Indiana Palladium, Volume 2, Number 45, Lawrenceburg, Dearborn County, 18 November 1826 — Page 1

i! ,11 1 r if EQUALITY OF RIGHTS IS NATURE'S PLAN AND FOLLOWING NATURE IS THE MARCH OF MAN. Barlow. Volume II. LAWHENCEBURGH, INDIANA; SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 13126. Number 45.

1M mUMm w(Mm Hi

me taunraw

PRLVTED dYD PUBLISHED y S PR WE It. H V VUL1.EY.12 co. Oj fuery Saturday Morning.

From iljs' Register. r cOjVstitutiojY. A few days since, in casually looking over the 2'Jth Vol. I noticed the report of Mr. Benton, one of the senators of the United States from Missouri, and was particularly struck with the following paragraph in page 339: "That the qualified votes of the state? ought to possess the real, as well as the nominal right, to elect the president and vice-president of the United States, is a

proposition deducible from the rights of

man, the nature of the federal government. and the proper distribution of all its powers. The nature of this government i free and representative. It is a govern inent of the people, managing their owr. concerns in their own way, through the agency of their own servants.'" " I have thought that some pood might result from a consideration of the points made in the extract, though it is not long since I spoke on this subject believing it always important that every

citizen should correctly understand the principles of his government, that he in iv not either mistake them himself or lead others into error. I shall, therefore, discuss the matter at considerable length, i:i the hope of making certain thing; familiar to some, with which all should Le acquainted. The time is peculiarly tilted to reason on these things, la corn-

framed that instrument thought it more! important to bring about and preserve a federation of the states, than to secure a real represensative system to the people of the U. States. 4. That it 'ought to be a government of the people1 is admitted, as above and that it is generally so, I am disposed to believe and rejoice in but that provision is made by which the majority of the people can certainly rule on every occasion, is entirely inadmissable, being opposed to the whole scheme of the confederation, as built upon the sovereignty of the stiles, joint partners to the union. In familiar phrase, this government may be called a government of the people, and so it is as nearly, perhaps, as the nature of things will allow, without actual danger of running into consolidation but when we begin to investigate the principles of the constitution, with a view to alter or amend the compact between the. stales, we must narrowly examine all the parts of the compact, and observe the corresponding ipc ration of its several most important provisions. If so, we shall more and more esteem the wisdom displayed in (he constitution, and think it

more sale that seme portion of our right-t us men should be yielded, than the softy of the union be endangered. No one will pretend to assert that the constitution is perfect. It was ofihujirst 7icccssily to harmonize the popular power with the state severe igniif a ; and hence compromises were made which cannot he done away, without shaking olf the whole structure. Tho4'vil of the people"' has

been lesss regarded in several deeply in

inon language, and for most useful pur

ii : a i. t i t i a ! i a : I a I ii. . : i

poses, we exuu in me itnowieuge inai icrcsi :ng pai uciu irs, ueui me inuepen-

rnment of the people; butjdence ot the states, and to secure a com

mon co-operation of these independent

what the people's representatives thought were most wholesome laws, rejected in

people in Mississippi. 18.500 in Missouri or Illinois 21,000 in Rhode I-land, " "old

the senate? Witness the tariff bill hich severally have the same power as 40,000

on rs is a ir.w

when we i into an investigation of the

principles of the constitution, with an honest view to the amendment of that instrument, so wonderful forit wisdom and glorious because of the benefits which it Iris conferred on the United States, it is our self-duty, as well as self interest, to take care what we do, and not softer our-i-elves to be led away by our feelings, or by heal"d views of temporary or accidental mo tiers. Under these last, wc made one alteration of the constitution, as to the election of a president. I myself was

as "hop for it as any body but ever

sovereignties for the common benefit ol

all of thorn. But, before; I proceed to m ike any general remarks on the propositions con-i

tamed i;i the short extract from Col. Benton's report, it may he proper to declare that I am, a- I always have been, in favor of a general district system for the election of president and vice president, and that 1 would keep such elections out of the hous of reprosentativ cs, or the seriate. And whether the voters of the several districts shall elect one elec.hr for

since I sjv that it made the oflice of eachiistrie.t, or vote directly for president,

passed the house in 1320, by 00 votes.

against C9 defeated in the senate 22 to 21; and the present law though it has accomplished invaluable good to our country, was razeed and mangled in a wonderful manner, by a few opposing persons in the same body. Had the bill, as reported by Mr. Baldwin, or as it was amended and passed the house of representatives in I 820, been accepted by the senate, it would have preserved thousands of enterprising men from ruin, and have added uncounted millions to the nalional wealth. And had that subsequently introduced by Mr. Tod, passed the senate as it left the house, (lie benefits which must have resulted from ii would have been mightily increased. The senate, however, defeated one bill and nearly lost us the other, bv its amendments and t. I a mcjwity of not less than t:vo millions of the pnp e f the l." nihil States n e re in favor ufihe broad and liberal ground taken by Messrs. Ihitduin and Tod. This total disregard of the will of the people was quietly submitted to anil in a matter a thousand times more important to the community than .any question winch can arise as to the person w ho might he our president hut it is powerfully interesting that he should he unequivocally favorable to measures deemed vital to the welfare of our country, and which have been so decidedly opposed by the power of the states in the senate. A rain, let us call to mi.xl the proceedings at the lasj session on the Panama business, no matter whether it was right or wrong to appoint ministers to attend the congress of the new statethe bill to appropriate money for the mission passed in the rroiLc's house KM

to GJ, though all that pertained to it was

proci'i'.siinatt d and opposed in the senat

in N. York or Pennsylvania, &c.

4 tl'i as to the pozters of the tu o houses. Thirty-one of the "representatives of the people'1 from the several small states, m iv elect a presidf nt, provi!ed people" have not made a choice, taking one of the three highest of those preferred by the people 1 ut twenty-five of the representatives of the same small sttdes in the senate, can overrule or defeat the will of two hundred and thirteen representatives of the people" In the other house, daily and every day when in session, and there i perpetual power so to act. We shall further shew how this power of the statt s in the senate may contrcl the "will of the people." people senators 1. Missisippi has 42,000 and 2

2. Illinois M.000 3. Missouri 5b000 4. Delaware 08,000 j. Rhode Island 83.000

6. Louisiana 7. Alabama 8. Cieoigia 9. Vermont 10. S. Carolina

31,000 tib',000 1 0 1 ,000 23o,0C0 233.000

1 l.N.Ilampshirc 244,00O 12. New Jersey 270,000 13 Connecticut 1117,000

o o o l o o o o o o 1

25

vice-president a sort of bnlance-zzhecl to

promote the election of president, as has

since bee i generally the case, instead of

havi tg th t place filled by a person second in the affections of the people, as bhew'i by the old mode of election, and making it really the second office in the government I regretted that that cmcni)nent was made. It has opened the

door to a greater evil than that which it wa designed to" shut out. . To guard against what might never again occur, we have rendered ourselves liable to great inconveniences, and reduced the office of vice-president from the dignity and respect that ought to attach to it. Let us then be careful for the 4 future. A od it is besides important that the love

l,o3C,0C0

Now, as the whole jwple of the United States at the last i iisiis was 3,000,000, it is manifest that moie than six millions may be perfectly c utrolled bv the wishes of less than two millions; and that 25 persons in the senate have perpetually that power, vvh'uh once in four ears mav possiblv devolve on 31 persoi s in the house of representatives vv hen ?t:!ts may act there as states always do in

the senate. My opinion is, that thirty

in a way that never before was heard vilonc may be better trusted than t:antyby 59 or 20 of that body; and tinalh ! five, and that there i-more safety to the agreed to by 23 agmst 1'J, the minority ; people in the vote of a responsible reprebeing forced to the question at tuoo'cloch Uentativr, than in that ol an almost inrs-

the ditri't still arbitrarily counting om

vote, each district having one equal part in the election of president, 1 care very little. The result will generally be exactly the same. But if the people should vote directly, c-vnparisons nf votes would be made not altogether pleasant to some who advocate the project of so amending the constitution; for the fact is that nearly 40,000 of the people are required in several states to make one elector, the power to do which only need-, or haB,

14,500 in another, or about 13 or 20,000

in a number of them. I shall not go into rt desertnticn enn-

m the monting, w hen the senate hud been

in session the unreasonable time of fourteen bouts! Many eases of this sort might be mentioned, w herein thc.peip es :rif, expressed through their representatives, was disregai ded: arid who does not recoliei t the 'Spuitun hand" in the sentde of Pennsy lvania in 1800, who reduced that great state to o'e. solitary efficient vote in the election of a president of the United Slates? It is thus that senates Ii .ve often sported with lhe clearly

expressed "will of the people," and of

taeir repiesentatives. But to resume the subject 'Pillow ii g aside all that might he said about "qualified voters" as having reference to "the people," or to shew that they are very di lie rent things (Maryland, for example, with li electoral votes, having as many "qualified voters"

is Virginia w ilh 2 1;, I shall speak direct

cerninc either of these nronori ions-

there has been ciiourrh of talking and'1)' lo tlie point before us, that the

writing and elcctiouerrinn com crning, ppie (I really mean the people) ma

of the people for theirconstitution should them: but endeavor to show the i:.com-s,e w',at l'lL constitution and enquire Dot be impaired, unless manifest error patibility of the federal principle as adopt-!xvnr,'R"r l'uy vv's'1 it t'-o altered that the should appear in its operations r:nd if ed in the constitution, with the clamor ' p'Tar may succeed the federal princi-

so, all the parts must be viewed so' far as niade about the kivoice of the people " P1l's u nether, if they wish it, there is,;dies they bear on that part for if each bc!ar,d the special danger to which we are' l,,L' shadow f a hope that the small', titled i

mistaken as to the "nature" of their general government, which U more federal than popular j and, in all its essential qualities better calculated to promotes the good of the whole people than the projectors of the present dwy would ever agree upon I And it ill becomes those who profit mot by lhe federal power, to declaim in favor of the pi pular principle. The small states and tlu slave- bidding states will never adept it, whatever politicians nm say about it. South Carolina having hut a small fraction of the people more than Vermont, will not y ield hef nine representatives in congress and descend to five or i'irginia place her representation, on the present cei sus, on a par with Ohio, equally numerous in citizens; or .Missouri, at d the rest of the small states, give up the equal power that they have in the senate with the most populous members of the union. At the next census, New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio will shew about or nearly, o)ic third of all the pciplr of the United States as residing in them but they will have only one eighth, (and perhaps less), of the power to pass laws, or to cooperate with, or control the e xecutive, in the senate. Certain of the states will, piobably, always be weak in. number because of the scantiness of their teiritory; ai d others will remain or be torn paratively so, on account of the presence uf slaves, w ho drive i or rotaid, the ineiease ofa free populaticn and hei ce it is important to the preservation of both tln se, ai d of the u.aon, that things should rt main pretty much as thev are: and w hatever political pet ulators or th oVUss euthusiests may say the great body of the people i. either desire, nor will admit of, any radical change in the corsti tution of the United Slates. The) prefer ihv federal to the p-pular principle, us

neiier sum U to tl.e dual state of tilings, and the ?uctsritics of the condition in which vse are as well placed now as whe'i the constitution w as first adopted. Indeed, the f der.il princ iple is eve ry day becoming more and more important to those who specially derived advantages frem if. Such is the pn gross of events. In 1 790, the "free states" as

they are called had an ai ess of onl 753,-

000 citizens but an excess of 2,33S,00O in 1820, and. will shew an excess of more than 3,500,000 in 1 830, or as great an exivss of citizens as all the "slave holding st tes" shall at that time contain or si ven inillioiii of pcip 'e ayaii st three millions and an halt, notwithstar ding the foimcr pours into the south and southwest, more than ten, perhaps twenty emigrants for one width travel in opposite directions! Will the s jth un south west then, give up the ft deral principle? It is idle or mischeivous to talk .about if, though general assert ie may look very pretty in eleetionecrii g a s or harangues, Thksk states cannot. 1 do not desire that they should, though the keepii g of that principle interferes with t h ? "lights of man" in other sections of .the c untrv. Ii is the ron enact:

.r W W

Kmsiblc senator. If there is not, the

) lonarchiccl principle is better sustained than I had thought that it was. Put v it i thus that persons, graspii g at shadow s, lei substances slip through their fingers. Further, the senators are appointed by the legislatures of the states for six years, the representatives bv the kaptafiJicxl voters for two y ears. The last may generally be elected with a view to the solitary act ot Jlderal power that they ion be called upon to exert, as is the cast' with the lately elected representatives from M iry land ; but the former, genei jillv cannot because of the long ptriod for which they are appointed, ami because the people do not directly act on their appointment. le?idos, the representative is presumed to be, and most com

monly is, the choice ofa majoi ity of the

"qualified voters ol his district but a senator may not, at all, represent a majority of the people of his state, because of the constrm lion of its legislative bo

dies as in Maryland and Virginia, tarn) I will rather a ide bv it the ills

where p-pulatiin or taxation is not re

garded in the construction of those bo

lounties, arid not persons, being en-

that exi:, than venture on others "that we know not of." Kven in Maryland, we have had a vbU nt outcry nhout "the

lilV-Y Ulill nil Ui.Il J'.lll I'M II 1 1 Ut;lf( IMC SpeCl not consistent with the rest, the machinc!slljecf ' hern cannot g on. If we examine the whole of the co;)t"

mo that "lhe nmcseutathes STAT,:S or t,H' iavc holding status, can! I te

1 to tend members. Thus at thej people," vvheve voice was disregarded election ofa, senate for Maryland, at the late presidential election, though

J 1 ... . ..... . . . O

ofihe iKonle" mav, nossiblv, oi ce in four uc or outint ' lt induced, to give bdhmore, with one fourth ot the people the tact is that the votes ofa plurality of

machine as we ought, we shall more and years, exert the same, federal power that!"P t')e lu,w,'' granted to them for their: of the state, and l aying about one third, the qualified lectors" were opposed to

m re admire the various compromises of js daiiv exerted in the senate, the repec-"u preservation! 1 say they cannot of all the taxes ot the state, had oncforti- the vote ofa majority of the college, and which it is formed, and avoid that "'nichjsc.,V5 0f the st'dc! And, let others 1Ui) ' & hi ther and declare they ought Wi part of the constitutional pow er to, two of tin vUes of that college were deihould he avoided, if possible a discus- hold what "opinion they may, I have hsi,K)t 'setter that some part of inyt elect a senate of th? statt;: what Jlumme-1 riv ed from oar slaves, . Ad these same siou of the peculiar interests of particu- fCP.r 0f treason, coalition, combination or 'Personal rights should be yielded, as be- ry is it then to spak of "the people," as' persons also speak about the people, the Jar sections of our common country. any other thing that is hateful or inju-i lore ol)' ved, than that the federal union connected with thai proceeding? dcar, sweet people,' vvIiom w ill i repreTo refer to the report rioUS ,n the responsible house of represent -iuml be dissolved, or the republic am- I wish it understood, and therefore re-' st nted in the general assembly of Mary1. Tut the "qualified voter" ought tatives, the most democratic branch of''A ns in my opi-.ion it speedily peat itthat I hare nothing to objet t to land ihonrji certain counties ei the

to po-ses the real as well as the nominal; 0tir L'ovcrnment, than in the senate, com-, uuu,u ,),' ' tlie governme nt of this unioiq lhe constitutional construction of the sen- state, n.su rnay rule the stale in all its

slative husires, contain

; ai d pay less t f lhe ipport of governim i t,

ity and county, which i.Jv a sixteenth part of

come the in lineal newer ol the state. JJut

rignt tl electing the president ana vice-lposed of diflerent elements, without n: u ,i? P'(" ;i government ol the poo- ate, except to shorten the period ior.er.cu utive or legi

president of the United States, is admlt-fe)ow of regard to population, and of per- PJ? though (heir snrgts at the pdk, which senators art; appointed, nor would; less of the people ted, for the sake of argument but pcfual reZo ?, going cut in classes, each These arc bold assertions-hut I feel a' I interfere with the otle r great compromi taxes for the mi

the proposition, it "deducible from the,,nPniher being elected far six years, unconscious strength ol hen g able to suv istng principles of the federal compart,: than Baltimore i right of mm,'"' requires that citizens and;stead of for two years, as in the otherita'" them, "at the bar of the public rea-. which allows a representation on ai count Ugother, have o

-it :

a inlifvd Vohi'S Should he FV nonvmOUSi hmii an t flwrnfV.rn !inm.virhif to. son.

II." A I . 1 ' " I . ... d . 1

term-, as to such elections ; anu that each! Wanls an aristocrat v. if not actually con- 1I ' inc construction cf the house

;ia 1 every qualified voter should count stitutim oik

a sta"te that has less than!' representatives. At th

of the slaves, (and the time

when representation and taxation will

a r .i .i . . a ii i ii

e l ist census.' no together, as the constitution coniem- t ie oeonie io.illv

will thyse who make tais outerv about

to them "the

gKe

ie. and no more, and have the same, Tl,n hundredth mrt -,fib.. iteh-r t et Otere w-ere m()i e free vhite uiale c:)i5! nlated that thev should, ai d fur which'mat. arrcmcnt of their own concerns in

weight, if readout in Pennsylvania as if0f ;1c people, represented in the other j ''I.1'10 s,aU; of Ohio than in the sdate of reason the compromise was made) but their own way, through the agency of inhabiting Missouri. I branch of the legislature, having a ur:; ''r54i"':i ct the first was allowed only I nm desirous that pciS Jiis should not be their own servants,"' ;a col, Benton avers 2. That even the "qualified voters") fjUrth part of the power of the sen: te, representatives and the last 22. Ver- - r . - that they ought to be managed? Nol)yt:ie"iv;rcoftlK'fed(r:.lgovernnient,"ju.)icj) tU)t onv (.()nipletely controls the mont, with 5 representatives, had only .jV'y'me "tt?ci! d cfu it" Jipl. verily no! they will not eithsr give up possesses the power of electing a presi-!oerati0ns of'the house Vf renresenta- 3?000 b's of the people of the United -hi.a nrvste tomtit m wJ- ch v tl s. i.4te- tlie fcJnul power, which thu fctute'oosseji-

Derations or the house ot renn

dent is denied, except partially: Ut ht-j tives, but laroely partakes of the bu-hu-s

of the executive, and measurably govmis the president himself. Let the history of the senate of the United States be examined, to ascertain whether mv fears are well grounded or not! Treason has twice been suspected in that body ,

cteumcientiy strong to institute proceed-

cause me manner ol electing electors is

left to the states; and 2. idly, for the alLiwance of power to the stateson account ofihe senators representing them, and licauso of tin possession of slaves, w hich ir? neither "qualified voters' or citizens, or of ''the people." 3. That the nature of this governueut i free and representative" is true but the federal principle is more re

garded in tlie constitution than the pop

iugs concerning certain senators. I do

not recollect that any such circumstances ever occurred in the other many times more numerous branch of the legis-

lar "Jiacinie aul the wise men whojlaturc. And how often have wc seen

fctates than Eolith Carolina, w hich v-as allowed, and lias, 9 representatives. 2nd as to the trnnte. Delaw are, Illinois, Missouri and Mississippi, which together have only four representatives,

have eight members in the senate -and as much weight as N. York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Ohio, which together have ninety six representatives. 3rd as to the election cf president and supposing the constitution so amended that each district ofa state should count one vote, as proposed H.5Q0 cf tbe

rlei lmn to die house of r prr tt ta hto t a j il s dM'tr dtpobitory of the rlcctivr prifilepe thv ry other lvly ot rqud numbtu uidr it.ecoii aiieation, M it is ud tt.at 'htff nr.v bf soriu tv,d mail rtat in the housr, 1 vill atk f ir thfc ba Jy of tticl rumhera in U th 'he-it s a hitlt ? And I vilt m ii'iion Uao the h use of rtprta n thtiits lus tver beer, now ii, m il wlntr iJit r

public l 'VK, it must 1 1 i ti ..ce to be, for Uei-t i.NTtciMiTVi 'd tor clrvation ct i-lirtcu f, OJt Ii st body 1 tnrn, t.f t tjual rsurnhtrs, which r tiCv' u our own, or any other country ii; lhe voi Id, To ruy mind, therfote, thtre is i0 phre ino;e Sbfe of drpos'ning tfk - rjjht ot tU st.tcs to t'eride the prtsiikniiai t.Swlion that the tcuse is.

ses in the a flairs of the general government on account of our slaves, or deprive a small minority, located in divisions of our country called counties, of the power that they have to rule a great majority, through the Old Sarimvliku print iples of our state constitution. So then the whole clamor is - fleather," soft-

leather! And however much the right of the people to elect their president, and to control the acts of their legislature, fcc. may be talked of, tho.tu who talk most about them would be most o