Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1844-02-15


OF losing the constitution.
II was finally accomplished, by giving
to the larger States nearly the same pre-
ponderence in the electoral college, as
they have in the llouse, and to the small
err, IN the event Of choice by the House
tho same equality they possess in the Sen
ate; thus following closely the analogy Of
the Legislative Department. To max {
IT as ceGe as possible, it was at first pro.
posed 10 give the eyentfnl choice TO the
Senate, instead Of the House, but il was
altered and the present provision adopted,
for reasons which did not affect the pr.n.
cipIe.
1t was believed by the trainers, the
practical operation of The provision would
be, that the electoral college, in which
the influence OF the larger States prepon-
derates, would nominate, aud that the
House voting by States, where then
equality is preserved, would elect who
should be the President. To give it that
operat on in practice, the provision, as !:
originally stood ia the constitution, was
lluk CuNil ttCStbl sllpuld fOtt iOi tMO thu
viduals, without discriminating which
should be President or Vice President,
and il no one had majority Of the whole
votes, then out Of the five highest, the
House voting By States, should elect one,
and the person not elected, having the
highest number Of votes, should be the
Vice President. Ii has been since alter.
ed, so that the electors should designate
which should be President, aud which
Vice President, and the selection of the
House was limited TO the three highest. -
1t is NANTES, that if this provision Of the
constitution had been left 10 operate by
itself, without the Intervention OF caucus.
ses, or party conventions between the
people and the election, that the practi.
cal operation would have been such as
have stated, and such as was clearly in.
tended by the trainers Of the constitution.
The object intended is important. The
preservation Of the relative weight of the
States, as established by the Constitution
in all the Departments, is necessary 10 The
success and duration of our system Of Go.
vernment; but it may bs doubted, wheth
or the provision adopted TO effect it in the
Executive Department, IS not too refined
for the strong. aud may aGd, corrupt
passions, which the Presidential election
will ever excite. Certain it is, that if the
practice Of nominating candidates for the
Presidency, by conventions constituted as
they proposed, shall become the establish
ed usage, it will utterly defeat the inten.
ton OF the constitution, and would be fol.
lowed by radical and dangerous change,
not only in the Executive Department,
but in the Government itself.
This danger was early foreseen, and to
avoid it, some Of the wsest and most ex.
perieaced statesmen Of former days 50
strongly objected TO Congressional eau
cusses to nominate candidates for the Pre-
sdency, tina: they never could be induced
TO attend them; among these it will be
sufficient 10 name Mr.. Macon and MIR.
Lowndes. Others, believing that this
provision Of the constitution was too refin-
ed TO practice, were soiicitous 10 amend it,
but without imparing the influence OF the
smaller States in tho election. Among
these, rank myself. With TINT object,
resolutions we're introduced, 10 IS2S, in
the Senate by Col. Bentoa, aud in the
House by Mr.. McDufIie, provd ng for
dlStncting the States, and for referring
the election back to the people, in cas,
there should be no choice, to etec: one
from :he Two highest candidates. The
principle which governed in the amend
ment proposed, was to give fair com
pensatIon TO the smaller States fur the
surrender Of their advantage in the event.
ual choice by the House and at the same
time 10 make the mode Of eiecting the
President more strictly liz conformity wi,h
the principles of our popular institutions
and to be less Ii be to corrupt on, than
the existing provision. They received the
general support Of the party, but were OBJ
jected to by few, as not bring a full
equivalent TO the smaller States. The
principle embraced is Identical with lha,
on which you proposed to constitute the
Baltimore convcntion, but which has been
so dictatoIiaIy objected to by some, who
then took SO prominent part in us favor.
If you have not succeeded, there is at
least some consolation in rejecting tbs;
II others have since changed, you now
stand where you then did, in the pQrer
and better days of the party. was IN
favour # II then, as ! am now, MT be-
cause consi Ter the resolutions as perfect,
theoretically, as the existing provisions
of the constitution, but because believe
il would in practice more certainly ac-
comphsh what the trainers of tbs consla-
tuition INTENDED. But while the provision
stands as ii does, would regard mysrsi
as little short of traitor TO that saeree
instrument, should give my assent, d.
rectly or indirectly, 10 any PractIce "h1ch
would have the effect of divesting me
smaller States ofthe due weight which II
secures TO them in the Presidential exec
ton. whether designed or not. And here
let me add, THAI az Objectionable as
think Congressional caucus for nomIna-
ting a President, it is in my opinion, far
less so than convention constituted as
is proposed. The former had indeed ma.
nv things TO recommend il. Its members
CONSISTING or Senator'S and Represent
tives, were The immediate organs Of the
State Legislatures, or the p ople; were
responsible to them, respectively, and
were for the most part, of high character,