The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-01-05

JO0N NlSnOIAc-lN0 W. H8I
10 the People q yssiaia s.psessly and 10 nc
People " uhs United States gsssTsts.
Fellow-c.ixsas Before entering upon am exam
nation OF the danger unprecedented By the seer II will
be necessary TO rcisr 10 most important duty do
yolvsd on the State Legislatures BY the Consti-
luton. BY article g section L. clause q II is de-
cared that The Lsgislat of the State may direct
The manner in which electors OF President and Vice
President OF the United States shall be appointed.
la No 6S Of the Federaist, the Constitution had
been indicated while before the people for fatica-
lion or rejection, upon the ground that the people
we're to choose the electors. 0 ~
II desirable to secure to the people this great
right by enabling them o choose electors acting IVA
der circumstances Jaroratle to debsraion, sd to J
dieious combination Of al the and inducements
that 9sre proper 10 govern their ehoiee-( fsderalti,
No. 66) g ..sH .4N
To attain an end SO important, 1888, the Legisla-
Of Virginia passed the first act for the appoint
ment Of electors TO choose President pursuant 10
the Constitution oil Government FOR the United
States" lfu 9iss
Der, 1888, by the first section, it IL enactsd "for
the purpose OF choosing twelve electors, behalf OF
THIS STATE, to vote for a President; in coNsoR-
NIFTY THE CONSTITUTION of Government FOR the
U. s., tho several counties shall be allotted into
twelve DISTRICTS, in the manner follow ing The
counties of Amelia, Sc, &C., shall compose ono dis
trict the counties Of Henrico, &C., Sc, another dis
tric" &C., &c. making twelve distinct and separate
districts. f
The I'd section declares that the persons qualified
by law, TO vote for members Of the General Assem-
bly,, in each county composing district, shall assemble
and role for discreet PERSON, resident in such
district, elscor FOR such district to vote for
President in conformity to the said Consultation.
The Sd section provides, that each person qualified
to VOTE shall fairly and publicly poll and the name Of
the voter shall be duly entered under the Of the
person voted for in proper poll books.
See. enacts, that each voter failing to attend and
xntAa ala Dt.A shnI hn Stthta IN thn hkp
penalty and Forfeiture for failing to attend and VOTE
as prescribed by law, in the election Of members TO
the General Assembly; and it further directs that
The Sheriff of each county composing District
shall assemble, and having compared the polls, shall
ascertain the persons having the greatest number Of
votes, and shall certify that, at said election the
voters qualified 10 rote for elecor, to choose Fres
dent Of the United States, caused to be chosen one
person. to wit c. H. to represent The said district as al
Eiector to rote for President Of the United States
The
5th section declares that each Eieclor Jailng to a.
tend and poe 70, President shall forfeit and pay two
hundred pounds.
OF this Electoral Law, il may, with candor, be re-
marked that is cotemporaneous exposition OF the
new Constitution, made by Legislature, IN which
were several members of the Federal Convention
which framed it, and many of the members Of the
Convention which adopted this Constitution for the
United States in Virginia-that this State contained
Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Wythe, Randolph, Gray
son, Blair, and George Mason. Several Of these had
been members of the Federal Convention, which
ON the 18th September, l787-and this law pass
ed in about year thcreafterthat during this inter-
val of thirteen months, the Convention Il Virginia
had met discussed, and adopted this Constitution
for the United States"-that IN this Convention, when
the mode Of appointing the President was under dis
cusson, the Constitution was invariably indicated
upon the ground, that the electors were to be chosen
by the people and it is plain, that this grand organ
c law could not have passed at that day, without
having received the appreciation Of many Of these
worthless well versed in the genuine principles upon
which the grand experiment Of new Constitution
was to rest
Again After the first census, il became necessary
for the State of Virginia remodel her electoral law
This done on the 10th Of October, l772. This
act, by p.
Sec L. Allots the counties Of Virginia into 81 sep
arate and distinct districts.
Sec. q Requires the persons qualified to vote for
members Of the General Assembly TO assemble at
their respective Court-houses ia each county, CON-
posing a district and thsre vote for an eector for
such district, to vote for Presiden, and Vice Pres
dent
Sec 3. Provides that each person qualified to vote
shall fairly and publicly poll, and the name Of The
voter shall be duly entered under the name of the
person voted for, IN proper books. .
Sec. 4. Enforees a penalty on every voter failing
10 attend and vote for elec.or, and in other re-
specis is the same Sec. OF Tbs Law OF l1oS-and
so too OF all the other provisions.
An independent clector is chosen by the people Of
district, TO represent that district and RICH, 10
III racancies is asserted The elector is required by
the Constitution Of the United States to VOTE By
BALLOT, mol rpa rooe not by aye nay not TO have
their names inser ed ia a poll hook under the name
of the person voted for as President OF the United
States These electors shall make list Of all the
persons voted for, ard Of the number of votes for
each but not list Of the names OF the electors who
VOTE of the electors appointed; this list the cleo
tors shall sign and certify and transmit sealed to the
seat OF the Government directed to the President Of
the Senate. This list shall not be signed by the Gov
ernor or Central Committee, and shall moi contain a
list of the number OF electors appointed.
The whole process, the choice OF the electors by
the people in districts the manner OF voting by ballot.
all evidently show that the Constitution the Conven-
tiop when adopting IT, and the Legislature when
framing their organic law, considered the Electoral
College independent body, and bound to vote
hsf epe,y practicable obstacle should be opposed 10
eaba intrigue and corr uption.n (Federast, No. g.
According to these laws, the people of small dis
trlct composed of few counties, are thus enabled
to form proper acquaintance with a man of cha
racter and sense in whom they would be safe in con-
iding this sacred trust, Of acting an independent
honest elector, who, respecting his oath TO support
the Constitution, will vote by ballot, independently
Of all restraint and not viva voce, nor by aye and
nay, nor by having his name recorded in poll book
or list
Such was the understanding Of this enlightened so
ciety respecting the rights OF The people, and the duty
Of electors no right 10 I'll vacancy was asserted
for the Constitution Of the United States expressly
recognises the fact that there may be vacancies in
the Electoral College and does not provide for such
vacancy for, IL most carefully and expressly draw
distinction between the number Of roles giren by cleo
tors, and the ,chok number Of e clos appointed
JOHN NICHOLAS.