Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-12-19

~ ae Edsisrs Of fLs R,eAr.sad Wkis
CssrtrsEs IL do not kaow when was more peasec
i2. the .exclnsivene-- 1T the Press" concur with
your correspondent that tn habit 81 exhibiting hut side
Il question in the political papers amounts no, To the
ssggssfs fais least the ssrTressie lie who
tales advantage II the fepo>ed IN him BY this gsA
IL hs readers and this confidence only 20 mis-
Lad ns'a. n he san'eie party haeh. 90, ne S'S'
with No ess than disclaimer al any such
Intention bo expected from either OF the liberal and
enlightened fditr Of the Wing But as you seem dcsi
giving practical proof that YOU do not practise tina,
.scusiseness aud do not think that the publication OF
the article from your correspondent when you eau an
snAnsweabe arsrnr IN favour OF the doctrine held by
yonr- and your party eTaeffy the strongest proof OF
your inpsrtaiiy thought would afford YOU better OPP
por,sny Of giving practical proof OF your noesanv oy
sriny YOU following upon what M and Others, have
t.rrned the "Mandamus Act'' Of the last Congress
Ia TN. undertaking. will be as bret A. possible for
well aware how few will read more taan hau column
a wspaper upon any one SUBJECT A. Nou eoiresPon
dent has very handled this subject, and have
great objection any thing he has advanced SHALL for
the sake Of breNy take up Just about where Ii" has drop
P,dh
Tn. Consttuon undoubtedly m Congress the right
OF prescnbing the tunes. places aud manner OF holding
elections and OF prescribing tile times
and manner OF holding elections for senators From these
words the OF establishing any principle ct eee-
the general ticket, the district SYSTEM b. iafy
deduced ~ said that the right OF prescribing the
mr. Of kodAx the election cones Its contended that the
manner IL general aud indefinite one, and cares
with a. the whole tile SUBJECT OF these elochons
tnton. After adopting this construction was little sur
prsed find your correspondent M indignantly repe
ling the idea Of Congress itself dstrcing the States lie
thinks the States lay Oft their districts far better
Tor themseves'ayc aud should suffer another To
do IL for hen But the right prescribe the manner
Of holding the election to Congress the right TO IS
tabsh the district system only because the expression
I'm Congress complete the whole subject
these elections aud surely such power included
that OF laying the State of into districts.
But they, IN truth, power either 10 lay the
State oil districts. establish the system the
other, either per PEI alum. Their power limited
the right prescribing the OF holding,
LHg, the election They prescribe the forms that are
be- observed conducting the election, but they cannot
establish principles influencing the election itself. Let
be thought that this distinction between holding and
making election. bubble, play upon words
The distinction manifest and important WHO in Nirci
min holds the eectonl The Sheriff Who makes the cleo
toni The people. And the onaeer, who h0lds. and
not the people, who make that Intended 10 subject
Ia the control OF Congress
This idea fully sustained by reference other clauses
at the Constitution, the history OF ITS foTmatOn and To
the opinions ol coiemporaneous oNpounders. The irS
clause OF the second section provides that the people shall
elect the representatives. and the trst clause OF the Sd
section declares that the Legislatures shall elect the SEN
SO far, the whole power the subject oi these
elections undoubtedly vested in the People and the LIE
gsatures OF the States: but II commended that by the at
ter clause vesns in Congress the night Of prescribing the
manner of holding these elections, these great cOnst
tuent bodies Invested Vt the whole OF this power,
cep the bare right OF recorung their under sach cir
cuInstanceS a. Congress may direct That this not
the Interpretation placed upon BY the trainers the Con
sutuuon Is evident from the history of its adoption. The
opponents OF that system, which had for Its object
traizaiion OF powers the General Government objected
10 tins clause, because OF the control II to Congress
over the State elections but their eyes, the bugbears
were the expressions tame and place; they little dreamed
ni the absorbing consequence he given the word
10y the loose and autudinaran construction their de-
scendants The manner, orn OF holding the election
was small IN their considerations the sub
stance OF the words time and place which they much
"beced-and, in fact they prevailed, have the
right ot prescribing the place. which they considered the
most important Of the two stricken from the congressional
control over the Senatorial elections And General Hamii-
ton that distinguished and eXpounder OF the
sutnuon, whose atitudnaan doctrines dIsayOv-
ed by every OF every party the country; he in
three consecutive papers, IA the Fcderas upon this article
M the Constitution, does hint al such construc
ton Indeed it Is little remarkable that in the third pa
per- where he has taken up the seriSfi, after Ill.
ating the effect OF the words times and places, he
has altogether omitted this manner, upon which
much stress Is laid-as IT unworthy OF his
But Congress have much right prescribe the mHn
ner ei holding the election" for Senator's, for the
bors OF the House OF Representatives; and II they e.
abish the district SYSTEM in the case they certainly
IN the other.
But nobody, believe imagines that it competent for
e Congress OF the L. States declare that the Of
Virginia shall be divided into great Districts and that
the members OF the Legislature representing that portion
east Of the Blue Ridge. shall elect OF the members OF
the Senate and that the other shall be by
members. But surely the same words will give them
as much night 10 district the Legislature district the
people.
Moreover, under this construction, Congress alter
these reglafoHS they called, establish the
General Ticket System STATE and tie District Sys-
TEN iii another and thus triumphant and puous
majority welding this power their pupos
-, may forever perpetuae the supremacy ct their
party m The national councils in opposition the will
almost any majority Of the people
think gentlemen when tls subject fairly and cain.
considered aside from party prejudice, ir" Will be
ionne 10 maintain construction Of this clause forced
and ihughi with SO many evil consequences.
Your Ob'i seTv't,