
has subjected it to this heavy dcnuncatonl 1t is
the rejection Of Martin Van Buren, Minister
Plcnipo,cntiary at the Court of st. James. Sir,
shall this principle obtain! Shall We set this fatal
cxamplcl-tlat the representatives Of sovereign
State shall take upon them selves to redress the in
lurlos OF u rejected nominee! Shall vote for Mr.
| " Ii. because he was rejected by the Scnatcl Is
this the whole force of his claim gratitude,
that he was declared unworthy, by an august tribu-
nal, who, OF all others, must DO best acquainted
with his political character? Docs it become us
| to take part in that controversy, and at once to
! condemn the Senate, for the independent
else of its unquestioned right of refusing advise
the PRESIDENT, TO confer Il most important appoint
| ment OH one whom they conscicntiously believed
TO be unworthy of, unfit for the station? Sir,
the independence ofthe Senate il essential to the
true prosperity of tho American people. Its cha
ractcr is the pride and glory of the nation. Should
we sustain this appeal from its dccison-irom con-
tinuing the able and trusty constitutional advisers
they will degenerate into the more creatures and
mcnials Of the Presidcnt--rcady 10 subscrvc most
oOsequiously, his most caprcious purposes. But
tho gentleman has not shewn that this election OF
V. President can be kept from the Senate, by any
act otours On the contrary, think it clearly de-
monstra BILE, from data furnished by himself, that it
must dcvolvc upon that body, whether Mr.. Bar
bonr be nominated not. He states, that under
the Apportionment Bill, there will be 2SS clecto
raj vocs--of these hc assigns 95 to Mr.. Sergeant,
w to MIR. Van Buren,, and 53 to Mr. Barbour
pennsylvania to Mr.. Wilkins; the others div.
vded between Mr.. Johnson of Kentucky and Mr.
Smith of S. C.--145 electoral votes will he ncces.
sary 10 make an ciection; and the partiality of
generous and sanguine friend only assign to
MIR. v. b. 92--so that he cannot DO elected by Tie
people, MIR. Sergeant can receive but 95; and this
is probably greater number than will be given to
any other candidate So thai, if the calcula-
lions OF the gentleman be correct, no election will
be made by the peple. The Senate must make the
electon; and we know 20 a moral certainty, that
" b. cannot obtain majority of that body.
All who voted for his late rejection, may be ex
pccted to deny him their sutfrages; whilst there
are others, who voted for his confirmation through
Just Difference to the wishes of the President and
Just estimate OF circumstances, growing out Of
the relations of Great Britain and Ameiic who
could not take upon themselves the responsibility
OF giving him origin al appointment. Under
these circumstances can it be expected of us 10
forego the pretensons of Mr.. Barbour, in favor of
enc, whom we can only sustain at the sacrifice of
our sacred principles?
Sir the Lieutenant Governor has road long OK
tracts from pamphlet said to have been written |
by q. McDniiie, and to have been avouched by !
James Hamilton, Jr., distinguished and honorcd |
glory on the land of their nativity. These
documents are introduced, presume, to estab-
sh the purity and consistency of Mr.. Van
Burcn! or perhaps the unworthmess of p. z.
Barbour l can conceive of no purpose for
which they could have been produced, connected
with MIR. McDuffc, and Gov. Hamilton. do not
intend to make formal vindication of these two
distinguished statesmen, but may ask of the 1t.
Governor, whether he will extend to them the
same justice and charity which he graciously
n Van Tbo b1ot
from which the gentleman has quoted, was writ
ten when the author, together with the author of
the .sencomiastic advertisement" were in truth,
young men. 1t was but the ebution of youth.
tul fire. 1t their present opinions be at variance
with those expressed in this pamphlet--we NAV
at least give them credit for sincerity--sincc by
their conversion, they threw themselves into an
ascertained minority. But if for this offence these
gentlemen to be regarded as objectionable sim
ncrs, how has Mr.. Van Buren, found favour in the
sight of their memorable Judges? 1t is known to
tho American Public, that when he was far adj
vanced in lfe--whcn he was in truth a practised
politicians Senator from the great State of N.
\ ork, he voted for the erection of toll gates OH
the Cumberland Road-an exaction of tribute
from the citizens of the Commonwcatli-for tread
ing the soil of the Commonwealth An excr
else OF sovereignty over the territory of an indie
pendent, Sovereign State. a grosser violation
of the Constitution, than any of which the gentle
man can convict Jno. G. Calhoun, to whom hc has
made unfayorablc alluson. But for this offence
Mr.. Van Buren, has received full and free pardon
and his professions of faith as set forth in his
speech on the powers of the Vice President,
arc relied ndsputable evidence of the
purity OF his present political principles But,
sir, am at loss to account for this
comparison between Mr.. Calhoun and Mr..
Van Buren,. have to learn that Mr.. G. is candi.
date for any ofiice-and | have also to learn that
MIR. Barbour would become his supporter Is il
just then, to enlist against Mr.. Barbour, the odum
which has been arttuy excited against Calhoun,
and other generous sons of $. Carolina?-thc obi
um which attaches to Nullifcation?--a term by the