Page images
PDF
EPUB

Having, in the several interviews I have had with your Excellency on the subject of these cases, been constantly impressed with your unceasing anxiety to bring all the guilty to speedy and exemplary punishment, I regret that I have as yet been so unfortunate in carrying your wishes into effect.

Very respectfully, I am, Sir,
Your obedient servant,

VICTORY BIRDSEYE,
Special Counsel.

To His Excellency ENOS T. THROOP,

Acting Governar of the State of New-York.

Albany, December 30, 1830.

[A. No. 3.]

IN ASSEMBLY,

January 6, 1831.

MESSAGE

From the Governor, transmitting Resolutions from the States of Connecticut, Vermont, Mississippi and Louisiana.

GENTLEMEN

TO THE ASSEMBLY.

I have the honor to transmit to you Communications from the Executives of the States of Connecticut, Vermont, Mississippi and Louisiana, transmitting to me Resolutions of the Legislatures of their several States.

Albany, January 6, 1831.

[A. No. 4.]

E. T. THROOP.

COMMUNICATION

From the Executive of the state of Connecticut, relative to proposed amendments to the Constitution of the United States.

SIR

STATE OF CONNECTICUT.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
August 28, 1830.

In compliance with the request of the General Assembly of this State, I have the honor to transmit to you the inclosed document to be laid before the Legislature of the State over which you preside. With high consideration,

I am your ob't. servt,

GIDEON TOMLINSON.

INSO

To his Excellency the Governor of New-York.

STATE OF CONNECTICUT,

General Assembly, May Session, 1830.

The Joint Committee to whom was referred that part of the Message of the Governor which relates to the proposed alteration of the Constitution of the United States-Report,

That they have had under consideration the part of the Message referred to them, and also a resolution of the General Assembly of Missouri, declaring "that it is expedient to amend the Constitution of the United States, so as to provide a uniform mode of electing the President and Vice-President throughout the several States, and to give to the people of the United States the privilege of voting directly for the President and Vice-President, without the intervention of electors, reserving to the States, respectively, their due weight in relation to the said election, as is guaranteed to them by the Constitution of the United States. And that the election of President and Vice-President should, in no case whatever, be submitted to the decision of the House of Representatives of the United States."

Your committee have also had before them a resolution of the Legislature of Georgia, expressing their concurrence on this subject, with the Legislature of Missouri; and a resolution of the Legislature of Vermont, expressing their opinion, that it is inexpedient to alter the Constitution of the United States in the manner proposed by the State of Missouri.

Believing that the Constitution should not be altered for light and transient causes, your committee have carefully sought for the evidence of existing evils, which require the proposed alterations; they have, however, not been able to find it. The Presidential election is full of interest to the people of the United States. Party strife and unhallowed ambition, with their necessary consequences, the prostitution of public patronage, and the corruption of private inte

grity, have occasioned some anxiety for the permanency of our political institutions. For the restraint and correction of such evils, incident, as they are, to our free government, the patriot looks not to a change of Constitution, but to a sound, enlightened public opinion-a power which no purposes of selfish ambition, no claims of party, no unhallowed combinations can resist. But it is said, that the provisions of the Constitution, as they now exist, may, and frequently do, prevent a fair expression of the will of a majority of the people, in the election, and are thus at variance with the fundamental principles of the Constitution. If the committee had been furnished with the details of the proposed alterations, they could speak with more confidence of their probable operation. It is believed, however, that enough is disclosed to justify the opinion, that the principle assumed is not in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution. The framers of that instrument were men of the utmost purity, talents and patriotism; their wisdom approached inspiration; and every year of our political existence has increased the inestimable value of their great work. Their object was not the formation of a consolidated empire, but a combination of the energies of the distinct State sovereignties, for certain specified national purposes. The strictly popular representative principle does not appear to have been adopted in the formation of the Constitution; and if it had been, the State sovereignties would have been merged in a grand consolidated government, which, it will be acknowledged on all hands, could not have subsisted to this time. The convention found great difficulty in the adjustment of the second article of the Constitution relating to the executive; but so happy were they, finally, in the arrangement of its checks and balances, that no article met less opposition in the State Conventions. It provides for a fair expression of the will of the people, and yet protects the independence of the smaller States from the overwhelming influence and power of the larger ones. The evils should be apparent, and the reason plain and unanswerable, to justify an alteration of this part of the Constitution, in the manner proposed. Your committee have been unable to find any such reasons, and in their opinion a concurrence in the proposed amendments would hazard the relative influence of the smaller States. They, therefore, recommend the adoption of the accompanying resolutions. All which is respectfully submitted. Signed per order.

WILLIAM W. BOARDMAN, Chairman.

At a General Assembly of the State of Connecticut, holden at NewHaven, in said State, on the first Wednesday of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty,

RESOLVED, That this General Assembly do not concur with the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, in the proposal to amend the Constitution of the United States, so as to provide a uniform mode of electing the President and Vice-President of the United States, without the intervention of Electors; and that the election of President and Vice-President, should, in no case whatever be

« ՆախորդըՇարունակել »