Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-10-13
RICHMOND, FRIDAY, OCTOBER ID.
Ultimate Etsetioa by The H. Of Representatives..

The New Orleans Bee scouts Inc story vi the o"
Bnrep party being desrous of throwing The election OF
President INTO the House of Representatives, 1t con
tends, tina, Mr.. Van Buren, beng "the strongest OF
The [ocofoco candidates. would be the last to ''snb
siute the popular branch of Congress for the Electoral
| College" In this position, the Bee is right, and II
m;ph have added that the Van Buren, party IS as much
opposed 10 an election by the House on pT,nctpe, as
they would be expediency. Some OF the aura
friends Of Mr. Calhoun in New York have, however,
referred that contngency-and have been indscteet
enough TO say in their Address that sooner than yield
to the Syracuse Convention they would prefer an eec'
ton by the House of Representatives Can any poll
ucian-can any patriot seriously and gravey contem-
Mate such resort without horror and alarm: witness
the scenes that practised on the only two occa
sops when the election thrown into the House oil
| Representatives. See, too, the picture which was
drawn in 1924, by MIR. Hayne, one OF The Senators
from South Carolina
"Can it be necessary, said Mr.. Hayne,to pont out
the evils of choosing President by the National lie
pislaturee He would state some of them. The occa-
son and the nature Of the question before the Sc
nate, would not permit him to enlarge The lrst oo,
lection to the election of President by the National
LEGISLATURE is found in its connecting the Executive
with the Legislative department of the Government.
IL is the theory Of Government, that the several
should be kept far possible separate
and distinct IL the Legislature shall be authorized TO
choose the Executive, 1t not obvious that tney VIII
he rendered mutually dependent on each other: Elmer
the Executive will be rendered the humble tool, the
obedent of The Legislaure-or, what 10 most
10 be apprehended, the Legislature will become SUB
servent TO the views of the Executive. An
ambitious aspirunt for the Chief Magistracy OF tins
great Republic, might have in his power, by manage
ment and intrigue not only 10 secure his election but
TO mould the Legislature 10 his will. With so great
pre al stake, e1ertlons would be wanting to secure
IT, Promises, threats intrigue and corruption would
exhaust their resources 10 influence and control Inc
Electoral College. But the higher we'll as the oaser
motives of human ACTON would be enlisted in the ser
vice Party spirit, personal and political attachments,
you'd combine 10 influence the decision OF the Ma
iona Legislature in the choice OF Chlel Magistrate
Men, who would rise superior to naked bribery and
corrnp,on would be hurried on by their passions, and
ven by honorable AMBITION TO second the views o.
their favorites AT present. Congress considered as
body who may, I'm an event not likely to hapPen,l
be called upon 10 elect the President. But, II that
election was always to be made by Congress-lt amb
ous men taught to look to that body, and not TO
the people, for promolion-wbo can be blind ns not 10
perceive that the Hall OF Congress would become the
arena, where would witness the most violent
and convulsive struggles for power? The very ma
ture Of the contest would have tendency to give
To il peculiar energy and bitterness Snch IS the
character of man, that he is always as much, perhaps
more, devoted to men, than to principles As much
as we are accustomed To boast OF our exclusive at
achment to the latter, principles and men cannot DE
SO pa rated 1t is embodied wisdom that we admire i
1t is confessed in human shape, that we
love 1t is principle, speaking in the lie AND acuons
Of men, that home TO the Blossoms and business
hension Of the dreadful excitement, which would a!
ways prevail in electng President in Cengress-the
intrigue it would introduce-the corruption 10 when u
would give bvth-the convulsIve struggles Tor power
the destructive influences TO which 1t would subject
the Legislature of The country-whch induced our
fathers to lodge the power Of eleciinga President IN
the hands Of the People They act, 1t is true, by their
delegates: but the electors must be chosen very
short time before the day OF election, and, nav
ing performed the single act conhded TO them,
they return immediately TO the body OF the people
thus avoiding all the dangers which might arse
from the employment of pre- existing body OF men,
for the purpose. Sir, said Mr. Hayne cannot
contemplate without anxiety and alarm, the aoopuoh OF
principle in Constitution, which must, III prac-
tice almost invariably give the choice Of the President
to Congress cannot but foresee, that on all future
occasions hat great transaction destined to CONFUSE
the country We have this day before our eyes
solemn warning of the fact When al future perioos
the number Of candidates shall be Bultped-when
parties shall be formed in every part of this great EN-
pre- each anxious for The triumph, and Jealous IN the
suppor, of their favoriIe-when the worst passions oil
The human heart shall be reused into acon-when our
affections shall be esranged from our friends, and our
hearts embttered against each other when the who're
interval between the different elections shall be EN-
ployed in dreadful Of preparation for the ensu
ing conest-can Congress t they are tn eeci De ifee
from the conagion' VIII The Senate and House OF
Representatives, amidst the tumut Of The political eve
menis sit like hacyon on the waves, unaistufoeo
feared sir that their appropriate emblem, on snch
an occasion, will he that dreadful whirlpool OF tue
North which draws into its fatal vortex every 'hine
which falls within the influence of the eddes by wh'ch
II is surrounded
Mr. Hoyne does not even touch upon the strong
affection that by this mode of Election, the largest
State IS put upon level with the smallest-ano thal
New York, with 30 times The population OF Deia"a'e'
has no more voice in the Election.
Hear too what own John aynr ut caroline sa.o
- ',itad Sfota n February.
when he proposed his amendment to the Constitution
sending back the election to The Colleges OF Electors 70
choose between the two highest candidates 80
"The Senate then resumed the consideration OF Inc
proposition made by Mr.. Taylor OF Virginia. 10 amenu
the Constitution Of the S., in regard to the eiec.'oh
of President Of the u States and the substitute ohel
ed thereto by Mr. Dlkerson, of New Jersey, TO vote oy
Districts
Mr. Taylor cf Virginia, rose, and addressed Inc
Senate an hou. support of his own proposition
and IN oppos,tion 10 the substitute He opposed the
substitute because far as IT proposed an uhi'ormy
the election Of Electors, by DISTRICTS throughout
Union, il had tendency 10 create an ars'oc'a'y u
small States to prevent election of President oy
Electors and To throw the election OF rres'oe"e NV
the House of Representatves, where the small States
would ha ve an undue weight the ehec, oil wn'ch as'
in time BE- tn produce revolution IN OUT l'''cai -
tenn that would be fatal 10 the present rquaiv assg"eu
10 the small States by the Constitution Mr. J. laia
down the position, that the power OF The feoerai TO
vprnment had increased was increasing and ought At
least mol 10 be extended He argued against all measures
which would have the ehec, 10 produce .Ndtonal IN
stead of Federated Government and opposed the suo-
s,ue because II would tend 10 produce that result
He depicted many Of the evils winch would naturally
grow on, of the election of President by The House OF
Represcnatives-the opportunity and Inc inoncemeni
winch II would hold out to corruption; lis o'a ehec's
the general business Of legislation, and the
OF the nation; the improper connection II wohio clea.e
between an Executive thus elected, and those ID the
Legislature thus uc,ed The election oil the Lxeco'
tive by the legislative branch, even u pure ne &c
ted as an unnatural and egtmate conneclinn OF o,s
nctpowers nd duties. Hs own amendment ne thoush.
would have the effect keep the election OF fres'oent
where the trainers of the Constitution designed shouo
be, and where i; ought be-tat IS IN the hands OF
the Electors elected by the People and TO prevent al
most the possibility of an election ever becoming ne
cessary by The members Of Congress All these, and
many other arguments, Mr. 7. pressed and illustrated
with force and ingenuity
This is, of course, mere summary OF the points
in Colonel Taylor's Speech We ask again, Is there
no one, who can furnish with complete pamphlet
copy of the whole Speech'l
h1r Cnlhnun the CITY oil