Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-06-07

no maze Is. u It. and the oiyoc: oil sir. iineknef
amena,,en, .;as 10 modify tie proposition so ihal '"e
Sc,ee ,Lo,t have the regulation o! tune, mani!e. anu
mace az electinp Representatives, should tEey thiH
prouer 10 exercise H. THIS was voted down; ana "e
neral Pncsney then proposed that Tie next hrancn
.houlL be q, ced by the people w he manner III
The Legislatures shall direct. Had this been adopted
!, would have met The ideas of those who no" oppose
ms bl Bn, the proposition was not adopted ana al
ouen, stage OF the debate, the clause, rs 1t no"
EXISTS IN the Constitutions, was agreed to
10 reformed To the arguments brought forward yes
,rd,, hrtLe Senator from New York, MIR Wrighl
a. =, Tho .mauner'' Of holding elections. lie admitted
liza, IN. Senator had used some of his arguments bypo'
,L.,;colIv Now he drew from these arguments a de-
duclion be very reverse OF thai drawn ny inc eehat"
from, New York. The 81 major assumed that, u the
- :, ,o Constitution relative 10 the times manner,
and ,ce oCholdmg elections does not expressly reach
- b ds,r,ctinr OF the States, any omission an ems
SION n favor of the States HIS (Mr. li.s) inference
was the reverse; for, as Inc CONSTITUTION III 'is
referred to the organization OF The officers OF Inc feae'
nj f:overnmept whatever omissions were mace were
reserved TO the Constitution itself Tins view oil the
cose be nrrned a, considerable length.
Ua admitted that there was another argument "hch
s ,nn,.cn,ly of more weight. 1t was, that no nat.
""' EQUATIONS the States might make III relation
=, ,h ,;,,.s manner aud place Of eiectng members
~ f,nr,sss for the Federal LEGISLATURE Congress had
tho mower reserved 10 II by the Constitution OF GerWg
hos rennlaons and that THIS power 10 alter was tau
tamonnl the power OF 'h"h'"s Id" regulating e''''
the times place, NJ manner
rh,s ,rg,msnt however indefinite in appearance,
vas reduclbl 10 very clear aud self evident ei"cda.
lion. II was merely that Congress-shoulc any oc'
cnsion present ITSELF in which experience would have
sLo,n That IL was to alter any oil the re-
uIa,,ons made by the States in these particulars OF
1mes manner and place-migbt exercise that power,
forhearnr exercise IL IN regard 10 others Inc Sc
major from New ork had, however, asked what would
he the consequence Of State having the district
s.-h,1 ,ts nIntI nu In hp up ~.
raj ticket system, and electng its members OF Congress
thereby instead of in the manner prescribed 10y tins
hill and wonld Congress refuse the members thus elect
ed their seats the other House HIS answer 10 lhs
vas tina, if such occurred the position wouid
be this: the law Of Congress requires that each mem
her of the House of Representatives, shall be The re-
preventative Of district IL person presents himself
10 be sworn in as member and when asked what DIS
trio, does he represent, replies That he represents
State and district he should be told he could not
be received because the law says he shall represent
district ard his credentials amy other capacity DO not
entiile hm to a seat.
He contrnded that any power TO be exercised by
the Constitution, TO be exercised so as 10 act equal
IT, aud produce uniformity. 1t could not, therefore,
br maintained that Congress should pass law which
WIS to lie imperative States, ami imperative
IA others; for tiis lie disapproved OF the COM
nliteo amendment;
As to the Illustrations produced yesterday by the
Senator from New York from the reports oil conven.
,,,en lie Mr. II conended that, no matter what
was the opinion they chose 10 entertain, they did IA
,iiy the Constitution, and they were bound TO abide
10y Il.
He ne II Btered into general review OF the argu-
nens IN yor Of the general ticket system, and pro-
cee ed al considerable length 10 elute them; contend
ing that expediency, Republican principle, and Sc
curt; OF popular rights, were all IN favor oil the us
trlc STEM preference 10 the general cket system
81. denied the position taken hv the Senator from
l. Al l,r-a Sinip Sur
fully control tie OF the States because there was
check IN the Senate, where the small States had
majority OF representatives. But, independent oi that
alton, there community of popular feel
ms and interest between the large and the small States
II the objection was worth any thing at ALL 1t was more
o,ru against the general ticket system than AGAINST
e district system. This he maintained, by supposing
many cases IN which The party could carry ma
ory IN veral States deprving The minority IN those
states of any voice At all.
Mr. WOODBURY. observed that the immediate
question was not one necessary 10 The appoonme nj
a and he suggested the pfoprety, Tor that reason
alone of striking out the whole clause. For, whether
constitutional or not whether expedent or not was
i question which could he made matter OF subsequent
scussion and, give lime fer deliberation and to
e, II stand on lis own merits 1T would be best to IN
tsoduee the measure in separate bill MI W. mere
the understanding oil the Convention as 10
the introduction Of the clause into the Constitution
Tie community at once took the alarm at The probable
I
6fsst aF6a 7naT this 1Saae tie ot.deEal!s! took !ae
self pre rvajion Of the Gnvernment and was adopted
tor that purpose but not INTENDED that The Ge
neral Government should exercise The power, unless
the States refused TO make the regulations, or were
lncapaclined by circumstances from dong It, or eS
e.csed II so as to destroy the representative principle
he read passages from the Federalist 10 show this
The true understanding then was, that Congress could
constiiu,junully only act when the States did not
could not act acted iraudulen,y as to representa-
ton l'seif THIS bill goes upon the presumption Tia
The les are either negligent, pate, refractory
Suppose then, State refuses to district as you dc
tate and Congress issues lis mdndamuS 1t VIII u
blown sky high by the State to which 1t IS addfesse
You do no, send your army into any but the smalles
Safe lie Eh, De Island to them III respect Il
their own affairs Would you dare 10 dragoon IN tina
way Virginia Ohio He coniended that the powe
To alter could constltutonay be exercised ny Con
nress unless 10 correct in which the popula
rirh, of election had been mpeded or violated IT,
could not right 10 alter, on any principle diner
ent from the power make lie did not regard sove
reign States as trained soldiers, TO be dressed in uni
fora livery 10 every thing, and capable oil beng call
ed up by Congress, by order OF drill sergeants
review them and clip all their dress 10 our trlm In
States are b. the Constitution, to exercise their oG
machinery IN dieting their Representatives, and whe
they may have sent them here is not for Congress to IN
quie whether the machinery by which they were electe
was uniform and alike IN all construction, not =
lie con,ended that The power OF Congress TO regulate
could not be exercised IN any way but IN pafuchia
case Of special and extraordinary wrong; but that cas-
might extend 10 one, two or three States, and shout
be charged then specifically on each.
As To the ''rnnnner OF carrying on elections, he con
sidercd Ike Arguments Of the Senator from Missssipp
furcibie but he (Mr. W. contended that parcula
cases of grievance must occur before Congress coul
,uie rlerc; and then only particularly, in reference
the grievance and not generally, as TO general prime
pies, and coriinag legislation only 10 such principles
lie next referred TO the technical meaning OF the wor
aittr winch To change partially, or III part Whe
80 alter house, We DO not erect new house. ST
VIXEN you alter law, You only correct't IN ccrtai
particular. and then you carry out the correction
toll details.
This Government, during fifty years of its con
FINANCE had gone through periods Of war and peace
and depression and prosperity, without any pr"pos
ton alter the State systems in elections, and max
tins change. What extraordinary event had happened
existed, that rendered II more necessary now, tia
at any time during The last half century, to rake IL
t,is siu.uDrrlnr nowcrii the power existed all. 1