Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-01-04
FUR IHF' Nv VI
JOHN NICHOLAS -lNo. W.


To tie People of Tirginia more espccmiiy, an.
People If the United States gtnera9
Fellow. Citizens; Before entering upon an eIr
ton of the danger apprehended by the seer, y
necessary TO refer TO most important duty tc'
on the State Legislatures by the new Constt:e
By article .. section /, clause =, it is decar:,
.The Legislature of the States may direct the n
in which electors Of President and Vice Pre.rif
the United States shall be appointed" In u 4
the Federalist, the Constitution had been vn.:i
while before the People for ratification or reecoa
on the ground, that the people were to c5oe'
electors.
1t was desirable to secure 10 the People ihs
right, BY enabling them "to choose eiettors, nj
DIR Circumstances favorable 10 deiiLer0tioa, and
dieiOus combination IF aH The reasons and tad0'
tat mere proper to gorern their choice. ~ tsaf'1
No. IS
To attain an end SO important, in l7SS, the h:
ture of Virginia passed the first Gag, for t1e 81
ment Of electors to choose President, pufsGaE' 3.
Constitution Of Government FOR the U. S
This grand organic law passed on the l7th ~
her, 1888 BY the first section, 1t IS enacted "![
purpose of choosing twelve electors, on behalf 81
STATE, TO vote for President; in CONFORMITY Ie
CONSTITUTIONS Of Government FOR the L Tue =;
raj counties shall be allotted into twelve DIST ~!
in manner following The counties Of Ane ~ =,
&c, shall compose one district; the coun,lc; d "
rico, &c, &c, another district, &c, &c; h'1
twelve distinct and separate Districts a
The End section declares, lh.t the persons - 4
by law, 10 vote for members to the Gensrai !:''Ea
in each county composing DISTRICT sh6il as:eaef
rote for some discreet PERSON, resident in sorh 9
as an eiector FOR such district, 10 vote for f's'
in con ormiyto the said Constitution.
The Sd section provides, that each person GU
to VOTE shall fairly and publicly poll, and the a'.'
the voter shall be duly entered uUder the nom'
person voted for, in proper poll books.
Sec. enactv, that each vot' falling 10 atens !
vote at such election, shall be subject 10 the I've
ty and Forfeiture for failing to attend and vote,
scrbed by Law, in the election OF members 10 To- I
neral Assembly and it further directs, that
The Sheriff Of each county composing D.
shall assemble, and having compared the polls, >.
certain The person having the creates, number q /
and shall certify that, at said election, the rotri
lifted to Dotc for an eieet0r To choose Prtsidfr'
United States, caused 20 be chosen one person.
c H., to represent the said district an EieetoT
for President of the United States. The
5h Section declares, that each E'ector jai'"s
tend and rots far President shall JorjeR ano r
hundred pounds. Il
OF this Electoral Law, il may, with cando',
marked, that it is a cotamporaneons expos'''on
new Constitution, made by Legislature, ~
we're several members of The Federal Conf
which framed il, and many Of the members
Convention which adopted this Constitution
United States in virgina-that this State con
Jefferson. Madison, Monroe, Wythe, Randolph,
SON. BLAIR, and George Mason. sever'l OF 'Nt'
been members of the Federal Convention "hr
on the 18Th September, l7S7-and this la" wa. -,
in about year thereal,er-,hs, during tins I' t,t
thirteen months, the Convention of Virginia h-i
discussed, and adopted ",hs Constitution 'ot IN nd,
States"-that in this Convention, when 'he
appointing the President, was under ds'"', ",.
Constitution was invariably vndicated, W
ground, that the Electors were 10 De e'o 'n,a:
people, and it is PAM tha' inns g .,ho,, h,ra!1
could not have passed at that day, WITHOUT 10