Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-05-26


adopted it. We not nscnsblc the objections that
may be urged against il. We regard il cvi-but
less than the cvil of election by the House Of Repre-
scntaves Wcarc perfectly willing to dispense with
We further; and said in 1888 we were an xio,s
to do away with all this Convention machinery. We
warned our readers IN tmewc told them of the neccss-
~ ofacnding the Constitution SO as to supcrscdc all
ceucusses all conventions previous the coming cleo
ton We take the liberty of repeating the remarks
which we then submitted The Wing was nien for Mr.
Leigh noc for Judge White. Ii was then willing TO
send him of the three before the House 10 take
The chances Of success IL il doubt cqually willing
a, TINS nc, to split up the votes, and send il into the
House
(from Mc Enquirer Of September 1888
" We come forward to redeem promise We en-.
deavorcd last number the people arainst
e Pous efforts that are making in ono quarter to
mem from their worst enemies themselves, take the
election of President of the hands of the People and
throw il into the House of Representatives One press
at least IS now avowcdly cectoncering this very
ground IL reminds its readers of Mr. Randolphs pre-
dction that Gen. Jackson the last President who
would ever be elected by the People his yatc
nation sustained by every Observation-Disclosures that
every future election will, IN future be made by the II
OF Representatives in the last rcsortand dccc s that
~ The South unitcs upon him Zone of the candidates.
It's vote Will carry him of the three before the House.
ana there they entitled have confidence in
the result, as any other feel lie subsequently calls
upon the south to unite upon him, and in this way his
success will be certain.
We acquit the Nominee of all lot par, in the folly
OF MS advocate For, we firmly persuaded that he
has kept alooi from the that he would scorn
TO give any conntcnancc TO any such spcculaon. We
put aside, however, all the indscretions the Editor in
qnestion-and take the matter up ON much hoher
grounds Let US say, that it intention to write
the present article before we ever saw these
at a-and the only reference in the public prints
to the mode of the Election the scheme of Ma
sal Conreation (Alany of the friends of another Of
tue Candidates sai to be in favor of this course y
we then pledged ourselves offer our own reflections
upon the sutect-and 70 bring forward pror PROPOSE
non we proceed to redeem the pledge have given
PRoR PRorosIrroS
+" we lay down, therefore, this first Proposition that
.e hePuohcan iary ought no, to permit the Election
oil Inc President to he thrown the House of Repre-
senatives The objections to such scheme are numer-
and Irresistible
IN hc Isl place. every friend of our liberties and our
Constitution must admit that the trainers of the govern
ment intended TO tho election of the President ns
far as was possible, in the People-and their will is 10 he
carried INTO execution IN the best mode which the State
legislatures might please to prescribe This method is
conSona an to republican, principles.
objections, which exist to the election of tho Chief Ex
rcuuvc Magistrate by ono branch of the Iegsature-
oes ~ not scrv TO remove that officer from his main res
ponsiolty ana dependence on the People, And does il
not violate the cardinal principle of Republics which in
TIC separation of the different departments of
e goF'cincht-'nd their Independence OF each Other
Ok guarantees Of liberty? Once es
iapiish II as rule, that the H. of H. is the body which
is to IFS avortc candidate the mantle ot
1--WE power and you Immediately open the flood of
corruption upon the Representatives of the People
You convert tn House into of Polish Diet an
eiectoneerng arena for dsposng the people perap,
10 the highest bidder What becomes OF the unsuled
ana unsupported integrity of your Representatives.
MANY may escape the contagon-but will all the dstin
sused leaders OF the House: The ambitious aspirant
directs his efforts to win their favor Rich Offices fat
ons ana hundred other aurements may be held cut to
purchase their votesand how long will il be before our
Constitution may be corrupted very corc We throw
away all metaphysics, all refined REASONING all abstract
hypothessbut appeal the too familiar operations
of political causes Ne appeal to The bs f o,b
countres-and unfortunately we may appcal TO our own
american Ann s-Since this Constitution was formed
we nave seen two examples of election of President
ny Tie IL. OF Representatives. Need we refresh tho
memories of readers upon the matter? Need we un
ven inc a9ltatng and nglorious contest which ssised
IN lcOi IN thelse of Jefferson and Burr or nust we
refer 10 the sun more modern, and almost equally re-
na nm. election OF John Quincy Adams:--Wc shall
~ go INTO ai the details of these painful transactions
Inc People know tlem and the People must know how
70 Proht ny them We refer TO them, point out what
nelu - spread out Tor management, intrigue and 1--WE
dare to say corrupton-and show how easy Il il
ior very few votes in the House to control the cleo
ton oil President, in defiance of the wishes of The
People. Mr. Burr VIGOROUSLY known NOT 10 hove re-
ceyed one single Electoral which was intended Ia
make nun the President of the Repubic-and yet scarce
~ was there ever made desperate or more dar
ing struggle to oist any into office over the very
heads OF the People AS for Mr. Adams though he had
minority OF the Electoral votes yet il is notorious that
IL was In the power of very few members TO confer nm
on MN the office, TO which he promoted We viii
not pourtray the scenes which followed But they are
hcent 10 disgust all the nice and jealous sensibtes
OF free people Are not then fully borne on, in
our determined opposition to this mode of election p
were we mol fully Justified in declaring that the effort
10 smuggie the election into the House and take il ont
OF me hands of the people, insult TO their under
siandngs' Does it not substantially amount 10 The do
claration that they unworth of confidence and M
capable of sefgovernment? W -
Pm, ~ me Mird Ploce-Thcre is another objection
i'm
icsls- Each State has equal voice in the Diet 1bc
argestis upon level with the smallest State-and y;ra
ma has no more influence in MAKING n President th1n
'elaware or Rhode Island How far this is conformoI
10 me great principle of Republics that the minority
ought 10 govern we will not now discuss The ohicc
tohs are sufficiently stated in the several extracts which
we are about to attach to these remarks These IDEAS
are not new t9@s They not coined for immediate
circulation We have exhibited the same vicv, of tb,
SUBJECT Tor "a yearsrom the year l50G down to the pre-
gent Time dndHeyetore re takc our premiuury pro
yoSA0H; mat we are opposed 10 election by the III IF
tePrcsentayes-and will adopt VERY fair honorable
and constitutional method for S.rcstin0 such measure
Out what method can be adopted; THIS brings us TO our
SEcoND PROPOSITIONS
we Propose-and it is for the good sense of the peo-
pie TO Judge OF our motives and nensuresto bring
10 ne chcctedf Again. must back To our columns
ana snow what the method was which was nd yocacd no
years ago With this view we submit the ,mon,Incr,
proposed by John Taylor of Caroline 10 the Senate Of
tne " states, IN lo23. We also Law before them the
humple support we then gave TO this proposition And
we repeat hat IN case there he election on the frat
pa"t OF he Electors, hope the election cent
Ok 10 he people, Tor The selection be made ont of
the two highest candidates The amendment failed in
suhcent zeal and partly, perhaps, of The opposition
IL met with from the smaller States IL has moi been re-
VVrd since, because the two last contests have bpcn
narrowed down TO two candidates and Adana
and Jackson and Clay-but when we have shoals
oil candidates, or nominees likely TO enter the arena
wnen we have seen not less than five citizens from one
o'"s entered Tor THE Office; and how many Ricbnonds
rom ue olcr states TO muster in the field we know not
NJ becomes all men, who think as we do mon Inc ,,
mate election by the House of Rcprcsentat,res ~ no on
the alert We submit this proposition from sincere
sense oil It's impOrtancc-and ,ree,