Page:The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787 Volume 2.djvu/114

 I IO 1KECORDS OF THE FEDERAL CONVENTION dd2 MADISON Empire, till it became in a manner hereditary, interested all Europe, and was much influenced s by foreign interference- In the latter, altho' the elective Magistrate has very little real power, his election has at all times produced the most eager interference of forign princes, and has in fact at length slid entirely into foreign hands. The existing authorities in the States are the Legislative, Executive & Judiciary. The appointment of the Natl Executive by the first was objection- able in many points (of view), some of which had been already mentioned. He would mention one which of itself would decide his opinion. The Legislatures of the States had be- trayed a strong propensity to a variety of pernicious measures? One object of the Natl. Legislre. was to controul this propen- sity. One object of the Natl. Executive, so far as it would have a negative on the laws, was to controul the Natl. Legis- lature, so far as it might be infected with a similar propensity. Refer the appointmt of the Natl. Executive to the State Legis- latures, and this controuling purpose may be defeated. The Legislatures can & will act with some kind of regular plan, and will promote the appointmt. of a man who will not oppose himself to a favorite object. Should a majority of the Legis- latures at the time of election have the same object, or differ- ent objects of the same kind, the Natl Executive, would be rendered subservient to them. -- An appointment by the State Executives, was liable among other objections to this !nsuper- able one, that being standing bodies, they could & would be courted, and intrigued with by the Candidates, by their parti- zans, and by the Ministers of foreign powers. The State Judiclarys had not & he presumed wd. not be proposed as a proper source of appointment. The Option before us then lay between an appointment by Electors chosen by the people-- and an immediate appointment by the people. He thought the former mode free from many of the objections which had been urged agst. it, and greatly preferable to an appointment by the Natl. Legislature. As the electors would be chosen for the occasion, would meet at once, & proceed immediately Crossed out *'to say the least". ' Crossed out "petty acts ".

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