JUNE 17—THE VICE PRESIDENCY.
Mr Madison.—Mr Chairman, I think there are some peculiar
advantages incident to this office [the Vice Presidency], which
recommend it to us. There is in the first place a great
probability this officer will be taken from one of the largest
states, and if so, the circumstance of his having an eventual
vote will be so far favorable. The consideration which recommends
it to me, is, that he will be the choice of the people at
large.—There are to be ninety-one electors, each of whom has
two votes: if he have one fourth of the whole number of votes,
he is elected vice-president. There is much more propriety in
giving this office to a person chosen by the people at large,
than to one of the senate who is only the choice of the legislature
of one state.—His eventual vote is an advantage too
obvious to comment upon. I differ from the honorable member
in the case which enables congress to make a temporary
appointment. When the president and vice-president die,
the election of another president will immediately take place,
and suppose it would not, all that congress could do, would be
to make an appointment, between the expiration of the four
years and the last election, and to continue only to such
expiration. This can rarely happen. This power continues
the government in motion, and is well guarded.
