11

shall be made by the people voting directly for
those officers, or indirectly by electors chosen
by, and responsible to them, we consider of less
importance; as in either mode, the elections
will be effective expressions of their will. But
we deem it of paramount consequence that the
rights of the respective states, as secured by
the compromises upon which the constitution
was founded, be preserved sacred and invio-
late; and to the small states, (including Mary-
and) particularly that the federative principle
upon which the elections are now made, in the
event of a failure of the people, in the primary
elections to make a choice, be maintained.—
Adhering to this principle, we esteem it of lit-
tle consequence, whether the power of contin-
gent choice remains where it is now vested, or,
be transferred to some other authority. We
believe the house of representatives is as safe
and suitable a depository of that power, as any
other that can be constituted or provided for,
or, any that exists, other than the people them-
selves.

Whether it would be proper and expedient
to to change the constitution, as upon a failure
of the people on the first trial to make an elec-
tion, to have in their own hands and exercise,
themselves, the power of making subsequent
efforts for that purpose; under all the excite-
ment that such an event will never fail to pro-
duce, appears to us to be, at least questionable.
Aud even if the policy and propriety of their