Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-11-24

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ture, or by Central Commlee TO vote Tor certain
person by name:
One Of the PsOple.-Doub,less, Sir, i, appears very
ridiculous to yoa that should make such an assertion
but, it is nevertheless So
!manager.-Yours, Sir, is assertion without proof,
and con'rad'cted by The practice of every State in the
Union.
0ne Of the People-I am unwilling that you should
take my assertion without proof, but hesitate to say
any thing more, knowing, as do, that whenever Sc
duouVe interest operates the mind, it becomes the
dupe of the Observation-Disclosures ostends mih sic, In
ersdnius odi'-"Nentis grattssimus error
| Jhaaagsr-l don't care for your Latin-it has no.
thing to do with the case
! One Of The People.-Very we'll In the defence Of
the Constitution of my country, will speak English,
and refer 10 that Constitution withstaBding am
we'll aware, Gas well said on another interesting
occar;on,) tina! it is like appealing The dead
LEI first examine the Constitution ITSELF and from
deduce the duties of elector. The electors shall
cole 6y baL0L 10 order TO give the elector per
feet coarol over his VOTE he shalt (no may,) vna by
ballot, (not oicG cocs They shall vote by ballot, in
order that the most profound secrecy be, and ought
to be, and, consuonaly speaking, shall be Observed
else, why by ballot Yes, the greatest secrecy shall
be observed Any elector may vote for any person
be may choose; and voting by ballot it is impossible to
ascertain for whom any has voted. II IS true the
Constitution says, he shall vote, aud shall in his
ballot the person voted for; but he is not to put his own
name voter in the BALLOT that when the electors
make distinct lists Of all persons voted for as President
dn0 as vice freSiuent, is not required
cifcation Of how each eecor voted, should be made
Under this view of the case, there was no necessity
for any mention to be made of the name of elector
and how he voied-on the contrary, he shalt cote by
ballot, and the list Of persons voted for is 10 contain
nothing but the Of The persons Doted for, Pre-
sident and Vice President The name of an elector is
not inserted. Again the electors shall sign and certify
the lists of all persons voted for and of the number of
votes for each. No one shall do this for them No
great seal of the State required to be affixed This
. net oil he chooses
conceal his vote, it might be impossible to know how
he voted, unless all voted for the same person.
Again and the electors shall transmit these lists TO the
Government Of the United States, directed to the Presi-
dent of the Senate. What! not confde these lists 10
the Governor of the State for his sea and be
United by him! Surely, if the Legislature central
committee was intended 10 control the elector in his
vote the lists would have been ordered to be placed
the hands Of such Legislature or central committee
But such thing. To keep clear possible OF any
extraneous influence, the whole affair intended to
be under the CONTROL first of each eector for hmse in
giving his vote in secret, by ballot; and of all
The electors, in the whole procedure afterwards
And why it enjoned on an eecor to vote by ballot
At the time of the formation and adoption of the
Constitution, great fears entertained touching
this election. II was apprehended that the powers of
Europe would esteem it 'an object Of great moment
r 10 have at the head of Government, man at
tached to their respective politics and interests No
pains, perhaps expense, will be spared, to gain
s" appointment favorable to their interests. Germany
olson Papers, 1893. 10 the Virginia Convention, it
was urged, that 'two causes prevail to make foreign
nations intermeddle in such cases; one s to preserve
the balance Of power; the other to preserve their
:" trade-these causes have produced nerferences Of
foreign powers in the election of the King of Poland.
In the last days of Polish Independence generous
effort made 10 throw off the insolent interference
of Russia. The permanent Council exercised the su-
preme executive power during the recess OF the Diet
This Council inundated or corrupted, the mere
n III tn a m
to cause their territory 10 be respected 1t pro-
posed TO subject this army 10 the orders OF commits
zion, independent of this Council. On the 10th OF
October, 1888, this question determined ci0a
Publicly collected, the votes presented majority Of 90
against go for the negative The vote take by ballot,
reduced this majority TO z On the Sd November the
same proposition was renewed. The rira roee vote
gave for the independence Of the commission ia,
against 49, but by ballot, the majority turned on the
other sde for the independence l40, against 49,
Thus, in 262 votes this change in the method OF vo,-
II ing in public, 10 secret made difference OF So.
The scenes in Poland, for years before this,
showed that much be feared in the election OF
the Chief Magistrate and what took place afterwards
has fully shown that these fears were we'll founded
Poland no longer exists nation. Look at the Map
Of Europe: she is where to be found-and the inter
meddng OF State Legislatures and Central Committees,
taking from the electors of President and Vice Pre-
sident their right to vote according TO their own ind
vdua view, leaving the college independent; and, in
stead of this, compelling the electors to pledge them
for the Presidency, whether drunk sober, whether
half dead with disease, or, indeed, whether dead or
alive has nearly verified the prediction of Madison, 10
his report that the elections to the Presidency will be-
come violent and corrupt that the public voice itself
might call for elective, in the place of an hereditary
succession.
According to the practice of the Legislative, and Cen
trail Committee managers, there can be racdncy in
the number of electors. The number of votes given,
according to the management, will always correspond
tn tko nnhp IF olo n
examination of the Constitution, 1t would seem, that
it contemplated that vacancy in the Electoral
College should be fed for expressly draws dis
tncon between the number of electors appointed and
the number of votes given. "The person having the
greatest number of for President shall be Prcst
dent; If sach number be majority Of the 'ohoie
Der Of Electors appointed" Ii vacancies are always
filed, and all electors pledged to vote, the number OF
coteS must always be great the number OF electors
appointed In making quotations from cotemporaneous
authors, relation to these subjects, and in giving them
their proper weight, must critically scan them, aud
,ohat SUBJECTS they refer. In following number,
shall sho w. in the 6Sth and 69h numbers of the Fede
deralist when the special subject in question of the
mode Of appointment is under investigation, that IT
would have been intended, that the electors of
President and Vice President should be subject TO any
conirol and it will be shown by the electoral laws OF
Virginia and Maryland passed before the heats Of party
had distemperrd the public mind, that these States
|, never dreamt of filling vacancy. And 1t may be
asserted with truth, that the idea of State Legisla-
ture or Central Committee controlling the votes Tor
member Of Congress, is absurdty; and that the in
reference in the of elector for Presden. and
Vice President whose duty it is to vote in secret, is
Just as preposterous the other II there is really
desire to recur the good old principles of 1893 and
$780, ought TO look at what was done in those days
But party spirit blind Shall truth prevail? Yes!
To great extent approach TO original prin.
cpes in the fact that about twenty years ago. large
number of electors Of President and Vice President
chosen BY State Legislatures, pledged to vote BY
LolIa hch of onisla
lures had agreed on-ony State votes by its
Legislature The next step is 10 get it out of the State
managers And time will bring that about, and the
electors then left themselves, or, better STILL given
to the people of euch State to vote directly for the
Presden-brbery and corruption can rarely succeed,
If ever. PENDLEION
In connection with the above, lay before our rea-
ders the following
FLomt the Mobile Rcgstcr.)
When the first demand was made from S. Carolina
for the adoption Of invarabe district system for the
selection of delegates to the Baltimore Convention it