GMETTE;
:-
'VtilVMS IX.
PUBLISHED (weekly) 3Y ALLMAND HALL. TUESDAY, MAY 14, 1805.
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IE0MTHE VERMONT JOURNAL.
, Mr. ELLIOT,
s TO JUS CONS TITUENTS.
' LETTER I.
-'"A representative of the people is frequent
ly placed hisiUiulions of- peculiar delicacy.
His conduct may be, misunderstood,' and his
motives misrepresented ; and it may at the
lame time be improper for him, to enter into
a public explanation with his constituents.
Such waajmyl situation' pi r.viously id 'the late
election, and some may be of opinion that'
my silence ought not even now to bo broken.
But the most powerful motives impel me to
communicate, to those who have done me the
honor to confide to me. their most important
interests, the truth and the whole tiuth, in
relation to the political ronn nsot' tur
country. A a centinel Vcr the rights and
interests of the people 1 have been placed up
on an elevated fcminence ; and in that situa
tion I have made discoveries of such importance,
that I should consider myself as treach
erously neglectfulof my duly, were I to
withhold t htm from the public eye.
Already denounced, I am aware of the
new denunciations which await me. .1 shall
be accused of abandonin ; my .party and be-.
coming an apostate trom republican princi
ples. I shall even he charged with treason,
in advancing sentiments which may be con
sidered 8s tending to produce a 'dissolution
of the Union. Against faWiood uik! calum
ny I shall always be able to oppose the
shield and helmet of truth and a v.uod con
science. Those who know nie will believe
my motives to be pure, whatever opinion
they m.,y -form of my discern me fit; and to
those wlvkuow me not, and in w.'iose minds
- I am id ready conclenined.T.will address" the
laconic -expostulation of u celebrated anci
ent to hU pa.ssion.ite opponent, strike, but
hear me. Aside from the circumstances of
the lite election, I have ample evidence that
my conduct in congress h is been misunder
stood by many, and. that I h.ve been consi-
dcred as giving unli-republican v ites, in op
posing some of the mist ariv.ocr.nic mea
sures ever adopted in otr coi r.iy. 1 urn a re
publican. On certain subjects, however,
it is time to speak out, and to speak with
energy. There i a parly in the U. States
consisting cf moderate ;uul reflecting con
stitutional republicans, 'first rather that a'
third party) and which .U. not entirely com
posed cfindii idiials like myJf, humble and'
uninflucntial. It rnibrnr.es many of the best
fcr.o greatest paiii'it of omi tountiy ; men,
against whose -pot'.esi ftni.-, even malice,
dares not to raise her voice, and to whose
talents millions pay homage; iv.cn, whose
abilities and virltus are dti'.iiucVI I. ope and
trust in Cod, to preserve tbe"Uiii;d State
from nuny political evils. 'I he objects of
this pirty are, the preservation of the cot-'
atitulion in all its energies, and the union of
all honest men.' I know that the union of
honest men is reprobated by some' as a trea
sonable project, but it must be censured
by the vicious and enthusiastic, only; the
good and wise believe that nothing else will
save the union, at tviv.c future lime, from
division and dcuruct.n.
Limited :s has been my political experi
ence, I Inve learned that vioh nt pady nun
are almost ajwata wrong. 1 hey view po-
. litieal objects as thro n j-l.isi darkly. If the
fury of piity vpirit be not speedil clinked,
m-idcratioii will become as ureal a crime in
Amend, as it was lit Trance during the
rcin of Robe pier re. Self rrcalrd organs
. of the public will, already denounce esrry
one, w liulcvcr. may. be, lii. lUtulioaic chaw
ractrr, whose .c n-luit is cliMinguislu-d by
Cue least displiy of conw ieninus itidcpeii-
. deuce. Anion-.; ' republican, among ar
dent r:puhl:cans, iti alrc-ady criminal to be
i an houest and iadvpciuLnt pdi'ninn. A
.nrw depot is frcak-.l, a l! powerful and ir-
resistible, on tite footstool of whose throne we
ercCooiuwadcd to bow the knee, und to tt !me
imperio'is inflates il ises tnrc ol democra
cy to yield possiva obedience. l.u is this
d '. l ? It is a phantom, but not the less pow
erful for bcin-j imaginary; like other phan
toms, it has power to mislead and terrify
It is hii ccr'ain j'jiito plee lo term the
jMiblic still, ' A for ambition individuals
undertake to aniUipite tbe public Mntimeiil
upon nil poliiical stibjec . and, lo the s'l.niie
of our cnur.try lc it spoken, a considerable
portion of the p-.oplc yiihl a loo eay rquirs
csnceiollie mility usurpation. The vnet
fft ptifrlr, v'uh it it tht mult of torrtct in
he proyU mr be dclu-'cl. Deluded they
. have been, at partii uUr limes, in cnir t;c
iii9 - .
A'i attempt is risking lo divert tlie cwrrenl
of psul ir p(iiiu to an invriprr. t luoncl t
1 no glides bke ihe muM. it nu soon
tjmndsr He tha lorrcU. The p-ople still
be to!4 that ihe constitution i Jinus sys
tem of aiisKKrarr j tint Jie President must
, be elected by the people si Ifgc t lhal the
Sen itc must be destroyed, or at least greatly
sieskencdj ihstlhe ju lrs must b rendrrtd
fleclirl and that sil s?b opJHJse this gin
fvus rcooralioo of ou; J olibtal IJl'.CW siC
federalists and enemies to freedom. There
is too much reason to fear that this gided
pill will be greedily swallowed, although
nothing can be more certain than that the
constitution, in proportion as it is rendered
more democratic, becomes less federative,
arid destroys the rights and interests of the
small states. The small states may be de
prived of their rights by the combined ope
rations of violence and intrigue; they may
be terrififd and deluded; they may regret
their delusion only' when thpjr chains are
fastened; and they may possibly be doomed
to elope an inglorious career by the commis
sion of political suicide!
' I shall be accused of political inconsisten
cy. The accusation, however, can only
be fiunded upon injustice, ard supported
by deception. I op;tse many measures of
the federal patty, because 1 believe them
anti-republican, find pernicious to the best
interests of my country; and that opini(.n
remains unaltered.' Hut I have. changed my
opinion as to some men and some mtasuixs
which are called republican. I oppose a
junto railing themselves republican,' Irom
the same view, and with the same motives
that I opposed tliV former administration;
for 1 shall always oppose what 1 consider as
aristocracy and persecution. I draw a line
of discrimination between the administration
and a faction who dictate equally to the go
vernment and the people. To explain and
justify my own conduct it is necessary that
I should describe that of those to whom I
stand opposed: But I shall do it without
impeaching the integrity of any man in pub
lic life. 1 have no private views to promote,
no personal resentments to gratify; and I
have learned to repress the aspiring spirit of
J juvenile ambition. The first wish oi my
. liearfu to see my country .free and happy,,
i and I always deem it my duty to devote my
j feeble efforts to the support and preservation
' of her freedom and felicity,
j PoMdy I shall be the Inst man in the
j United S'at s who will change principles,
. or even pirties, unless parties slull change
1 'principles. 1 profess still io be, 1 ev r
hav: be?n, a moderate and convstrtit repvb
j lican; but in my pu'ilic op.ici'y, I coiisi
! der nf -If as the representative, not of n par
! tv but of the people. am most decidedly in
fjvtr of a unl'jn'pf parties r th northern states
up "I
C7iisttlnlifn.il pniicip.es, I
believe it
the Union
necessary in order to preserve
and fulfil ihe injunctions of the illustrious
Washington. It is also in strict conformity
to the opinions t,l the present President,
wbo has declared to the world that we are
all federalists end all republicans, and of
1 comse t liar our political dis'inctioiis are ri-
ther nominal than real. 'As the terms letl
cralist itii.I democrat, allhoti,;h innocent and
correct in themselves, have been recipro
cally odious, it .v-itdd be well if we coidd
sitiitc us a band of bribers under the o; pil
I ilion if eon'linti'Mial tepu!Ucnu At nil c
vents, I shall (ontinue to con .i Ut myslf as
the renresi -ntative of all the people tf the
ij district, and to devote myself lo the suppost
ol the constitution. I or my numerous t-ne-
mies. soineof whom, will, never cease to
I calumniate me, ! will offer in humble indta-
lion of Him lo whose merits I look for lup
! pines bevond thr R'-nve, this most benevo-
I- lent of priyers Pither finite them. fr
tlft km t what-they do. My only point
, cal friends shall be the friends of real liberty,
and my enemies shall be the enemies of the
people.
JAMES Elliot.
1.KTTFR II.
.The first important jnhj7ct,
bciorc congress, on which it become nrrts
siry fir me to abandon ri'h-r my principles
or niy parly, was the frsl bill lor the tc iuo
rary govtrnmrnt of I.nu sicnj, Uy this bill)
nil ihe military, citil and judicijiy Hwfrs,
exercised by the officers of t'te xisting
govrrnmcnl of that territory, were lo be
vested in such p.-rson or persons, and rx
trcicd in och manner s the l'lfubnt
of the United States sliSI direct. Suirly
a government of this description must be
a p?ifett d-potim; and llus indeed, was
admitted by i s advoratts. who justified the
me.isure on the ground of nrresMiy nlonv.
This necessity 1 could not discover. It jr
ihe law of nations the institutions of the
crded country wool I rcntiin in force until
dunked by the Irgislatne power of the
1'n'nr I Siatrs; and it could be the wotk
of a few days only lo devise some system
of a general nature, sthich should be com
petent to ihe temporary governmrnl of ihe
territory, and at the .ime time ononai.t
lo the reim'dican pritKiplts of the con
stitution. The union of k-ilitr,txrn'tive(
judicial, and miliiaty (lowers, in anin i-idual
w utlcrly irreconcilable siih ihe j irit of
thai instrument, and the delegation of t
p.te r to the president to appoint a supreme
governor of the lerritoty, wit upugnant
to its letters the constitution hating au
thorised concrrss lo vest ihe appointment
of irfcrla' oflket only in the president a
lone. Uy the institutions of ancient
when ihe senate received information of ihe
contjuol or.ctnioa of a ccuuirj) ihtx con.
suited- what laws they thought proper shou'.d
be prescribed, and sent commonly ten am
bassadors, with whose concurrence the ge
neral of the troops in the conquered or ced
ed country might settle its concerns. The
two first laws which congress passed relative
to the government of Louisiana, display a
very singular improvement upon the two re
publican; systems of the ancient Romans.-
It is a subject cf pleasure and of pride that.
I opposed them ; and I am clearly, of opinion
that the adoption of similar measures, by the
federalists, while they held the reins ol pow -i
en, would have been considered by the re
publicans as uncjuestionable evidence of a ..s
posilion to create a monarchical 'system of
government. , .
The celebrated alteration of the constitu
tion, providing lor a distinct designation of
the elect'. ral votes for president and. vice
president, -comes next in order to the present
review. The following letter which-1 ad
dressed to the council and house of represen
tatives of this state infolds the views . and.
motives which governed my conduct' in rela
tion to that subject. The council although,
they had forwarded to me an insi.ructiot in
the form of a request to vote in favor of the
amendment', forbadi their Sicrilary to read to
them my reasons for disobeying their t;:.sfrr
tions. This conduct may have been truly
republicans but it will be proper, previously
to the admission of that point, to examine
the constitutional power of rhe state legisla
tures to instruct representatives or even se
nators in congress, with respect .to amend
ments to the constitution. The constitution
has declared that 44 congress, whenever two
thirds of both houses shall deem it neccs
ary, shall propose amendments to this con
stitution, or on the application of two thirds
of the legislatures of the several States, f hall
call a convention, fco" Congress are icsted
with a perfect discretion in the case ; they
may propose amendments when they deem
it necessary. Congress :i.nd the state legisla
tures are. constitutionally, .distinct initative
bod res, as it respects amendments each com
pletely independent of the other. To justify
thu stale legislatures in instructing even se
rvitors to pr-ipos? amendment, the constitu
tion should first be amended" so as. to read
j thus Congress, whenever t'ae state legisla
tures shall instruct them to deem it neccs-
pary, shall propose amendments, kc. I shall
at this time ordy and that 1 have, upon ma
ture reflection, altered the opinion' avowed
in t!.e?f.iUwing letter, that the amendment
ii trot materially injurious to the small
st iles : and I shall devote my next letter to
an ex'iibiti m of the reasons which produ
ced in my nfihd that alteration.
W-shinlon, Dec. 10,1805.
Sin, .
1 (!uly received a communication from his
excellency the governor, covering a resolu
tion of the council and general assembly,
instructing the senators, and requesting the i
rrpresentaiues of the people ol the Male,
in congrcs, to use their exertions -to obtain
an htnend'nent toHhe'Cohs'itution of the
United S'ates providing for a distinct desig
nation or the voles, for President and Vice-lVesidt-nt.
Previously to the arrival of this
communication, a resolution providing for
that subject had passed the house f repre
sentatives. ,by-a lare constitutional majori
ty, and was sent to the senate fir their con
sideration; for that resolution my vote was
givca. The senate did not act upon the
resolution but originated a new one, contem
plating another ntatrtutl alteration in the
con 'tif.it ion, connected with the principle of
designation. The alteration to which I si-
h le .s a provision that in ose the house of
rcprcsvnuiitts snail not make a cuoice oi
the l'restdeot, when the right of making
mk'i choice devolves upon them, before
the fmrth day of M uch., the Vicc-I'i evident
elect shall be !'rcsid'-nt for the ncs.t four
years. To the resolution f.om the iciuie,
myelf and six other members of my own
p-dilical sentiments, four f-o:n Mat t'ltucitt,
one from P sirr, Aa ar.d one fiotn Ynin
ia, ft:r m ing fmitlets tCunpt to amend
it, wire couipvllcd by the dictates of
consckuce to give our r! tided dissent;
And i. becomes me,' in the peculiar situa
tion ii which I Jijnd, respectfully to of
fer to the legislature of thai state which
I have the honor to represent, the reasons
for m) conduct.
We were all attached to the great prin
ciple sf designation, but we thought the
additi'iul provision of the senate cdtuLhd
to reproduce the same etil which lhal prin
cilc vas intended to remove, by creating
new pobi'i litict of the introduction of a man
to the i'ntidencvt who was never control-
pitted it a tjiulle candidate for thai office.
cither by the people or Ihi clcctois. We
urged that the day would probably soon sr.
rive, when new -o!itiol interests would
rise in our country, and numerous t andi
dites te presented for the Presidency.
t hat upon the cstshlishmrrt of the princi
ple of discrimination, the office of lor.Vf.
iiJent (' J horn tf ntntr ttntiJeraiion, and
the public attention would he turmd upon
all the most prominent characters In tht
Uaioni ratrtly at candidates Ut lht of Pre-
siclent. That tvo large states, each involv
ing several Mnaller states withiirthe eiieie
of its influence, might present two emen
dates, equally and pre-eminently: qualified
for the . office of President, tnid iqu..:,. -gi-liearly
equal, in tlie number ..-of eki toi .al
suffrages to the house of represematius :
'1 hilt each of those great sti lt s mip, t.l"l o
obstinate in its pretensions, and rhat-Vtyer-al
small states might, as luq pei ed at thu
last election, be divided and ."g-i'.e i;o vote;
that it would be in the power of two c-r'thYu
individuals to prevcuUaqcUon that . ti e
Vice-President, al Siiiy ' e hbsen'eiilier I y tiu
electors or the senate, wt-uld't iii l-kcl (o
promise Jihot.e iJitti-vic'uars. the first fin es -in
-i - -i VJl Hit CAIUHIVC IO IjeMt'W.
though U.-y niight.be as totally imqr.aH
cd
.... ...ou nsmmseit lor the presnm.cv. ; r d
that he nnvhi JlltlUe tllis ,,,0,,, . a
perlect certany 0f being able to per
if they should piotract the election umil tf e;
fourth day of Marii. We .u't;ged-i hat ...this
could not be consid.t i.rd as imp'robrbje -tl-at
the American people, although i vv "Virtu
ous, W'ould,be at no rctiwt time in m me ce
gree corrupted ntl . AuiTitfalw ny-s-rshU
ambitious und 'unprincipled 'uifliviruids ' of
talents and influence. That the poj r.cd
addition to the constitution contained" l. n
guBge inconsistent with tlie r mtr.a! ('ii;-; ,
voice of the original coi:r.lttt.tio:i bv ..u in "
the House of Heprtt.! i.t.tives isiierkti to.
make an election J" President sit' ;ll evert;
and thst, alihough the impctxiite Mile could
not be considered ps intended to erce n'c
ral volition.it v as improper, r.lur (oir.ma.rd
ing the heme to makc a choice, in mediately
to tell them t'uy maydo it or not as ti.cy
please. That this .provit ir.n seeixud to in
vite to corruption und. tq open a bro'tujer-'a-
venue through which injjiue and ambition'
mrht advance. to, the very s itr.Is cf our ri-
publican system' than any free people Iir.d
ever established as a radical princir.le- of
their constitution. That it was danrrous
to alter the constitution with p'retipilation,fe
audio insist oon blending with a prmciplj
winch the public sentiment niicocivctalh'
demanded, a novel principle which the peo
ple had never contemplated. That it was.
irrational to conclude that the discriminat
ing principle would be lost by a t ejection
of the present vendution; conferef.rc with
the senate mii;ht follow, and an accommo
dation immediately be made, or th senate
might proceed to consider the resolution
tent from the house, and the probable result
would be its adoption.
Although almost every member in the ma
j' ritv allowed cur objections to possss great
weight, we wire not lavortd with many sm
sners to our arguments. We 'wnp rm!v
told the' e i's we feared n igl.t nevir l.e x
perienred and that il we did 4il pi ihe
Ksoluti'.n in tU- f. :,n in which it passed
the sertf, we slu old in all piobability lo.st
its principle id'.c fetlu r.
The meml-crs wl ' gcrrrclly constitute
the tnui'.rity in the !. e i on pi litici li-ue-tions
supported our in jections, ;it relied
principally upon a point width' 1 romider
imtenr.b!c. viz. th;.: n principal of (ibniniii-a-lion
between the votes for Prciditt ii"d
Vice-Presidenl, impairs the prii!es?s and
relative niuht ol the s-tt ..11 naus in ihe
.Union, 'liny mpporttd thrs positicn with
much sinrt-tiiy tnd injrmnii)', l.t.t I rtmM
not discover great futce in ll.t ;r arjii mri'ts.
I possiMed tlie sentimtnts t fthe Itu'isla
lure and people of Veiincnt with ruput to
the question of designation, but roi.ld not
rntiripate lluir opinion opon ?.tft'r ens
stil.jicts, and therefore bli mynlf ct libtrty
In tote ogiiintt tic rttoluticn. which was
carried iy inc costing vote oi tlie speaker.
Il was mutter of great rotwdatic n to me in
this painful situation to f;lid so tt toy ok lo
be I, of the si me polilirt.1 siiiliirrnts with
mjsilf, and i.fmuch greater political tx
Itr'ur.re. uniting with me in rpinion; a ii--enn
stance which will pitsevte -me f'om
tl.ciuipuintic.il of hnvirg Mlcfitd I t litat y
tnd tetciitiic ojnnit n, from j ttiictstsiKii.s
adverse to ccol riflcctif r.
jamt.s n.i.ioT.
MAV-VoilK, Aptil :r..
POSTSCRIPT.
Ti c ship Oliver I llswotih, npt. Pcnnr'
arritetl lure yesterd.ty, in 40 !) fitm I i
crpK,. We hate uciiwd ftc ni opt. I'm
tint fde of lat.don snrs lo lie I' th
and Llotd's List to tic 9. It uliin.r, which
cnabltsuslo l.i jr Uforc our reat'ets news e
srral days Lter than has been tictitid if
former artitals.
I.airnoif, March, 6 r.vrrrmcrt late
vc understand, rteeised inlr lligrnce tret an
unusual drgrre of actisity .'us )i'tW ptc
saiU (I in the Dutch Potts and it is abo re
ported that IhiottAfarte sa last wtik at
Iloulofne. If Ibiotiap..rle has scrioicly e
lermined lo make an aiicmpt tpon thi
Country, we think it probable lhal it tjill
be made soon, becauie frtitn the t'ijkitii.ti
manifested If some of ihe gttat ft ntir.tM
al Towers, it 1 na trrr hkil li st be will
'
a
h
ff.
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