Page:The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787 Volume 2.djvu/118

 I I- iECOF-D$ OF THE FEDERAL CONVENTION Wednesday MADISON Mr (Madison) also thought something valuable might be made of the suggestion with the proposed amendment of it. The second best man u in this case would probably be the first, in fact. The only objection which occurred was that each Citizen after hays. given his vote for his favorite fellow Citizen wd. throw away his second on some obscure Citizen of another State, in order to ensure the object of his first choice. But it could hardly be supposed that the Citizens of many States would be so sanguine of having their favorite elected, as not to give their second vote with sincerity to the next object of their choice. It 2 might moreover be provided in favor of the smaller States that the Executive should not be eligible more than times in years from the same State. Mr. Gerry- A popular election in this case is radically vicious. The ignorance of the people would put it in the power of some one set of men dispersed through the Union & acting in Concert to delude them into any appointment. He observed that such a Society of men existed in the Order of the Cincinnati. They were respectable, United and influ- encial. They will in fact elect the chief Magistrate in every instance, if the election be referred to the people.--His respect for the characters composing this Society could not blind him to the danger & impropriety of throwing such a power into their hands. Mr. Dickenson. As far as he could judge from the dis- cussion which had taken place during his attendance, insuper- able objections lay agst an election of the Executive by the Natl. Legislature; as also by the Legislatures or Executives of the States- He had long leaned towards an election by the people which he regarded as the best and purest source. Objections he was aware lay agst this mode, but not so great he thought as agst the other modes. The greatest difficulty in the opinion of the House seemed to arise from the parti- ality of the States to their respective Citizens. But, might not this very partiality be turned to a useful purpose. Let  Crossed out: "in the partial Judgment of each Citizen towards his immediate fellow Citizen".  Crossed out: "As a further safeguard".

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