iVPNTECTOF CONSTH WICK
Y t limcnt to the constitution
ybos--"- unlform node of
urhicn PV..,;,.. flM-tors of Fresi.
"' Vicrresidrat, and of Repre.cn.
f rvescinhaTing originated nour
- utrk tee presume our readers will
heofedP thespeecb-h;ch Mr.
JfSS. cf New-Jeneyw'nt. great; sup-
i tfcefSeijtecf the United Sutes,
lately made in its Desalt. , .
iTr President At the last session of
rrress I had the? honor to introduce a
SStion-vThis I did, in obedience to inr
SonsreceKed; from the leplshture
tate f New-Jersey which state I
W the hefeor; -in part, to represent.
Yfter a discussion bf the merits of the re
$;L, a large ; .(ajoritv jof.theenate
fevmd to be in favor of it, but not a
njority of two thirds, and of course-it
'. W several veaps past, the principle
T15 of Nnrth CArolina haS
Sed ground, and partutariy, .Within
Sast year, as We may fairly conclude,
Mip instructionsJwbich have been Ye
Sntly laid upon our tSble, frm thesgtes
5ew Hampshire, Connecticut and Ne-
inhere wereno reasonable hopes' of
hrineing this;measure to a favorable is-,
J,t iviebt be fairly considered as ren
fcrinf: myself unnecessarily txoubleme,
dWeisa hope of success, and I ..think
present circumstances, warrant such, a
Erie I cannot consider ; myself absolfed
from'the obligations imposed upon me bv
Z instructions.' Under this impression,
a rtJnr as well from a sense of .the
oral importance of the subjects a sense'
If the duty -which I owe to; mjKctstitu-
ents,l again earnestly, ow . .rcpcV.
solicit the attention of the Senate to this
resolution ; which X should have introdu
ced m the first week of the present ses
sion, but from a hope that some, other
member of this honorable body : would
haYeiaken upon himself t that task. As
no bJk seemed so disposed, it apreared to
njc improper Jonger-to procwstmate a
measure which ought to receive a discus
sion before cur attention is engrossed by
tit usual objects oflegislation
As the Senate' has once indulged .me
wkha hearing upon this resolution, it -is
. r,. i Krifin thp rbserva-
whJrh I am now about to make,, as
the nature andJmpomnce of the subject.
; ' n,.rm r. more especially ii uiu i
jir.ts oi argument which I had the honor
tosubmit i. for, as the subject is Oid and
hncknn?d, I am sensible, ;and I feel op
pnsscd by the reflection, that any ohser
VHticns I Can no make 'will be consider:
ed as tedious and irksome by most of those
who hear me. . '- J' -J ' .
f The constitution of the United btates
uisely provides for its owit amendment,
but in doing this it interposes such obsta
cles to the spirit of innovation, as not oiity
ciTectuaiiv to prevent all unnecessary al
terationhut, as T feari to prevent the
most salutary reform. . j , . ; ,
An amendment cannot be proposed to
the states unless twothifds of each branch
r ti n-itlfjal (legislature concur in the
nrUivve and hen proposed, three-f-ifihs
of il:e states must concur before it
c la become a part of the constitution ;
great, therefore, are the' difficulties,, ar
duous the task, and doubtful the issue, ' of
any attempt to alter the' constitution
There is, besides, a sort of sanctity atf
tached to this instrument,' that leads many
ta cxnsider.it as something super-human,
something partaking t of divine origin
sikh consider any attempt tc( alter it as a
sort of political profanationxj a sacnlege
against the palladium of ur liberties. ""In
addition t thisthere is V general disin
clination to disturb old. established regula
tions, a sj)ecies of "w"?Vertewhichxcah
enly be overcome by "the' mcst pressing
urgency., These are difficulties attending
id attempts to Uter the.cotistitution.
JThe amendment under consKlemion is
attended with difficulties peculiar tp"ktclf.
Jt proposes to the dominant partus in the
respective .states without whose aid it can
tct succeed, to give up a,; portion of their
ptucr.'' Such applications are always un
Welriimo nnrt hnt rarelv attended with
, Access, whether, to individuals, to states,
r to piij-tical patties. , . ;-f : '
. The ckmlnant party in New-York, for
instance, by no means an overwhelnung
fcaimity, can. under the present system,
fjve twenty-nine votes, that is, the whole.
ute of the state on .a presidential elec
cn ; under thelproposed system, of choos-'
iii.c elctors, their vote would bejprcpt)
tcd to their tmmbers.T The , same ob-
ivittuin will apply, in a greater or kss
s;tte to the dominant parties inalfjho
- rfth union. ' . ,' , ;V -Vi;
. K Squires no small degree cf patriot
Iw1 i.,Jle Pa of majorities, to divest
jjcnljrt.ivts f the power cf restraining
minonties whom they always consider
- luir political adversaries. I trust; how
it thoae iiiuhiplied difficulties
y . -roivt ci nsideratkm of the gene-
i .'m11 :i j -uil "
- jjiodu, tiiiu Ulill till Uita-
;-t be attt ndtd with ultimate suc
xehi a result ' linwpvpiv' unld he
Vitterl
V. ry n pelcss hi times of political r
an-
iun ic:ence, "hcli majorities
always think that the publicood'iff'oiost
effectually promoted by rest raining, s far j
as possible, the power of the minorities.
wh(v in such 'unhappyrMtes, are always
cohsidered,'and always' stigmatized,as the
enemies of therr.couhtry : . .:-' -
L-; Happily for hs, the 'present moment is
pecuitarty;auspicions ior unoerxaiyiis
rrr posed amendment,' as there is less of
party animosity now than' tlierer has.bcen
atiny period since the, establishment" of
our Eroverment." If the present opportu
nity be sufjered to pass:by unimproydt
raav, nevr agmn osxur , ?or, wc uiawv
-ery little sagacity," jf . we; pisumcthat
thepreserit politicals calm is to be perm :a..
rtcnt, oreven of anv consderable.duratron.
;l';:!splanof'iiaividi States, mto
stricts,Jsoriew: eennrielitvitjs no
mnoyation'whver
tion j itis only Cftjculated ' to ; render per
marnt and uniform' a' regulation hich'
rms prevailed in nearly all tne states ana
wli'ch oght to haVe.preyailed in all, and
wiuld have prevailed in all: bv common
consent, but for the disorganizing spirit of ,
pa riy.' ; W h ateverjxiode may be auoptea
forchQosing electors ani representatives,
t;i.s bni versa l)y allowed th atJt ought tc
be li jfirm throughout the UnitedStatesi
Under the old rconTedera tion the; Con -jgress'
w s considered as a yepresehtaiion
of the, States and they voted by states.
The HpusV of" Representatives is now, or-,
oug"ht to be,i a; representation of the peg
pie, ahd'they are emphatically called the
popular branch , to distinguish them from
th iatejwhkhliiay still be consider-. !
edj as airepresentation . of the states ; and
the popular branch Is considered as the
jiiain stay and st rong hold of the Republi
can principles of our government. '
If the legislature or a state, should ap
point their representatives to. Congress,
as they do their senatoiV(eyn if the con
stitut'n were" as vague and uncertain in
this particular as jt is with respect to the
appnihtment of electors we should consi
der the proceeding in the highest degree
preposterous, jnasmu'ch as H would leave
to such representatives no character of a.
popular branch ! rYet ythe choosing the
representatives of a. state by what is call
ed a general ticket, in which the voice of
the ; minority is completely merged, is e
qually preposterous, and genefallytrriuch
more so, as the people vdte for cahdidates
of I whose quahncations i anclv characters
they are ignorant, upon the recommenda
tion of, individuals, of whom, frequently,
they know nothing, wha assemble in con
vention or causus to settle the fate of. the
election before the people are called upon
for their-votes,i and thus .prevent' every
principle, of what -weare pleased to Call,
the universal right ct suurage. t v : ;
: Thp resolution proposes that each state
shall be divided into as many districts as
it has representatives ; Lthe districts to
consist of contiguous territory, and to con
tain as nearly asmay be, an equaLnum-
ber!of persons entitled to be represented.
It i would be ini possible ; to gp further in
tliis particular, without j introducing too
nucn recuianon. wiinout renaerm? tue
svstem unnecessarily compiieated. ;The
rule is perfectly fair: perfectly republican,
attended m ith no difficulties, "and if adopt
ed, will secure to air parties, that degree
of ijiflunce and power proportioned lb
their .numKrs, whkha republic, they
may fairlvclaiinbyeyery ' principle of
hohbr, andustice. X'- ;, '
v As these districts are t6be altered but
once in ten yea'rs, the-tendency to fluctu
ation and Chinee will be sufficiently coun-
ieracted: It may be tbjought(that as the
new states .are rapidly, increasing, the dis-
tncts should be altereciimoretrequenuy,
to' corresponcf withuthei rapid increase of
populatipn. y must recollect, nowever,
that - altering the, districts could not in-
crease, the number ot representatives or
electors, to which a state might be enti
tled ; and in anyiother; point ;of view, it
can be of but little importance. '.,
1 Under the present system of choosing
representatives, it is the practice 4s much
as, possible, to Suppress1 the yqice of mP
norities, 8c tills provoking tyranny is'pfacj
tised under the specious garb of republic
canism." In the small states, the elections;
take place most, commonly, . by what is
called a ehcrariicket. f This "completely
snppressesahe Vblce of the minority, and
may be a representation of the dominant
party, but not of the people of a state.
L In the" large states; the difficulties - of
voting by general ticket j are so great, that j
they arejnduced;' from necessity, to adopt j
some system of forming districts ; but the i
donilnant. parties, unwdjing to -give to the
mioorifies- th'6veight to which they .are !
entitled by their numbers, .or any thine: !
like it, have adopted an irregular mode of
districtingiknowri bV the opprgbrious term
QigcTiritmandLpngr by.which t,hey cut up
and parcel out a stateyinto unequal . and '
inwnrenicnt districtSi f formed" too frei
quentty, witn a, total qisregara ot tne ;
principles 'hi Ju?;icepthe rights of the ci-'-j
lizeii, or.iiic appuiU ui uti,ciju. .
: In ;vwhat: estatiotj fcan jE,we hold the
majority of i I egislature,; toolly and deli .
berately, dividing and carving upa state
into irrcgularl districts, J sctne JaVge, and
some sniallT-sbmeUo cobseoRe repre
sentative, some two, some three, some
four, in such a mauner as to suppress; as
far as possibje', - the influence of their pb
iiUcal ppponentstaking care to have in
each district, a sufficient uiajbrity of . their
.ownVarty to make all safe; , but no mere,
in 'formimr such districts,' the utmost skill
and address have, been observed, credita-
fuKto the -'motives and .principles ot the
actors. ; tcould relate many instances of
outrage and abuse iinder this head, as "I
did on a former occasion ; but I am unwil
lihgto exhibit the, disgusting picture :Such
gross perversion of- the principles cf pur
government, haye a direct tendency to
destroy all respect for our political insti
tutions, to bring our constitution into: con
tempt,1 and .to introduce, into our jegisjla
tive bodies, no small degree -pf moral as
well as political turptitude. ' ' ' -'
? It' may; and probably wilKbe said; that
it ishbr Necessary to amend the' consti
tution on this point,-as Congress haye the
power to regulate the election1, of repre
sentatives. . There isno probability that
Cougi-ess.will e er exercise this power,
except in cases where states .wholly re
fuse and neglect to provide, for the (elec
tion of :its representatives. It is by no
means cleaf, that Ccng'ress have the'pow
er to pass a law, making it obligatory, on
the "legislature of a! state, to divide that
state, into districts : and if Congres si louid
undertake, to .divide the; states into dis-?
tricts,' they Jt would find themselves in
volved fn inlinite " difficulties besides,
should a state .be divided without the con
sent of its legislature, v in a manner unac-
cepable to- a majority of the people, it
would create the greatest discontent, and
be considered, as a sort of stte degi'ada-
. The convention thought proper to give
lithis power; to. Congress, under an appre
hension that a combinatton ot states might
emnarrass tne. measures or. government,
by refusing to send representatives - to
congress. . in tms.ipoint ot view tne pro
vision was a wise one ; . but the danger a
ffaihst which it, was meant toprovide has
long since passed by,;: and the new states
which we have added.to the; union.lhave
a tendency to prevent such combinations.
Important as the proposed amendment
is,, as it respects the choice of .representa
tives ln. cong'ress, it is ' vastly more impor
tant as it respects tne enoice 01 electors.
In the Jirst casei the just rights of a large
portion of our citizens are constantly in-
inngea ; in, xne inner, uiose rignts arc
not only equally infringed, but the perma
nency and existence of our government is
put to hazard., ' -. 1
io cuoosea a cniet magistrate terpen
millions .cf people, jealous of their rights
and impatient of control, even m the best
regulated system must be attended with
prio small degree of danger : this danger
increases witn tne.mc;-easmg extent 01
ptirjterritory, and esjecially( when the in
crease of onr population shall amount to
fifty millions, asit will do in a period less
than that which liasdaped since the de
claration if independence,- i
,We are in the habit of looking,1 with
great composure upon the; return of our
presidential election ; bqt, little ks we ap
prehend from thisvsubject, it is pijohably
the roc k, upon wnicn our liDerties are to
be. wrecked. We all remember when
the power of our country, pbrhaps the ex
istence of our' government, hungihdoubt
fill supense, upon the- frail breath of two
or three individuals, and that from a tault
iif that part of the constitution which the
framers.ofit thought:the most perfect
pleasing indeed in theory, but utterly
fallacious in practice. J -This
amendment proposes, that each
district shall choose one elector; the two
additional! electors to which a state - may
be entitled,, to be apointe as the Legis
lature thereof shall direct, This avoids
the inconvenience .of double districts
wfyichi would be complicated and trouble
some,'and it adopts the spirit of that part
of our constitution,, i which apportions the
electors of a state, not in a ratiOjbf its re
presentatives or its senators but in a com
pound ratio of bothy n The two additional
electors may be considered as analogous
to the representatives. - This is not a coti
Mderation of greaimportance, but it is a
recommendation of the measure, inas-1
much as it more distinctly marks this pe
culiar feature of-our cpnstftution. f . j
. This mode will give as fair art expres
sion of the public will, as can possibly be
obtained i unless indeed we resort to a
general vote, ot tne peopie at large, witqy
out regard to thej limits of states or dis
tricts. And it secures to, us, a point of
immense magnitude; one. upop which de
pends the vital principle; of duTvConstitu
tibn, and even the existence of our govern
ment : Itf secures to us,1 that the President
of the fj. States shall be;electedby a ma
jority; and neverby a minority of the peo
plk 4 i " V.?'
Upon a calculation of chances, the pro
babilities "of a fair expression of the public
will, are increased by "dividing the states
into districts, andin the ratio or the num-
beiof districts to the, numl?er of states
It is truethe minority' in , the respective
districts would be suppressed ; , but as the
minority ;4cf" one . party vhichmigjit be
suppressed in one : district would ptoba
bly bt balanced by the suppressioa of the
minojpity-of the other.' paityin another
district, die general result would be a fair
expression of? the public wilL, If, hi tlie
state- 6f Massachusetts:: we suppose;the
political parties which how exist, or here
after' may : exist, to be- about equally di
vided a.a election byra geueral ticket,
; would, of necessity entirely suppress the
voice i or vine . iimiuriiyr juw i' tic 'a.at
were divided into twenty, districts,) as it
would as by tne, proposea amenament,
such a result would not- hkppen once in a
thousand, elections. Sit .would be an equal
chance, that tlie representatives so chos
en Would , be as their c6nstituentsfaboUt
eqiiallyr.divided : If the', parties were as
one to; two, it would be an equal chance,
tnat tne .representation woum oe in toe
same ratio ; but these'pbints aret,oo clear
tb'neecl elucidation, s; T
" Besides, nUe disricfy'system will place
insuperable barriers.ft6i the, intrigues of
ambitioiisYndividuals who Will hereafter
agitate the.Unibn at the Approach of eve-
ryxpresiueutiai eicciiuu.; - , ;
In the process; of jelecting'a President,
there pught to be more hniformjty) more
precision, antlmore certainty than in, the (
election of any. other officer whatever,'
and yet strange as it, may" appear, Hthere j
is iessr it is a reproacn to us, tnac tneie:
is scarcely thei shadow of uniformity, pre-.
cision or certamty in any of the rules, by
whicjt we elect; beyond compttnson the
mostimpoi'tant officer in ourgqvernment
,'By the constitution each state shall ap
point, las the Legislature thereof shall di
rect," its number of electovs By the let
ter of this provision,! the Leislatiire-of a1;
state may direct, that the electors' shall
be chosen by the people, in a general tick
et or they may direct that they shall be
chosen'in equal districts ; or they may Ve
sort to the iniquitous system of irregular
districts; , but, I cannot admitf that by a
strict fconstrpctibri of the constitution,' the
legislature sliall , direct how they them
selves sjiall appoint the electors-- Yet,
this power ha been assumed byUlie,Let
gislaturesof most of the , States,. If this
bei an infringement i of tiie constitution;;
the procedure ought to be corrected., It"
therejbe a doubt upon theubject, which
I.t'iiok will not be ckytiied, remedy
should be applied ; for if tliis yital part
of our ; constitution, ( there should be no
doubtful points. ,
When the Legislatures have taken this
power ,intp,theirwn hands, they lw,ye
made the apijointmentss sometimes by a
joint vote of ;the two ttouse&V 'sometimes
by aconenfrent Vote; sometimesby, acotu-
promief sometimes the -resolutions Under
which the appointments have been made",
ha ve receiver! tlie'approbation of the Ex---!
ecutiveV when suchvapprobationowas ne-'
j;essaryi and sometirnes not, ' The Execu-
tives! have sometimes been authorized tQ k
fill up the vacancies in "the list of electors ;
sometimes the electors theniselves to fill !
suc yacancies,. ahd sometimes the-case 'j
hasi been unprovided for:;1 when the pep-
pie have .exercised this power, . it. has 1
sometimes been by general. ticket,! sonie-1
times by equal districts, and sometimes by
a detestable system of gerrymandering.
f his great variety of modes, has putinti j
operation tne , moso extensive miigucs,
which have disgraced our. constitutian, c
on one occasion, that of 18GI, put toliaz-;
I ard the peace of our country. f ,V,.
. Many of .the States haV? adopted the
worst possible system of choosing electors;
that is, by their legislatures; QUier spates,
although they condeinrf this mode, will bp
induce to adopt , it is a measure of self
detience, and .will be justified in doing so
and it vvill soon be adopted in alt, or near
ly all the States And when so'gener&lly
adopted, .will afford! to some aspiring in
dividual,' the means of "of 'arriving at the
Presidential - chair, against the will of a
large majorityvof the people; and -of per
petuating his power , by , destroying the li
berties of his Country. J1' , -i . -
Itlis evident that if the Legislatures of
the'States appoint the electors, the. voice ;
of the. nunonties in the respective states .
must oe entirety, suppresseu--uiau wjueti
'nbthingfcan be more unjust, br moj;e dan
gerous ; as it woul independently ot t-
ther circumstances (which I have men- i
tionedi increalse the ' rancour Sfjbitterness, i
of party. in the States; and exliibit the j
states in a sort" of hostile, array against
each other. . - ' 'i
When this subiectAvas underdiscussion !
Jast kesslbn,. I had the honn;: ol submitting
a calculation, .shewing tHe'mahiier in
which a President might be elected against
the,will of a laTge ltiajority. -of the people '
and i a large ,'majority 6f states; which I
will! beg leave td repeat. The whole
number pf electors for the -"nineteen states
cotnposing-he union at; thfe last Presiden-,
tial election, is 21,' of whicii, 111 make a
majbrity ahd can choose a President. (The
states of NeV-York, New, Jersey, Peu'nr
svlvaniarMaryland, Virginja "arid North-
I Carolina, which are composed of coutigu-
cal treasons for combination have US
electors, two more thanfare necessary for
choosing, a President; a bare majority in
the 1 Legislatures cf. thes cT states. M oH
them a small state-ana. 1 ot .miuiie size,
could by possibility, cUnteractahe'w ill ol
6 or 7 millions of people, and elect a Pre
sident, in defiance of the residue of the Us
niori. The Legfsltatures of five states,
MassachusetU,iNevr-York,Pennsylva4iftn
iviaryianu. ana v trgiiuu; vvuitu uave
electors, couiu iwuu: uic siiuc ciieui.
Bat if weake mto calculation the twenty
onestates now forming trie) Uulbu; rtliey;
navje zz( ejectprs, , uuAiaoaniawnicu t
sooritq be a state-thr number .voultl hi
230, a' majority 116 The six first "hitjr
tiohffi.states; with tKe stat'c of lkiwaie,.U
have lift electors, and ' can choose' a'pre? -sident.7
trr.IVvJiV-
. The cases I have. stated are cxtrerhe
cases ; ,itxi's said extreme cases prdveho- "
thing, so if would be wi,th these, if the e
va to,, be apprehended, mustt happen ia( 1
I iii 3. t . '
chief. which may and will happeto-a&Ve-ry
contested presidential election!: if wft
adhere to pur present system;''-" -
. Kow easy will it be to procure co nbi-- ' '
natibns among state legislatures; and hbj-
admirably", tcalculated to '.profnrfe,;: the , -schemes.,
of ' ambitidml The 'smalt hxiM 1 -
of . intriguers necessary for. such -opra-
tions; would Have.the strbngjesr posbla s
iiKi,u.uicuiBi!io) rcitieverance, as ttnejf
would divide amongthemselyes, the-whole .
patrpnage of theTres,ident;and all th6 S
places and eniflurnehts "within : his gift. i. '
In this,' however, : tney; .would, sometimes : V
find theiiiselvejs, .disappointfedwhfe?tMh ' ' -
luuiviuua tney naa eievatedhduld finq;
himself in a situation,"to kick.from under
him, the ladder by which he had ascend
ed. ' -.'-.i. . ( .
In proportion, as we diminish the cir- 1
cle upon wliich intrigue :.is to act the
same proportion, do we add to the forcer- - -and'
energy, ;bf that intrigue. Suppose' it.
to be ascertained, ; that, the majority, ia . - ' y .
fi vu of: the" six .states first mentioned,; are: v V
in favgr of ,a particular candidate as Pre : T
ldent, und: ' that the1, point is .doubtful as '
respects the sixth, and that the -gaining "UU
an, influential ' individual f would turn'thp J :
balance the force of
L would produce ho sensible'cffect upori 221 'r
wow v-.va, v"mu uc lrresistiDie wuen ap-
plied to.a single point- 1 -c-
Apd here let,me observe, that our pre-;
sent sy stem holds out the most inviting: J -theatre,
if6r. the ex-rcise : of foreign .ia ;
triguearid foreign influence; against whicn,,
were warned to guard and protect our- " ;
selves by. the histories of all nations,- Whb -have
lost their liberties. We "mtjst all ;
have observQd,that!thegfeatesrstfnggles '
for power between , the political p rties,
Iiiive immediately preceded the pi e.siden-. . -
elections. these strnPT-Iev ir 'thttf .
states nearly equally divided especially , '
in the lar'ge.statestlwill continue to be pur
sued to desperation underhe present sys : , '
tern ; fbr the object; vastly greattr. thaa
it should be; .is.ealculated to call fi.rtb e;- ,
very possible exertion.- . Every -thing is t
put to hazardi : pfty must gain' or lose -
all;, there isjio intermediate 'potationr'
which to.rest. n the state of N.'.Yorki for " -instance,.if
the federal party skulU eraid ' ,
j such an acc(?ssinfbf "strength, as to give
they ,would(i instead of havinc: ho vot& '.'
j. whatevei in the election of a president be ' ,
enaoieuto give their candidate 29 yotes ,
and this number taken from th opposing .
candidate; weuld, hvfact, make a 'differ- -.'. , -ence
of 08 votes itj the election. iThe ob-
ject therefore., being soyey great, no " '
bounds would, be set to the parties" in their ?
struggle for power ; arid in in the: furious, .
contest," hpnpr,Vj Justice; conscience, : alLt
WOUld goto WtCk.VUi "I v'
X Whenever the majority in a great states
changes from .tbe one side to the other, 4t:
produces sttch . a .concussion, . as not only to
shake, the state fp fe ceritre, , butto pro- .
duce.an agitation iq the.uriion.'destructiyer A ,
of the:barmony ' that ought to prevail in,
our system. " ' .' i-.;, .":.;;! - - " ,
: 1 his ! very; circumstance, jn hp smalL J ,
degree, tends to create and keep alive that; '
party; animosity,, that political .warfare, "'f
which almost constantly agitates and dis-i
tracts the lareer-states. Hiiw- diflWUnr '
would the case- be under the proposed a- - '
inendraent ..Suppbse the Federalists fa
New-Yorl&to be nearly equal to'theirop ' , "
ponents andito have majorities An 13so.
the twenty seven' districts mtblwhich that , '.
state would be divided, a struggle, whicii
urvdei' the 'present system, would' give?
them a bare majority in the Legislature,, - '
and make a difference of fifty eight votesf " .
in . the Prjenidential election, .would be' in' " 7
fact but gaiymg-pne. district, and the pow '
er of appointing' two additional, c lectors
being a gain of three electors, and making
a differerice ot'sixirt tjie etectioii.1 The
object, therefore, not 'being com parati ve
lyr ofgreg.t importahce,'!; would ..produce?
no despera'te struggle, no dangerous agU. -
tation. lThere, Would 'sil);;ho we ver bei
enouerb' left,. to:call forth all the nartv ' 1
i feeling that ought ueyerlto 'be excited .
vuv.i uijjicocui, 3ji.ciu, ii is greatly '
tcf be apprejiended, that bnve aspiring in-
dividaal may gai&' the supreme power a- ; :
gainst the will of a great majority of thei !
people. To subrnit.to such a ..president.,
woulbe deemed art intqle;- Me eppres- I
sion, and -would probably (din the los&
of our liberties. To resist,; H e .most mov -bable
alternative would bring' ori.a civil .' 1
war, whiclTwculd tcrmjnatein a! military:
despotism ; and the danger of this result ' N
is evidently increasedby encteasing the- :
number cf states. ' ' -
C Sfieech (0 be cencluded in our next. J '
fa ..... ll ! ' I I. ! - J" - J''.' ! "' - - t '' I Jl 'I! - ' " - '
lATS INEAR WARUENTON. :,
,.r VILX.SLL 1any,pvt pf ihe, 1Premiscl . . ','
yhreon Xnpw reside, .There are theeon
lW.;0llmg-Houie3, 4w'nh - suitable OuU
Buildings ; aml ihel'mlixtiy &eappuri:cne4
miaa numperJ Handsome, baiidmg s.citU.--
li is i&e uignest si:ski:oa r.;ar vva
amntoh.',
K UAYISOV.
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